Apple activates its Twitter account ahead of iPhone event
Apple has activated its Twitter account and redesigned the Newsroom just days ahead of its iPhone 7 event on September 7th. The company has had a Twitter account since September 2011, but has never tweeted anything and, until now, had a generic “egg” avatar. That’s now been replaced by the Apple logo and a background with the same design as its event invitation. It still has only 50,000 followers, but that will change very quickly if it starts to tweet regularly.
My guess as well: they’ll live tweet the event. https://t.co/XBbhk3ptZM
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 2, 2016
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has broken numerous Apple stories in the past, suggested that Apple activated its Twitter account in order to live Tweet next week’s event. The company has live-blogged events before, to accompany its video streams, but doing one on Twitter would be new.
Apple also redesigned its Newsroom press relations site. Articles are now much larger, feature images, and have been arranged in a “Storify” style with a card for each. The company recently added three “Apple Original” articles about how to use Siri. At the bottom of each article, it now includes the direct contact information for PR personnel, something it has never done before. The changes wouldn’t be that big a deal for most companies, but Apple hasn’t changed its approach to the press since, well, forever.
Source: Apple (Twitter), Apple
Samsung recalls the Galaxy Note 7 amid battery fears
The Galaxy Note 7 isn’t just the highest-scoring phone we’ve reviewed this year, it’s the highest-scoring product. But following several reports that batteries were exploding, Samsung has issued a global recall of the device. Sales have been halted effective immediately, and all devices sold will be replaced.
The problem occurs when faulty devices are being charged, and is down to an issue within the batteries themselves, rather than power adapters or circuitry. Apparently, it affects only a small percentage of devices, but when shipments are in the millions, that still amounts to a very big problem. Yonhap News Agency cites an anonymous official saying that batteries were sourced from both China and Korea, and it’s the Korean-made batteries that are affected. Nonetheless, Samsung is recalling all models to be sure.
At a press conference to announce the recall, Samsung said that 35 cases of the fault have been reported to date, and it estimates the problem affects only 24 in a million devices, which equates to roughly one for every 42,000 sold. Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung’s mobile business, apologized for any inconvenience the recall may cause customers, but said it was important to put safety first.
By all accounts, this will be the highest-profile consumer tech recall in history, but it’s by no means the first. Apple has had its fair share of issues, from the Beats Pill XL recall last year to the iPhone 4 Antennagate (which resulted in free bumper cases being handed out). Fitbit had huge problems with skin irritation on the Force fitness tracker, and ended up recalling all of them. The largest recall of all, however, surrounds Takata airbags — to date, well over 50 million have been recalled.
The recall is obviously a big embarrassment for Samsung. Over one million phones will need to be replaced at considerable cost, and the halt in sales comes at a time when the device was still being rolled out globally. The company’s mobile growth had stagnated over recent quarters, but had just begun to tick up with the launch of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
It was hoped that the Note 7 would propel growth further, but any positive impact the device’s launch has had will now be considerably lessened. Once the recall is complete, Samsung will need to convince potential customers that the device is safe for use, and persuade them not to buy the (by then freshly-announced) iPhone 7 Plus instead.
So what happens now? Samsung has halted the sales of the device worldwide, and is preparing replacements. It says it’ll take around two weeks to get the pieces in place, and it’ll exchange devices like-for-like. Most carriers around the world had already halted sales, and any that hadn’t will now, to ensure the faulty devices don’t spread any further. The precise details of how the recall will work are likely to be announced on a regional basis.
Update: Samsung has issued an English-language statement on the recall:
“Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note 7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.
To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7.
For customers who already have Galaxy Note 7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.
We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.”
Source: Samsung (KR), (EN)
Google reportedly launching new phones, 4K Chromecast, and Daydream VR headset on Oct. 4
Get ready for new hardware next month.
With Google dropping the Nexus branding from its handsets, we’re starting to see the biggest shift in the company’s strategy for its Android handsets since the program started in 2009. According to a new report from Android Police, Google will unveil its phones along with a Chromecast capable of 4K playback, Google Home, and Daydream VR headset on October 4.
