Best Phone For Business
The BlackBerry DTEK60 is the best phone you can buy to use with your business.
Best overall
The BlackBerry DTEK60
See at BlackBerry
The BlackBerry DTEK60 is the best phone you can use to manage your business.
Android software built by BlackBerry carries years of knowledge and experience about the things you’re looking for when it comes to the tools you need every day. Business users have specific needs above and beyond what most users have, and the DTEK60 brings things like BlackBerry Hub and the full suite of tools that are an integral part of many road warriors and executives.
The DTEK60 is also secure. Building atop Google’s security measures, BlackBerry deems the DTEK line the most secure Android phones available. Extra hardening and monitoring app installs keep you or your employees from getting any random malware, and of course, Google for Business and BlackBerry’s own management tools extend administration even further.
And it does all this while being responsive and user-friendly. You won’t have to settle for sub-par performance to have the things that help you make money.
Bottom line: Everything a business person needs with no compromises.
One more thing: The BlackBerry Hub integration will help keep you in touch and organized.
Why the DTEK60 is the best
A phone you want to use can also keep your data safe — both personal and business data.
The phone you carry to serve your customers and keep things running smoothly at work needs to be able to do them quickly and keep all that data safe. the DTEK60 is our top pick when it comes to these specifics.
BlackBerry has built a reputation on serving business owners with highly capable and very secure phones. That legacy lives on with their Android offerings. BlackBerry’s additions like the Hub and contact manager are proven to be effective ways to manage busy business accounts, and extras from Google for Business and BlackBerry can make management a breeze.
And the DTEK60 is a phone that does all this with no compromises when it comes to performance. The high-power Snapdragon 820 CPU and 4GB of memory are the same components the other Android powerhouse phones use, and it shows. Whether you’re managing email, sorting through a spreadsheet at the airport or watching a video in your downtime, the DTEK60 can handle it all.
Best for updates
Google Pixel
See at Google
See at Verizon
The Google Pixel is the most secure Android phone you can buy, and one of the most secure phones of any available today.
Without disabling any security protections, the Pixel and Pixel XL are protected against known public security exploits and remote installations are monitored by Google’s scanning software which blocks potential malicious content. While security and privacy are two very different things, when you decide you want private things to stay private you need to make sure your phone is secure to keep them that way. Security is paramount when it comes to using a phone with all your important business contacts and details.
One of the things that make the Pixel and Pixel XL the best is that they use the latest — and most secure — version of Android. It’s also updated monthly with fixes for security exploits (both known and unknown) directly from Google. For those who can’t wait for the update to reach them, the update files are hosted by Google for download and installation. More importantly, the changes and code behind these fixes are available for peer review so they can be made more robust.
Bottom line: The Google Pixel will always have the latest and most secure version of Android for the duration of its lifetime.
One more thing: Verizon carries the Pixel and your account rep can take care of any order.
Best value
BlackBerry DTEK50
See at Amazon
BlackBerry says the DTEK50 is the world’s most secure Android phone.
Using the same methods as the more expensive DTEK60 to keep Android up to date and hardened to BlackBerry’s specifications, the out-of-the-box experience on the DTEK50 lets BlackBerry claim the most secure title with both models.
The experience of using the DTEK50 just isn’t as pleasant as the other phones on our list. Clearly designed as an entry-level phone for people who need connectivity and security, the phone is well worth the asking price. But it’s just not a smooth as any of the other phones here.
That shouldn’t tarnish the DTEK50’s reputation, though. If you’re looking for something safe and affordable with access to well over a million apps — and a tool to monitor them all — the DTEK50 may be just what you’re looking for.
Bottom line: BlackBerry knows that security doesn’t only apply to the flagship phones and the DTEK50 is a welcome addition for business persons and IT managers.
One more thing: Scott Wenger, VP of design and devices for BlackBerry says DTEK stands for “Detection.”
Conclusion
Media outlets like to give Android a bad reputation when it comes to security, and it’s difficult to blame them. Old, outdated software from manufacturers with no real concern for your security or privacy are the norm when it comes to phones running Android. The phone you use to run your business can’t be this way.
The DTEK60 has the BlackBerry legacy of security and professional tools behind it, and the move to Android also makes even more services available. When it comes to the day-to-day needs of running a business or having your staff using the best tools possible in a safe and secure way, you can’t beat the BlackBerry DTEK60
Best overall
The BlackBerry DTEK60
See at BlackBerry
The BlackBerry DTEK60 is the best phone you can use to manage your business.
Android software built by BlackBerry carries years of knowledge and experience about the things you’re looking for when it comes to the tools you need every day. Business users have specific needs above and beyond what most users have, and the DTEK60 brings things like BlackBerry Hub and the full suite of tools that are an integral part of many road warriors and executives.
