Ofcom wants your help mapping Britain’s mobile networks
Ofcom already has a handy online tool for checking mobile and broadband coverage across the UK, but sometimes the bigger picture can hide the little differences. In addition to the regulator’s own data and that supplied by providers, Ofcom wants to build a more detailed map of mobile network and WiFi performance using crowdsourced, user data. To that end, it’s launched the Ofcom Mobile Research Android app, which runs in the background and collects data on call reliability, signal strength, connection speeds, app use, and of course, location.
Ofcom has put out a call for volunteers to download the app and document their mobile experience, with both numbers and the occasional questionnaire. Not only will their data be used to improve the coverage checker, but also in various other Ofcom projects, such as a report on quality of service across networks, due out next spring.
Beyond any battery drain concerns you might be having, Ofcom is keen to stress that all data is anonymised and only top-level information on app use is recorded — the regulator will know you used the YouTube app, for example, but not what you watched. Ofcom is also out to research the habits of users, you see, to “understand how current trends are likely to affect future demands.” As you’d imagine, pushing the privacy aspect is key to getting people on board with the project, because it’s hard to create a “nationally-representative dataset” when only three phones have the app installed.
Via: ISPreview
Source: Ofcom (1), (2), Ofcom Mobile Research (Google Play)
Sainsbury’s expands one-hour deliveries in London
Sainsbury’s will begin quietly bowing out of the digital entertainment game next month, shutting down its video streaming service and music, e-book and magazine stores. But while the supermarket is admitting defeat in one area, it’s doubling efforts in another. Having trialed one-hour grocery deliveries in Wandsworth over the past few months, as of tomorrow Sainsbury’s is expanding the service to cover a much larger area of London, spanning Wimbledon to the West End.
For a £4.99 fee, customers can order up to 20 items for delivery within one hour through the Chop Chop iOS app, built in-house by the Sainsbury’s digital team. This compliments the same-day delivery option Sainsbury’s already offers in certain parts of London for online orders. Combined, these make the supermarket one of the most convenient destinations for last-minute grocery shops, but it’s not really Ocado Sainsbury’s is competing against. It’s Amazon.
Between Amazon’s same-day Fresh service and Prime Now one-hour deliveries, the online retailer’s flair for logistics is not to be underestimated. But knowing convenience is king, Sainsbury’s is happy to play Amazon at its own game. The supermarket recently completed its acquisition of Argos’ owner, Home Retail Group, and swiftly announced more miniature Argos locations would be set up inside Sainsbury’s stores before the Christmas rush. While these are retail outlets in their own right, they are also strategic click-and-collect points.
Argos also has non-perishable deliveries covered with its unmatched, nationwide same-day service. As far as groceries are concerned, though, tomorrow’s Chop Chop expansion doesn’t fully pull the service out of the trial stages. Sainsbury’s tells us there are no concrete plans as to where it might be available next — those decisions be will made when the supermarket has had a chance to review demand for one-hour deliveries in these new areas.
Via: Wired
Source: Sainsbury’s
Xiaomi’s Mi 5s hides a fingerprint reader under its glass
We were already big fans of Xiaomi’s Mi 5 flagship smartphone, so it’s only natural for the Chinese company to build on this model’s success by bringing us the Mi 5s. It should be no surprise that this dual-SIM device — which has ditched the glass body to become fully metallic on the back — packs Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 821 chipset (as featured on the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe), meaning it offers not only improved computational performance but also super speedy tri-band 4G carrier aggregation. As a bonus, it features up to 128GB of fast UFS 2.0 storage plus up to 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM. So what’s the real interesting bit about the Mi 5s? If you ask us, we’d say it’s the new under-glass ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the front.
