Hackers steal $63.7 million from Bitcoin exchange

A Hong Kong-based Bitcoin exchange has suspended all transactions after hackers stole a significant sum of the cryptocurrency. Bloomberg is reporting that 119,756 BTC, currently valued at $63.7 million, has been taken from Bitfinex. The news has helped to contribute to a drop in Bitcoin’s value, and over the last two days it has fallen by around 13 percent.

For its part, Bitfinex has already revealed that it is investigating the breach and is working with local law enforcement agencies. While the exchange actually deals in other cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, the hack itself did not take anything beyond BTC. The company also directly contacted Bloomberg to confirm that deposits made in US dollars were not affected by the breach.

Admittedly, incidents like this won’t irreparably harm Bitcoin, but the regularity of these incidents must be concerning for outside investors. When you look at the controversies that have become associated with the currency over the last few years, it’s hard to see how its reputation could get worse. From a high-profile ponzi scheme, through the FBI and Silk Road cases, all the way through to the fraud at the heart of Mt.Gox’s collapse.

2016 has also seen prominent Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn quit after suggesting that the currency’s structural failings can’t be remedied. In addition, the reward for mining each coin has fallen, and while that’s a well-known feature of the system, has forced a few businesses — like KnCMiner — to shut down. That’s before we get to Craig Wright’s announcement that he was Satoshi Nakamoto, but refusing to provide proof to support his claim.

Source: Bloomberg, Bitfinex

Hulu will host all Turner networks on its new live service

Time Warner Inc. just made a big foray into streaming, buying a 10 percent chunk of Hulu for $583 million. With the investment, the media giant has joined rivals and Hulu founders Disney, Comcast and Fox as partners in the service. While it’s just a streaming service right now à la Netflix, Hulu will start offering cord-cutters live TV early in 2017. As part of the announcement, Time Warner revealed that its Turner channels will be part of that service, including TNT, TBS, CNN, the Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies.

Hulu’s live TV service will carry content from ESPN, FX, NBC, ABC, the Disney Channel and other properties owned by its investors. It will continue to stream movies and TV series like Homeland, Fear the Walking Dead and its own programs, including The Mindy Project and Difficult People. Time Warner says the new Hulu service will also carry all Turner shows on-demand. According to Recode, though, they still won’t be available on the $12 streaming-only package — unlike content from Disney, Fox and Comcast.

As we pointed out before, the live and on-demand mix will give Hulu a lot more content than rival Sling TV, the cord-cutting venture from Dish. However, the TV service will reportedly cost $40 compared to $20 for Sling TV’s basic package, and it’s unknown if that price includes streaming. Though Viacom is not a Hulu investor, it does have a streaming deal with the service. However, it’s not clear if its stations, which include CBS, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, will be available live on Hulu in 2017.

Source: Time Warner

Time Warner Buys 10 Percent Stake in Hulu to Help Bolster Live-Streaming Service

Time Warner has officially taken a 10 percent ownership stake in popular streaming service Hulu, joining a list of companies already invested, including Disney, 21st Century Fox and Comcast/NBC Universal. Time Warner is preparing to invest $583 million into Hulu, “implying Hulu is worth nearly $6 billion,” as Variety pointed out.

The split now divides Hulu up by 30 percent shares for each of the previous three owners, leaving 10 percent for Time Warner’s new co-ownership. The new partner won’t directly contribute any of its network shows into Hulu’s current services, but it will help bolster the company’s upcoming live-streaming service with Time Warner’s line up of channels. Specifically, Time Warner owns TNT, TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, truTV, Boomerang and Turner Classic Movies.

Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins said, “This investment from Time Warner marks a major step for Hulu as we continue to redefine television for both consumers and advertisers. Our two companies have long enjoyed a productive relationship – which includes the availability of past seasons of popular Turner shows on our current SVOD offerings – and we are very proud that Turner’s networks will be included in our planned live streaming service.”

Earlier in May, it was rumored that Apple had considered purchasing Time Warner, to potentially use the company’s assets as a basis for Apple’s own streaming TV service. Yesterday, in an interview with Bloomberg, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes mentioned that this idea — reportedly begun by Apple Executive Eddy Cue — landed more on the side of a mutual partnership rather than an outright merger and acquisition.