The DTEK60 is also secure. Building atop Google’s security measures, BlackBerry deems the DTEK line the most secure Android phones available. Extra hardening and monitoring app installs keep you or your employees from getting any random malware, and of course, Google for Business and BlackBerry’s own management tools extend administration even further.
And it does all this while being responsive and user-friendly. You won’t have to settle for sub-par performance to have the things that help you make money.
Bottom line: Everything a business person needs with no compromises.
One more thing: The BlackBerry Hub integration will help keep you in touch and organized.
Sony is bringing ‘Parappa’, ‘Wild Arms’ and more to mobile
Hot on the heels of PlayStation Experience, Sony has announced the first smartphone games developed under its new “ForwardWorks” banner. The roster includes a new Everybody’s Golf title (known as Hot Shots Golf in the US), which is due to come out in spring 2017. The company is also working on a new Wild Arms game, an adaption of Arc the Lad and What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? Looking further ahead, ForwardWorks has confirmed it’ll be working on a new Parappa the Rapper game, as well as apps based on Doko Demo Issho and Boku no Natsuyasumi.
It’s a sizeable list, though one clearly geared towards the Japanese market. While some of its chosen franchises have a fanbase in the West — Parappa and Everybody’s Golf, for instance — most are considered niche or long abandoned. Reviving them as smartphone apps is an intriguing way to measure fan interest. If the games are free, and more importantly good, it could spur demand for new, higher budget console and portable titles. Sony is taking a similar approach on the PS4 right now, having confirmed HD remakes for Parappa the Rapper, Crash Bandicoot and Wipeout.
Sony has tried to make smartphone games before. PlayStation Mobile was an abject failure, however, producing few titles with lasting appeal. It shuttered the project in 2015 and shifted focus to the PlayStation 4, a wildly successful console, and the PlayStation Vita, a brilliant but unpopular handheld. With ForwardWorks, Sony will be hoping to re-assert itself in the mobile market. That’s easier said than done, given the cut-throat competition on iOS and Android. A broad line-up could work in Sony’s favor — effectively spreading its bets — while contrasting Nintendo’s smaller, more cautious portfolio of smartphone games.
Source: Sony (Blog Post)
Amazon’s Music Unlimited family plan comes to the UK
When Amazon launched its unlimited music streaming subscription in the UK, it offered access to over 40 million tracks, thousands of curated playlists and tight integration with its Echo speaker. The one thing it didn’t provide was a dedicated family plan like those offered by Spotify and Apple Music. It took more than three weeks, but Amazon has today extended its subscription to include a Family option — it costs £15 a month or £149 for a full year and allows up to six people to stream to their heart’s content.
Today’s addition means Amazon customers now have four plans to choose from. Prime members can sign up for the standard service at £8 a month or £79 a year, but non-Prime subscribers pay a little extra at £10 a month. The cheaper £4 a month plan is reserved for a single Echo or Echo Dot, which incentivises sales of Amazon’s intelligent speaker and gives it an edge over its streaming rivals.
Source: Amazon Music Unlimited
The Morning After: Wednesday December 7, 2016
This morning, we’re reading about how Google has upgraded its search app to keep personal information and news events separated, the same company’s attempt to solve router troubles forever… and the Novint Falcon’s transformation from haptic games controller to sex toy.
Your to-go guide
Google’s search app splits up news headlines from your upcoming events.
The automated interests formerly known as Google Now are getting another refresh. In a change that’s rolling out first on Android (soon on iOS) the app will display two different sections of information. Upcoming has all of your personal info, like incoming packages, calendar events and reservations. Feed is where current events, sports and trending updates will go. In the age of personal AI assistants, figuring out a place for different types of info is going to be key.
Technology’s biggest patent fight still isn’t over
Supreme Court sides with Samsung over Apple patent penalty
Samsung’s Supreme Court appeal worked: the justices unanimously voted that the company’s violations of Apple’s iPhone design patents were only valid for a part of a smartphone, not the entire device. This means the $548 million penalty sum will return to the lower courts and be reduced. To what degree, however, is up to the courts. The iPhone’s design is iconic — and that will be noted.
It makes a world of difference
Spotify Connect is live on Sonos
After a short beta period, a feature that lets Sonos owners control their audio gear from within Spotify’s app is available to all. It works across desktop and mobile, and can jump from speakers to headphones with the tap of a button.
The next big thing in teledildonics
Computer Love: Novint Falcon (NSFW)
The Novint Falcon debuted as a haptic joystick in 2005, and despite a lot of enthusiasm, never made it to market in a big way. Now, it’s had something of a resurgence, but this time as a sex toy. In this edition of Computer Love, Executive Editor Christopher Trout investigates whether its hardware is up to the task.