At today’s launch event, CEO Lei Jun spent a good amount of time explaining the merits and challenges of integrating ultrasonic fingerprint technology into his phones. Xiaomi had actually been exploring this option since October 2014 while planning for the Mi 5, in the hopes of avoiding the need to cut a hole on the glass for the fingerprint sensor. That way it’d be slightly cheaper to make, more aesthetically pleasing and more durable. Ultrasonic also tolerates dirty fingers better than its capacitive counterpart which would solve a big pain point. Just to be safe, Xiaomi actually prepared two prototypes for the Mi 5 back then: One with a hole on the glass for the conventional capacitive reader, and another without a hole courtesy of an earlier version of the ultrasonic sensor.
Of course, the Mi 5 eventually went with the capacitive button solution, as it wasn’t until July this year when the ultrasonic sensor finally became mature enough for mass production. Hence its debut on the Mi 5s. Even though it’s an under-glass solution (there’s no word on whether this is Qualcomm, LG or Synaptics’ solution), Xiaomi still carved out a little dent on the screen’s 2.5D glass to help guide our fingers — which should come in handy if we want to unlock the phone just as we’re pulling it out of our pockets.
Another highlight of the Mi 5s is its main camera. Much like the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and HTC 10, the Mi 5s takes the large-pixel approach by using Sony’s 1/2.3-inch IMX378 CMOS, which offers a lower 12-megapixel still resolution but better sensitivity using large 1.55um pixel sites (these specs are in fact identical to those of the IMX 377 used by the three aforementioned smartphones). The camera also comes with an f/2.0 aperture, a dual-tone LED flash, phase detection auto-focus, auto HDR and video recording of up to 4K resolution at 30 fps. Xiaomi is quite proud of this new imager, so much that it has a gallery of sample photos for us to gaze upon. Flip to the other side of the phone and you get a 4-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture, 80-degree wide-angle capture and real-time video beautification at up to 1080p.
Much like its predecessor, the Mi 5s is sticking with JDI’s 5.15-inch 1080p display rather than pushing for the sharper 2K resolution, which is good news for the already larger 3,200 mAh battery. It’s also just as bright as before at up to 600 nits and just as vibrant with the 95 percent NTSC gamut. What’s new this time is that it’s a force-sensitive touchscreen, which is a first for Xiaomi, though the company didn’t go into detail about how it’ll be implemented in its MIUI OS’ interface.
For those who reside in China, you’ll be able to pre-order on September 29th, with the base model (64GB storage with 3GB of RAM) asking for the usual 1,999 yuan (about $300) and the high-end version (128GB storage with 4GB of RAM) going for 2,299 yuan (about $345). It’ll come in four colors: Dark grey or gold if you want the brushed metal finish (like on the cheaper Redmi Pro), and silver or pink with the matte finish. There’s also a 79 yuan (about $12) pixel cover case, but it’s sadly a shameless rip-off of HTC’s Dot View case.
At the same launch event, Xiaomi also unveiled the Mi 5s Plus which features the same Snapdragon 821 chipset but clocked faster (2.35GHz instead of 2.15GHz), a larger 5.7-inch screen from Sharp (but lacking force sensitivity), a bigger 3,800 mAh battery, a different metallic body design (no plastic antenna lines and the conventional fingerprint reader is on the back) and a 13-megapixel dual-lens camera. Similar to Huawei’s implementation on its Leica-enhanced P9 and P9 Plus, the Mi 5s Plus uses a combination of an RGB sensor and a BW sensor — both Sony IMX258 — to produce more detailed and cleaner images, though each of the them can also be used independently as well, especially if you want to dabble with artistic black and white photos.
The Mi 5s Plus will be available for pre-order on the same day as the Mi 5s, with the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage version going for 2,299 yuan (about $345) and the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model going for 2,599 yuan (about $390).
Via: Engadget Chinese
Source: Xiaomi (Mi 5s), (Mi 5s Plus)
Hive takes on Hue with colour-changing light bulbs
In its bid to kit out Britain’s homes with tech-centric appliances, British Gas’ Hive has launched a wide range of internet-ready products. There’s the all-important smart thermostat, plugs, home sensors and, more recently, Hive Active Lights. These smart bulbs can be controlled via the Hive app and interact directly with the Hive Hub, but customers have only been able to buy the standard dimmable white light. That changes today, after the company added two new bulbs to its Active Light line-up, putting Philips’ Hue in its sights.
