You can no longer buy a new Galaxy Note 7 in the U.S.
It’s a longshot that anyone would want to buy a Note 7 now, but if you do then it’s going to be tough to find a store that’ll sell you one.
It was just last week that the U.S. carriers started voluntarily taking in Note 7s for return despite having just issued hundreds of thousands as recall replacements. Now T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, U.S. Cellular and Best Buy have halted exchanges and completely stopped selling the much-maligned Note 7 to new customers as well.
Sales halted, and they probably aren’t going to resume.
Each of the retailers’ websites show the phone as out of stock, unavailable or completely missing, and statements from each carrier have expressed to Android Central that the phone is no longer on sale citing safety concerns. A common theme among the statements is that customers who purchased a Note 7 or exchanged for a new model have options to return their phone with no penalty to the carrier or store they purchased from.
Chances are at this point that the U.S. carriers will not have the Note 7 for sale again in the future, considering the constant headache this situation has caused them. Samsung, for its part, has said it is simply “adjusting” its production schedule for the phones, but it’s not hard to see that moving to a complete halt soon.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Do not buy a Galaxy Note 7 right now
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
Facebook at Work officially launches as ‘Workplace’
Right on schedule, Facebook’s private social networks for companies officially launched today. After several years in private beta, the company’s Slack and Yammer competitor is now known simply as “Workplace,” and is available to companies, non-profits and educational institutions of any size.
According to Facebook’s announcement, more than 1,000 organizations around the world are already using Workplace, with India, the US, Norway, UK and France leading the top five countries. With the public release, the company hopes features like Messenger chat, Facebook Live and Groups will become indispensable to companies, rather than just a daily distraction. (And, because Workplace accounts are completely separate form Facebook accounts, the discussions should be a little bit more focused to begin with.) Aside from those familiar elements, Workplace has a few new corporate tricks like dashboard analytics, single sign-on and better IT integration to make it even more office-friendly. There’s also a separate Work Chat app for iOS and Android so employees can keep in touch while they’re out of the office.
On a more general note, Facebook is rolling out “Multi-Company Groups” which allow employees from different organizations to work together without using their personal Facebook accounts, as well as a Workplace Partner Program that lets large companies serve as ambassadors for Menlo Park’s latest product. New companies can get a free three-month trial period for signing up, but after that Facebook Workplace has a tired pricing structure that costs $3 per month per user for companies with less than 1,000 active users, or as low as $1 per month for companies with over 10,000 users. For non-profits and Educational Institutions, Workplace is completely free.
Source: Facebook
Cyanogen ditches its mobile OS in favor of a modular strategy
Cyanogen is abandoning its dreams of becoming the third big mobile platform in favor of rolling out a modular approach to smartphone software customization. The Cyanogen Modular OS program empowers device manufacturers to introduce “intelligent, customizable Android smartphones using different parts of the Cyanogen OS via dynamic modules and MODs, with the ROM of their choice, whether stock Android or their own variant,” according to new CEO Lior Tal.
Tal replaces co-founder Kirt McMaster as CEO; McMaster will transition to executive chairman of the board, a more outward-facing role. Co-founder and former CTO Steve Kondik is now chief science officer.
Cyanogen’s first dance with modularity was the MOD program, which enabled partners to tweak deep, formerly closed levels of the Android ecosystem to create a custom OS. For example, Microsoft added Skype to the Android dialer while enabling Cortana to take voice-activated selfies (Microsoft and Cyanogen partnered heavily on the MOD platform). However, this program required working with the OS’ full stack, a laborious and ultimately limiting feature, Tal says.
Now, manufacturers will be able to ship phones that use discrete aspects of the Cyanogen OS. These phones can use the stock Android OS and pull in custom features and apps from the Cyanogen side.
“Android has become extremely fragmented, causing serious security vulnerabilities and few or no incentives to device manufacturers to deliver software upgrades and/or security patches,” Tal writes. “Increased demand for lower-priced smartphones, coupled with the specifications arms race, has left manufacturers focused on scale and efficiency while compromising investment in software and services.”
Cyanogen has been on shaky ground recently. Executives laid off roughly 20 percent of the Cyanogen workforce, or about 30 people, in July. Rumors at the time suggested the company was moving toward developing apps, though Kondik denied the pivot. Tal says the Cyanogen OS has tens of millions of users, though a report by The Information in August found this figure was exaggerated.
Source: Cyanogen
Thousands pay tribute to famous Twitch gamer in live funeral
Philip Klemenov, a well-known pro gamer and livestreamer who went by “Phizzurp,” had his life tragically cut short when he died in a car accident on October 2nd. However, his passing is also showing how the streaming community can unite in moments of loss. About 9,000 people watched Klemenov’s funeral live on his Twitch channel on October 9th, offering tributes and condolences that they couldn’t deliver in person.