Android Police also notes that the upcoming Google phones will be branded the Pixel and Pixel XL. Both phones are expected to be made by HTC, with the 5.0-inch handset dubbed the Pixel and the 5.5-inch model the Pixel XL. The Nexus program provided a platform for vendors like Huawei to get attention in Western markets, and Google has reiterated over the course of the year that it will work with phone manufacturers to build its handsets: “Our plan is still to work with OEMs to make phones.”
That said, previous devices in the Pixel series — like the Chromebook Pixel — were fully conceived by Google and made no mention of the manufacturing partner, which only leads to more confusion over the proposed Pixel moniker for the upcoming phones. We should know more about how Google approaches branding early next month, but for now, the Pixel XL name just sounds… clunky.
This year’s Google phones will feature additional software tweaks on top of the vanilla Android interface as the company looks to differentiate its handsets, and our own sources confirm that Allo and Google Assistant will be making their debut early next month.
Google is also expected to unveil a Chromecast that can handle 4K content, as well as the company’s voice-activated Google Home wireless speaker. We’ll also see the first Daydream VR headset, and hopefully more details on Google’s plans for the VR platform.
Google’s Project Ara modular phone is reportedly suspended
Google’s big plans for Project Ara might never pan out. According to Reuters, the big G has decided to shelve its modular phone initiative. Earlier this year, the company said it will be releasing a developer phone with interchangeable components in the fourth quarter of 2016 ahead of a consumer version scheduled for 2017. Alas, that might no longer happen.
Mountain View is reportedly suspending Ara “as part of a broader push to streamline the company’s hardware efforts.” It’ll be tough releasing a consumer version of a phone with interchangeable components, after all, even though the latest prototype isn’t as customizable as Motorola originally envisioned. (To note, Google chose to keep Project Ara when it sold Motorola to Lenovo.) The company will have to manufacture not just the units themselves, but also the modular speakers and cameras that people can swap out.
Those same sources said Google’s modular phone dream might not be completely dead, though. The company could still license out Project Ara’s technology to other phonemakers, which could eventually and finally release a version we can buy.
Source: Reuters
Montblanc unveils a $725 ‘Augmented Paper’ and smart pen set
Like smart watches, it was only a matter of time before smart pens went from being novel gadgets to high-end luxury items. Enter Montblanc’s new Augmented Paper pen and notebook, which the German company debuted this week at the IFA conference in Berlin.
While similar products from LiveScribe or Oree might be designed for writing buffs or modish creatives, the Montblanc is clearly going after the “note-taking international playboy” demographic here. For $725, the set includes a modified version of a Montblanc StarWalker pen plus a “black Italian leather” notebook made in Florence that you’ll need to actually transfer your notes into digital form. The notebook and pen use electromagnetic resonance to digitize your handwriting, similar to how a Wacom tablet works. The set lasts about 8 hours on a charge and can store up to 100 pages in internal memory if you’re writing away from your smartphone. Once the notes are uploaded to the Montblanc Hub app, you can share or store them however you like and the company also claims “best-in-class handwriting recognition” available for 12 languages.
At $725, the set is over four and a half times the price of LiveScribe’s entry-level option, but kind of a steal compared to writing on your tablet with a $1,085 Montblanc stylus. It also comes with three ink refills and a USB charging cable. Appropriately enough for a luxury device, it goes on sale in the UK first, as an exclusive item at Harrods in London. In October, it becomes available in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea, with availability in China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico and the UAE to follow in November.
Montblanc Augmented Paper – the best of both worlds. pic.twitter.com/byHdeNWzbP
— Montblanc (@montblanc_world) September 1, 2016
Source: TechCrunch, Wired UK
Google rumors point to ‘Pixel’ phones, 4K Chromecast
The answer to the question of what Google will call its next Nexus phones may turn out to be not Nexus at all. Android Central first reported a name change last week, while tonight Android Police notes sources saying there will be two devices, one 5-inch phone called the Pixel and a 5.5-inch phone called the Pixel XL. More importantly, it also has a date (seconding a previous report by Droid-Life) for their debut: October 4th.
The rest of the rumor concerns other hardware, including an upgraded Chromecast ready for 4K video called the Chromecast Plus or Ultra, and a new Daydream VR headset that Google announced during I/O 2016. Finally, it’s also expecting the company to fully detail its Google Home efforts, although other details on prices or release dates are still unknown. Google has not yet commented on these reports or confirmed a date, but we’ll keep our calendars open all the same.