The two new additions are the Active Light Cool to Warm White and the Active Light Colour Changing Bulb, which will fit both the B22 and E27 light sockets you might have in your home. The Cool to Warm White bulb is tuneable from “warm white” 2700K to “daylight cool” 6500K colour temperatures, is energy efficient and typically lasts up to 25,000 hours.
The Active Light Colour Changing Bulb has roughly the same specifications as the Cool to Warm but supports a full spectrum of colours through a wide 240-degree beam angle that Hive says reduces shadowing. The White bulb starts at £29 but can be bought as part of a Starter Pack (which offers three bulbs and a controller) for £89 or as a five pack costing £119. The colour changing bulb starts at £44, rising to £159 for the three pack plus controller, and £179 for a pack of five.
Source: Hive Active Light
OnePlus 3 gets its first UK carrier partnership in O2
Over the past few years, OnePlus has made a name for itself by releasing powerful flagship smartphones at lower-than-expected prices. The unlocked model lets people buy their devices outright, enabling them to get a better deal on a SIM-only contract. But as the company has moved away from its invite system and faced up to the battle of fulfilling every order as soon as possible, it’s also begun to expand into retail. Today, OnePlus has announced its first ever partnership with a UK mobile operator. O2 is the company in question and will begin selling the OnePlus 3 from September 29th from £28 per month.
The OnePlus 3 is being sold with a range of O2 Refresh plans, starting with 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB for £28 or £35.50 a month for unlimited minutes and texts with 3GB data. You’ll pay more than the £329 unlocked price but there’s no upfront cost for the tariffs and with O2’s Refresh plan, you can upgrade the device early if you pay off the remaining value of your phone.
“We chose O2 as our exclusive partner in this important market because they have a history of focusing on the most premium smartphones for the most savvy users, which aligns very well with our products and users,” says OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. “We look forward to sending ripples through the market together with O2.” The full range of tariffs will be available from September 29th and can be found here.
Google Pixel render shows off its software tweaks
Along with its leak of the 4K Chromecast earlier today, VentureBeat is showing off this picture that it says is of Google’s upcoming Pixel phone. Along with the larger Pixel XL, it’s expected to be the successor to previous Nexus devices, with a 5-inch 1080p screen and 32GB of storage onboard. A potential $649 starting price is also raising eyebrows, but previous leaks from Android Police indicate that the most notable feature will be software built to maximize Google’s new Assistant AI.
We’re expecting to find out all of these details and more at Google’s October 4th event, as well as news about a new router and Google Home. Of course, if you just can’t wait, third parties like Nova Launcher and Action Launcher have already pushed out updates that can give your phone the Pixel look, if not its tight Google integration.
Source: VentureBeat
Google’s Android/Chrome laptop may be a year away
We’ve long heard rumors that Google may be merging its Chrome and Android operating systems into a laptop platform, and we’re now getting more substantive reports that point to a Q3 2017 time frame for the hybrid OS. According to Android Police’s sources, the purported Andromeda software is set to debut on a notebook codenamed Bison that is more commonly expected to be called the Pixel 3.
Android Police obtained the news from two sources it described as “independent and reliable,” but cautioned that the details are subject to change. The Bison laptop will reportedly sport a 12.3-inch display, a fingerprint scanner, two USB C ports and a whole host of sensors. It will also support a tablet mode and stylus input, presumably to cater to artists or designers on the go.
According to the report, the notebook will also come with a pressure-sensitive trackpad similar to Macbooks, and its battery is expected to last 10 hours. Google may be going all out against Apple with the Bison, too, as it’s said to be trying to make the laptop less than 10mm thick (thinner than the Macbooks). Plus, the notebook has a reported starting price of $799.