The video is somber, as you might expect, and it’s clear that Twitch isn’t designed for sad moments like this. The site’s “enjoying the show?” and “last broadcast” inadvertently take on a more painful meaning when watching a funeral. However, the occasion was a testament not only to the popularity of streamers like Klemenov, but to the effect that livestreaming has had on the internet as a whole. It’s as much about forming a common bond with fellow enthusiasts as it is watching someone play a game or host a live show, and grief can be part of that experience.
Via: Kotaku
Source: Phizzurp (Twitch 1), (2)
GM: you won’t buy self-driving cars at dealerships for a while
Do you dream of having a self-driving car in your driveway, ready to whisk you away at a moment’s notice? You might have to keep dreaming for a while. GM president Dan Ammann tells Business Insider that he doesn’t expect autonomous vehicles at dealerships until sometime “much farther in the future.” You’re more likely to see them used in ridesharing fleets at first, he says. GM clearly has a vested interest in that business between its partnership with Lyft and its own car-sharing efforts, but Ammann has some practical reasons for tamping down expectations.
Much of it has to do with pure geography, he explains. It’s relatively easy to have self-driving cars navigate the relatively small and orderly world of a city, but it’s another for them to venture across the country. They’d have to consider a much larger area with varying terrain and weather conditions.
We’d add that varying signs and rules of the road could complicate matters. And there’s the question of whether or not you’d need a personal car — if you can regularly summon a robotic ride within a few minutes, why buy your own and go through all the hassle of maintaining it? Companies like Lyft and Uber might be highly optimistic about a future of widespread autonomous ridesharing, but their vision has some basis in logic.
Source: Business Insider
You can now pre-order Oculus Touch controllers for $199
At last week’s Oculus Connect, the virtual reality company revealed that its Touch motion controllers would arrive December 6th. You don’t have to wait until then to make your purchase though, Oculus is now accepting pre-orders ahead of that date. If you also pre-ordered and purchased a Rift headset from the company’s website, using the same email will allow you to jump to the front of the line for the accessories if you commit before October 27th.
Touch pre-orders will include a second sensor and a connector for Rock Band VR. They will also come bundled with The Unspoken and VR Sports Challenge so you’ll have some options for gaming immediately. Speaking of titles, Oculus says Touch will launch with 35 game options in total.
Other items up for pre-order include those $49 Rift Earphones that will also ship in early December. If you’re in need of extra sensors to properly outfit a large room, they’ll be up for pre-order on October 31st for $79 each. And as you might expect, they’ll also ship on December 6th along with the rest of the new gear. The Touch controllers will set you back $199 or if you haven’t yet purchased a Rift headset, buying the whole lot costs $798. To part with your funds, hop over to the Oculus store right here.
Source: Oculus
Samsung’s cylindrical PC looks like a very trendy trash can
Apple, HP and MSI aren’t the only ones big on super-stylish, trash can-shaped desktop PCs. Samsung has quietly started taking pre-orders for the ArtPC Pulse, a cylindrical computer that bears more than a passing resemblance to the current-generation Mac Pro. The two systems couldn’t be more different in terms of focus, however. While the Mac is aimed squarely at workstation users, the ArtPC is most definitely intended for home use. Its centerpiece is a top-mounted, 360-degree Harman Kardon speaker with ambient lighting — much like HP’s Pavilion Wave, this could sit in your living room just as easily as it could in your den.
Logically, the hardware under the hood is very different as well. About the only thing in common with the Mac is an included 256GB solid-state drive. Instead of a Xeon processor and workstation graphics, you’re getting a 2.7GHz Core i5, 8GB of RAM and entry-level Radeon RX 460 graphics. You won’t be rendering advanced 3D models on this rig, in other words, but it should be enough to play 4K video and indulge in some light gaming. As it is, Samsung is counting on expansion modules to pick up some of the slack. It hasn’t detailed all of them or how they’ll work, but you can get a 1TB hard drive module if you need more space.
The shift in focus leads to a much lower price than Apple’s machine, although the $1,200 you’ll pay isn’t cheap for what you’re getting. You’re most definitely paying a premium for both the design and that speaker. At least you shouldn’t have to wait long to see whether or not the ArtPC is worth your attention. If Amazon is correct, the desktop ships on October 28th.
Via: PCWorld
Source: Amazon
Today only, save $50 off the Honor 8
Today only, you can save an additional $50 on the Honor 8, bringing the total price to just $350. Unfamiliar with the Honor 8? Here’s Andrew Martonik said in our review:
“Before even approaching the pricing of the Honor 8, this is a really great phone. Externally, it’s slick and can grab eyes with a few subtle design features while also feeling solid and built with high tolerances. The metal and glass protect really great internal specs that can power the phone through all of your regular tasks, with a battery that lasts all day (and then some), and you can view it all on a really top-end display.”