An end to “Have you tried switching it off and on again?”Review: Google WiFi
Google WiFi is a solid choice if you’re looking for a router that mixes smart design with simple features and solid performance,. However, users who like to get their hands dirty may prefer the control and flexibility of more conventional products. For the rest of us, Google WiFi will likely provide an easy transition to the connected home. Check out our full review.
Somehow it’s not just an endless RIP list
The top ten Twitter conversations in 2016
The clock is almost up on 2016, and not a moment too soon. Twitter has a round up of the top conversations from this year, including Game of Thrones, Brexit and Black Lives Matter in its Moments format. Of course, it wasn’t all death and politics — remember, Leo finally won an Oscar.
But wait, there’s more…
- Constant updates and online functionality pushed Bungie out of making ‘Halo’ games
- Chance the Rapper’s ‘Coloring Book’ is the first streaming-only album up for a Grammy
- Apple’s TV single sign-on feature is live
Judge sentences celebrity hacker to five years in prison
A federal judge has sentenced Alonzo Knowles, the Bahamian man who hacked into celebs’ emails to get scripts, secrets and sensitive photos, to five years in prison. That’s twice longer than what the federal sentencing guidelines suggested, because Judge Paul A. Engelmayer felt that Knowles “would be a clear and present danger to commit the very same crime again.” While the hacker expressed remorse in court (“What I did was wrong. I could have ruined people’s lives,” he said), he sent out some emails from jail that cemented the judge’s decision to hand him a longer sentence.
In them, he said he’d “shake up Hollywood for real” by writing a book, “name dropping everyone involved” in it and including pictures he didn’t leak in the past. He also said that he plans to hack into Twitter accounts to promote the book, which he wants to sell for $35. “Everyone loves gossip. I cant wait to get out i already know how the cover is gonna look,” he added.
Knowles got access to celebs’ emails by infecting their computers with malware and sending them fake automated text messages. If they prove to be quite tech-savvy, he’d hack into their friends’ accounts to find juicy info on them or any sensitive images. Knowles was arrested in December 2015 when he tried to sell unreleased scripts for six episodes of Starz TV drama Power. He flew to New York to meet the potential buyer, who turned out to be an undercover agent.
Back in May, the defendant pleaded guilty, and his lawyer asked for a 14-month sentence. Unfortunately for him, Judge Engelmayer decided that his emails show he’s devoid of remorse and that he belongs behind bars in federal prison, where he has no access to the internet.
Source: The New York Times, CBS News
Fitbit Buyout Will See Pebble’s Time 2 and Core Wearables Canceled, Refunds Issued
Late last month we reported that Fitbit was closing in on a deal to acquire smartwatch maker Pebble “for a small amount”. Bloomberg has now revealed that the buyout will cost “less than $40 million” and exclusively concerns Pebble’s software assets, which are being sought by Fitbit “in a bid to better compete with Apple”, according to people familiar with the matter.
Yesterday’s update on the details of the acquisition comes at a time when the wearables market as a whole appears to be facing increased uncertainty and significant profit hurdles. Earlier this week, in response to IDC market research claiming that Apple Watch’s share of the wearables market had fallen to 5 percent, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple Watch’s sell-through rate had hit a new high. Cook was responding to data which suggested fitness trackers “reigned supreme” in the market, yet Fitbit has seen its own struggles, with the company’s shares tumbling 30 percent after announcing mixed third-quarter results and weak guidance for its fourth quarter.
To improve its standing in the market, Fitbit reportedly wants to hire Pebble’s software engineers and testers, and get hold of intellectual property including the Pebble OS, watch apps, and cloud services. The $40 million buyout sum does not include Pebble’s debt and other obligations, product inventory or server equipment, all of which will be sold off separately, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous.
The news all but confirms the end of the road is in sight for Pebble’s entire product line-up, including its most recent smartwatch announcements, the Pebble 2, Time 2, and the Pebble Core. The Pebble 2 has already started shipping to people who funded the startup through crowd-funding site Kickstarter, but the Time 2 and Pebble Core will be canceled and refunds will be issued to Kickstarter backers, said the sources.
Following the buyout, Pebble’s offices will be closed and former engineers will relocate to Fitbit offices in San Francisco. There’s no word yet as to whether Fitbit will decide to use the Pebble brand in future.
The deal will make Pebble stock held by employees “worthless”, said sources, with the money earned on the acquisition going to debt holders, vendors, some equity investors, and Kickstarter refunds for the Time 2 and Pebble Core orders.
Tags: Pebble, Fitbit
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Amazon Rolls Out Music Unlimited ‘Family Plan’ to the U.K. for £15 per Month
Amazon has expanded its Family Plan for Amazon Music Unlimited to the U.K., following initial rollout across the U.S. last month.
The plan costs £15 a month, or £149 a year, which works out at a lower price of £12 per month. The subscription supports up to six family members (at least 13 years of age) for simultaneous listening and personal recommendations.