As for the Andromeda OS, it won’t simply be a way to run Android apps on a Chrome platform. Rather, Android Police speculates it will likely be the result of bringing Chrome features to Android, which likely means a version of the popular mobile OS tailored to desktop users. If the leak is true, we are about a year out from seeing the Andromeda-powered laptop. Google may still tease the OS at its upcoming October 4th event, but we’re more likely to see a new WiFi router, 4K Chromecast and Pixel phones then.
Source: Android Police
Trump’s nationwide Snapchat filter snipes at ‘Crooked Hillary’
Social networks have become an extremely important medium for getting younger generations engaged in politics, but they are also proving to be the perfect forum for playground tactics. Snapchat’s location-based geofilters are particularly popular, and in the run-up to this year’s presidential election, everyone from Clinton, Sanders and Cruz to outside organizations allied to one candidate or another have used them to push their agendas at debates, conventions and other events. The Trump campaign is kicking things up a gear today, though, launching its first nationwide geofilter attacking “Crooked Hillary” ahead of tonight’s debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
The simple frame features fireworks and Trump’s “Make America great again” slogan in a patriotic palette, and names “Crooked Hillary” as Trump’s opponent on debate day. While not exactly a zinger, raiding campaign funds for a nationwide geofilter shows how important they’re now considered in shepherding public opinion. And given the news that much of what sits on Hillary Clinton’s private email server won’t be revealed until after the election, Trump’s campaign needs to step up its smearing game any way it can.
Check out Engadget’s guide to the 2016 presidential candidates here.
Via: The Verge
Source: Independent Journal Review
Run fast enough and Strava will give you free sneakers
Strava is one of the few fitness apps that hasn’t been bought by a sportswear company. Maybe that’s why it’s happy handing out footwear to anyone who can complete its “Back Half Challenge.” The competition runs between October 9th and December 6th and is open to anyone looking to run a marathon. But if you think that simply covering 26 miles, 385 yards is enough to get a free pair of New Balance sneakers, you’d better sit down.
In order to be in with a chance of scoring fresh kicks, runners will have to get a “negative split,” which is the ability to complete the second half of a marathon faster than the first. According to Strava’s data, only 1.9 percent of people who completed the 2015 Boston marathon achieved it. 3.5 percent of those who took part in the 2015 New York marathon, meanwhile, were able to boast of a negative split, despite it being a commonly recommended race strategy.
If you’re taking part in a fall season marathons, then you’re in with a shot, so long as you can negative split. Simply take part in a USATF-certified marathon with Strava tracking your run and then submit your data to the company. Of course, Strava must be confident that not too many people will be able to take them up on the offer. After all, the Chicago marathon has 45,000 participants and a pair of New Balance sneakers costs roughly $100 a pop.
Source: Strava, Back Half Challenge
A ‘Fruit Ninja’ movie might really happen
Now that the Angry Birds movie has proven to be a financial success, other studios want in on the mobile-games-as-movies trend. New Line Cinema has secured the rights to a Fruit Ninja movie already in development by game creator Halfbrick Studios and producer Tripp Vinson (of San Andreas and Journey to the Center of the Earth). Not surprisingly, this will involve a lot more than watching an off-screen assassin cut produce into pieces — the project is currently envisioned as a live-action comedy that sees a ragtag group becoming Fruit Ninjas to, naturally, save the world.
We wouldn’t count on the as-yet undated movie being a critical smash. On top of Vinson’s notable-but-not-exceptional pedigree, the writing team is best known for penning an Emmy Awards show and the TV series Anchorwoman. However, it’s doubtful that New Line is expecting something Oscar-worthy in the first place. This is really about capitalizing on one of the most popular mobile games in history before a rival studio gets a chance. At this rate, we’re half-expecting a Crossy Road flick to materialize any day now.
Via: The Verge
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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