Source: Android Police
‘Captain America: Civil War’ Comes to iTunes With Exclusive ‘Immersive’ Extras
Captain America: Civil War is now available in Digital HD on iTunes. The movie comes with a host of special features exclusive to iTunes, and Forbes reports that Marvel and iTunes Movies worked together to create a new “immersive” set of bonus features for the release.
The iTunes edition of the movie comes with a feature titled “Choose Your Side,” which lets viewers choose whether they’re on Team Cap or Team Iron Man. Choosing a side unlocks a series of exclusive photos, videos, posters, comics and more for each team. According to Forbes, every actor in the film gets an in-depth filmography that includes the actor’s photos over the years and quotes from other actors about what it’s like to work with them.
iTunes movies typically include cast filmographies so users can easily purchase or rent other films a certain actor may have starred in, and they sometimes include exclusive bonus features like audio commentary.
In addition to the iTunes-exclusive bonus content, Civil War comes with deleted scenes, audio commentary, a gag reel, a preview of Marvel’s upcoming film Doctor Strange and two behind-the-scenes extras. The first is a two-part making-of documentary called “United We Stand, Divided We Fall,” and the other is “The Road to Civil War,” which charts the journey of Captain America and Iron Man from the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to their stand-off in Civil War.
Apple has also added Team Captain America and Team Iron Man pages to the iTunes Movies carousel. Each page lists movies, comics, music, apps and TV shows tied to the members of that specific team.
Captain America: Civil War is available on iTunes now for $19.99 in Digital HD. [Direct Link]
Tag: iTunes
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Steve Jobs’ vintage wardrobe is up for auction
What’s an Apple fanboy or fangirl supposed to do once they’ve filled their basement with vintage Apple hardware? Start filling up the closets with Steve Jobs’ old clothes, of course. As TechCrunch reports, a whole wardrobe of the late Apple founder’s shirts, bowties, watches, ID badges and other tossed-off goods are currently up for auction.
Weirdly, the items seem to have ended up in the estate of actress Jane Fonda, but they could soon be in your own very personal Jobs collection thanks to “auction house to the stars” Julien’s Live. The NeXT-branded turtleneck pictured above is on the auction block, of course. But true fans of nineties-era Steve might be more interested in this full ensemble of nicely distressed Levi’s, Versace button-up and Neiman Marcus bow tie (starting bid $400), this epically pleated pair of Versace slacks with matching necktie (starting bid $300), or the leather jacket Jobs wore while flipping the bird to IBM (starting bid $4,000).
On the other hand, if you really want to live the Steve Jobs way, we might suggest taking a look at his “bathrobe and electric razors” set, so you can lounge around your home feeling as though you just nailed another perfect keynote. Or, for the ultimate in ironic fanboyism, look no further than this set of five certified, Jobs-owned t-shirts commemorating everything from the founding of Standford’s Computer Science department in 1965 to the 1989 launch of NeXT computers.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Julien’s Live
Logitech’s Prodigy line takes aim at gaming’s unwashed masses
These past few years, Logitech’s been branching out into “serious” gaming gear with its G series, to better compete with companies like SteelSeries and Corsair. However, Logitech is still best known for simple computer peripherals that most people would keep in their office or den. The company is aiming to bridge these two worlds with its new line of Prodigy gaming gear coming out this month. The products offer enough of a performance boost to please many hardcore players, but their look and price could make a few converts of people who wouldn’t normally consider themselves gamers.
The Prodigy assortment covers the basics: A keyboard, wired or wireless mouse and a headset, each for under $100. The designs are simple compared to some of Logitech’s other game offerings; you won’t find any macro keys on the keyboard, or a bunch of extra buttons on the mice. This keeps things simple for newcomers, as they won’t have to worry about accidentally hitting the wrong key or activating some feature they don’t need.
Both the G213 keyboard and G403 mice have a matte black finish, the better to show off their lighting features. While the lighting and keys can be programmed to your liking, there are few customizable hardware bits; you can’t even remove the wrist rest on the G213.