On the plan, a single family member uses a “shared payment method” to pay for the subscription, such as a debit or credit card that Amazon uses to charge each month for the service. Each member can make purchases on Amazon and Amazon Music Unlimited with the shared payment method, while the main subscriber receives notifications of all activity within the group. The plan also retains the same functionality as the Individual Plan subscription.
Amazon Music Unlimited has a library of 40 million songs and is available under four optional plans. Prime members can sign up to the streaming service for £8 per month or £79 per year, while non-Prime members pay £10 per month. For Echo or Echo Dot owners, a cheaper £4 per month plan is available, but is restricted to music playback on the smart device.
Tags: Amazon, Amazon Music Unlimited
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Sony’s PlayStation Division to Release 6 Mobile Games for iOS Next Year
Sony is set to release up to six games for iOS in the financial year starting April in the hope of replicating Nintendo’s phenomenal success with Pokémon Go (via Reuters).
The upcoming titles will bring popular Sony franchises such as Everybody’s Golf to iOS devices for the first time, said the company. Previously Sony has only launched a few games for smartphones through its music entertainment division, but the new games will be “mobile designated” and be produced through its PlayStation business.
Everybody’s Golf on PlayStation 4
Sony also revealed on Wednesday that it is working on 10 mobile gaming titles, including those to be released next year. The 10 titles include PaRappa the Rapper and Arc The Lad. Japan will be first to get the games, before rollout to other Asian countries and eventually likely elsewhere, depending on initial success.
Despite its huge success in the console market worldwide, Sony is facing increasing heat from mobile in countries such as Japan, the world’s third largest game market where mobile gaming accounts for more than half of the $12.4 billion market, according to games research firm Newzoo.
The announcement comes just a week before Nintendo debuts Super Mario Run on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The endless runner game goes live on the App Store on December 15 for $9.99.
Tag: Sony
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Magic Leap will soon test its technology in the real world
We might be getting closer to finally finding out what Magic Leap’s mixed-reality headset looks like. The ultra-secretive company has posted a job listing on Glassdoor for a Field Engineer, who’ll actually have to drive around with its devices and collect data in real world locations. “Work will entail setting up and using high precision equipment to capture both environments and user behavior in home settings,” the listing reads. Magic Leap announced a Star Wars and a Twilio partnership this year, but its technology is still shrouded in mystery even now.
Sadly, the job listing is as vague as the company has been these past years and it’s hard to deduce much from what’s written in it. One thing’s clear, though: the new hire will be based out of the company’s headquarters in Plantation, Florida, so folks living could get the first glimpse at Magic Leap’s mixed-reality device.
Here’s the listing in full:
“This position involves collecting data with Magic Leap devices in real world locations. Work will entail setting up and using high precision equipment to capture both environments and user behavior in home settings. Applicants will be based at Magic Leap Headquarters in Plantation, and drive with equipment to nearby locations for data collection.
A successful applicant will be comfortable working with complex hardware and software, be able to debug common problems, and meticulous with logging of collection data so that all collected data is usable. Some experience working with Linux command line tools is a plus.
Additional Information.”
Via: Quartz
Source: Glassdoor
Sony’s Project Field brings card games to life
From Skylanders to Amiibo, “Toys to life” have been a pretty lucrative way for video game companies to make money. Sony has been more-or-less absent from the field, but today it’s announcing something not too dissimilar: Project Field.
The company is showing off dedicated smart pads that pair with a phone or tablet to bring card games to life. Imagine a game like Hearthstone, for instance, but with physical cards that you buy in store. Or the physical and digital versions of Pokémon Trading Card Game fused together.
When a user places a card on one of the pads, it’s identified using an NFC-like wireless technology. The pad then sends the card’s exact position to the phone or tablet using Bluetooth. Once the card is in the game, the pad is able to detect movement — if you slide a card to another position, for example. The cards will be both readable and writable, meaning in-game status changes can be saved. Depending on the game, players will also be able to “grow” a character, with stats stored on the card.
Sony announced Project Field today as part of a broader push to get PlayStation games onto mobile phones, and says it has “multiple” projects planned for the platform. The first title to be announced is based on Yokai Watch, the hugely popular Level-5 RPG.
This isn’t a drastically new idea — Sengoku Taisen, Kantai Collection and other Japanese arcade games already blend collectible cards with video games. Nintendo’s Amiibo cards for Animal Crossing also have built-in NFC chips. Where Project Field differs is in portability, and potential reach. If the pads are sold at a reasonable rate, players will be able to get an arcade experience anywhere they can bring a tablet.
While Project Field is only slated for release in Japan, the worldwide appeal of Skylanders and Amiibo means an international release doesn’t seem impossible.
Source: PlayStation Japan
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