If you’re looking for a great phone at a great value, today is your day. Grab the Honor 8 today and save $50. Hurry, this offer is valid for Columbus Day only!
See at Amazon
UK networks weigh in on latest Note 7 battery fire reports
EE and Vodafone halt Galaxy Note 7 exchanges, while O2 and Three consider options.
After a weekend of dire press for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, with reports of battery fires in replacement units in the U.S. and Asia, and Samsung apparently suspending production of the phone, the UK’s major network operators have weighed in.
While new Galaxy Note 7 sales have yet to begin in the UK, pre-order customers who had picked up their phones before the September 2 street date had been participating in the official exchange program through Samsung and its carrier and retailer partners. Today EE and Vodafone confirmed to Android Central that they’re halting exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7. Voda notes that it isn’t aware of any of its customers being affected by battery fires, adding that it’s also suspended pre-orders for the phone.
In statements given to AC, Three and O2 say they haven’t taken any direct action yet, but that they’re in communication with Samsung over the issue.
So far Samsung UK has confirmed that it’s adjusting its Note 7 production schedule in light of the reported battery fires in some replacement Notes, but has yet to comment or take any action beyond this. It’s worth noting that significantly fewer Note 7s will be in customers hands in the UK and other parts of Europe, because the launch was halted before the main September 2 street date.
Official statements from the major carriers follow:
EE statement
EE considers the safety of its customers to be of the utmost importance. Following recent media reports of further Note 7 issues in the US and Canada, we have suspended Note7 exchanges and are currently in direct contact with Samsung regarding next steps on the matter.
Vodafone statement
Vodafone UK is aware of media reports suggesting that a small number of people have had problems with the replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Quality and customer safety are absolute priorities for Vodafone, so we are in close communication with Samsung, which is undertaking tests on affected devices. We are not aware of incidents involving Vodafone customers who had an original Note 7 and who have received a replacement device. However, we have paused pre-orders of the Note 7 as well as our device replacement programme until such time that we receive satisfactory assurances from Samsung about the safety of the Galaxy Note 7.
O2 statement
Safety of our customers is of upmost importance for us. We have not been selling the Note 7 since Samsung advised O2 in September that there would be an exchange programme for the phone. We are currently in discussions with Samsung and reviewing our options.
Three statement
We are currently assessing the situation with Samsung and we will be seeking guidance from them as to the next steps as the safety of our customers is paramount.
Cyanogen Inc. switching up software strategy, shuffling executive ranks
Cyanogen Inc. is embarking on a new strategy.
In a long and winding blog post, we got a pretty comprehensive update pointing to big changes to Cyanogen Inc. in terms of its new business strategy but also executive leadership team. The post is written by Lior Tal, the former COO who is now assuming the role of CEO. His predecessor Kirt McMaster is moving to take on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board. Steve Kondik, the long-time face of Cyanogen, is now the Chief Science Officer at the company.
More important in the near term is a large shift in strategy for Cyanogen Inc. After partnering with several smartphone makers to launch well over a dozen phones running a complete build of Cyanogen OS, selling millions of phones running the software, Cyanogen Inc. is moving to what it calls the “Cyanogen Modular OS program.”
This new program will let smartphone manufacturers pick and choose individual portions of Cyanogen OS, and integrate them into its own current software stack. From today’s news it’s unclear if the complete Cyanogen OS is still available to partners, or if the new Modular OS program is the only way to go. This seems to backtrack a bit from the vehement assertion back in July that Cyanogen Inc. would remain an OS company.
It’s a big switch, but moves Cyanogen Inc. into a broader market.
With the new setup, potential manufacturer partners will have the flexibility to integrate specific features or technologies from Cyanogen OS without giving up any previous work or control they have with their own in-house software. Think about it in the same way Samsung or HTC will license keyboard prediction technology, or security software, from a third party and integrate it into their own software rather than build it from scratch themselves.
This will presumably give Cyanogen Inc. a broader base of companies to work with going forward. Rather than simply focusing on small upstart companies that really had no other option but to go with Cyanogen OS, it can now go after more established companies that simply want to license one or two main modules. It also frees up Cyanogen Inc. from continued software support for individual phones — it can instead focus on supporting the particular modules that the companies request.
How this strategy will play out in reality will take some time to see, and depending on how the licensing deals work out we may never even know which manufacturers have integrated some of the technology from Cyanogen OS. It’s all a tad bit opaque at this point, and one question left unanswered is how this will affect current Cyanogen OS devices out in the wild today. That will likely come with time, as will a better understanding of how Cyanogen Inc. will execute on this new direction.
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