Though made of plastic, the G213 deck is a solid piece of hardware. It doesn’t feel flimsy and the rectangular shape with rounded corners is nice. It looks classy, and is even stylish in a way that the Corsair Rapidfire K70 isn’t. However, if you peck at the keys the difference from the K70 and other expensive gaming keyboards is immediately apparent: The G213 uses membrane buttons, unlike most high-end gear which trends toward springier, more responsive switches. This keeps the cost down, but can feel a tad squishy if you’re used to mechanical decks. However, the G213’s typing still feels crisp and the keys themselves have a nice light matte texture that’s nice to touch.
The G403 mice are available either wired or wireless, with no major aesthetic difference between the two models. The mice feel smooth and textured, though the sides have a more rubberized feel to keep your hand from slipping. The extra buttons are limited to two on the left side for your thumb, and a DPI switch just below the scroll wheel. The battery on the wireless G403 only lasts days — not weeks — thanks to the built-in lighting. This can be a bit of a shock for anyone used to other wireless Logitech mice; the company’s Marathon Mouse M705 can run for years without ever needing a battery replacement.
The G403 mice are home to one of the line’s few concessions to physical customization. You can’t swap out the button covers and there’s no snap-on panels to change the shape. But, if you like your mice to have a bit of heft behind them so they’re a little more steady under your hand, there’s a small panel on the bottom to add extra weight. Even here, the G403 keeps things simple by only leaving space for one flat metal disc about one inch in diameter. You simply push the panel on the bottom to pop it out, then push the weight into the panel and place it back into the mouse. The mice only come equipped with a 10 gram unit for now, but there’s always the possibility of Logitech making more weights available in the future.
The weights don’t have a lip or anything else you can grab, so getting them out of the panel is a bit of a pain (and hard on my nails). It’s probably the only real usability issue I found with the mice.
Both the keyboard and mice can be configured with Logitech’s existing gaming software. You can change the function of any button and choose a lighting scheme, either by selecting from a drop-down list or designing your own. Sure, many users will be happy to ignore the customizations, but the ease of use might tempt them to give the software a try.
Perhaps most interesting of the software’s features is the ability to disable keys when “game mode” is activated, so you don’t accidentally say, hit the Windows key in the middle of a match. This is a godsend for sloppy typists, though it’s also a good bit of security for more experienced users.
If you’re not quite sure what key configuration would work best for a particular game, the software contains built-in profiles for over 600 titles, and will check to see which you already have installed. This list includes titles from series like Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and Mass Effect. (Though Logitech demoed the Prodigy series for me using No Man’s Sky, no profile has been created for it yet.)
The odd man out in the Prodigy series is the G231 headset. Instead of the matte black of its keyboard and mouse siblings, it’s gray with orange details. It’s also the only Prodigy product based on an already-existing item: Logitech’s G230, which shares the same plastic build, non-removable mic and 40mm drivers. There are no lighting or audio features. The biggest difference from the older model is that the G231 has a new cable so it can be hooked up to a console.
It didn’t feel heavy on my head and the cups rested nicely on my ears without feeling oppressive or hot. The lack of a detachable mic means you’re unlikely to use this as just a pair of headphones outside of gaming, and the color scheme means more style-conscious users might opt out of the G231 altogether (the G230 at least comes in black with red highlights).
The most appealing thing about the Prodigy line are the price points. The G213 keyboard, the wired G403 mouse and the G231 all run $70, while the wireless G403 will run you $100. With some comparable peripherals costing as much as $200, the Prodigy series is ideal for players on a budget or just anyone just looking for their first piece of serious gaming gear.
Amazon quietly ends its student loan discount program
Just a few weeks ago, Amazon and Wells Fargo announced a program that would give Prime Student customers a modest 0.5-percent interest rate discount on new student loans. It appears that partnership is already over — the promotion’s original landing page now simply redirects to Amazon’s top “college deals,” with no mention of the discount on Wells Fargo’s loan page or on Amazon Prime. Neither company gave a reason for why the promotion ended so soon, but Wells Fargo flatly told Bloomberg that the “promotion for Prime Student members has ended.”
The original deal could be stacked with a automatic payment plan for a total interest rate reduction of 0.75-percent — available only to Amazon Prime Student subscribers who paid a $49 annual fee. On the surface, it seemed like a good discount, but consumer advocate warned that the Amazon advertising helped to bury the notoriously high interest rates associated with most private educational loans. In any case, the Amazon partnership is no more. Still looking for a loan? Then the old advice is still the best advice: look at federal loans. Their interest rates are always better.
Source: Bloomberg