That particular one is more about the efforts of the technology companies, Apple included, who we’ve been trying to help because we want this better user interface, and what they should do and how would they get involved. That’s more about that than M&A. I don’t think M&A was serious.

Although many believe that the universal shift to online video-streaming TV bundles is inevitable, Bewkes himself still thinks traditional paid-cable packages will have legs for at least the next decade. The CEO believes that the cable companies will retain their traditional bundle sizes and price points, but that eventually these companies will begin to placate potential cable cutters with “full video on-demand and very good search recommendation and navigation engines.”

Hulu’s upcoming live-streaming service is believed to also offer a cloud-based DVR functionality that will let users record shows and set reminders in an attempt to ease the transition for any user coming from traditional cable boxes. Still, the reportedly $40 per month service “isn’t looking to offer all the hundreds of channels found in the traditional cable bundle,” but merely be an amalgamation of the channels offered by its now-four investors.

Tags: Time Warner, Hulu
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Apple Countersues Caltech and Settles With Dot 23 in Patent Lawsuits

Apple and Broadcom have jointly filed counterclaims against the California Institute of Technology in an ongoing Wi-Fi-related lawsuit, denying any alleged infringement of the technologies and urging the court to invalidate the asserted patents, according to court documents filed electronically this week.

Apple argued that Caltech did not file the lawsuit until May 26, 2016, more than six years after the publication of the 802.11n wireless standard, and thereby the time limit to collect damages has passed under U.S. law. It also argued that Caltech does not make, use, or sell any product that practices any claim of the asserted patents.

Caltech’s patents, granted between 2006 and 2012, are highly technical and relate to IRA codes that utilize simpler encoding and decoding circuitry for improved data transmission rates and performance. The technologies are implemented in both the 802.11n and 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards used by many Apple products.

The asserted patents include U.S. Patent No. 7,116,710, U.S. Patent No. 7,421,032, U.S. Patent No. 7,916,781, and U.S. Patent No. 8,284,833.

In a May 2016 court filing with the U.S. District Court for Central California, Caltech accused Apple of selling various Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models, along with other Wi-Fi products, that incorporate those IRA/LDPC encoders and/or decoders and thereby infringe upon the four asserted patents in question.

Apple provided a series of other defenses, including Caltech’s failure to disclose prior art, which is any information or evidence that might be relevant to a patent’s claims of originality, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In this case, Apple said Repeat-Accumulate codes (“RA codes”) were well known prior to IRA codes.

Apple and Broadcom, one of the company’s main suppliers of Wi-Fi chips for select MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models, have demanded a jury trial in the lawsuit. The case is officially titled “California Institute of Technology v. Broadcom Limited et al” on the docket.

Apple Settles With Dot 23 Technologies

Dot 23 Technologies, LLC has filed a motion to dismiss a patent lawsuit against Apple with the U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas. The two companies have agreed to settle out of court, but the specific terms of their agreement have not been publicized.

Dot 23, a Texas-based entity that generally fits the description of a “patent troll,” filed suit against Apple in January, claiming that Siri on iPhone and iPad violated a trio of its patents related to voice dialing and recognition. The firm was seeking damages of an unspecified amount plus interest and fees in the case.

Tags: lawsuit, patent, Broadcom, Caltech
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Sonos public beta 6.4 update adds new features: Here’s what they are and how to get them

Sonos is rolling out a new public beta software update today, which adds plenty of new features to the apps.

Music playback has been simplified, via your queue or from individual tracks and albums. There are also some new playlist functions.

So here’s what’s new in the latest public beta build of the Sonos software and how to get it.

Sonos public beta 6.4 features

The software adds several new features and tweaks, here are some of the highlights:

• Keep the music going: If you just tap one song, after it has finished playing the Sonos apps will now continue to play the next track on an album, playlist or in your queue.
• Tap to play: You no longer have to choose “Play Now” or “Play Next” after tapping on a song. One tap and it’ll start playing immediately.
• New queue build: The queue has changed a bit. To add songs you now tap on three dots that appear next to them, rather than the song itself. That opens up a menu to “Play Now”, “Play Next” or “Add to End of Queue”.
• Quicker access to “Play All” and “Shuffle”: Both of the options now appear at the top of the album and playlist screens for easy access.
• Room grouping simplified: The app makes sending songs to different rooms more easy.

How to get the Sonos public beta software

To get the public beta app updates you need to register for the beta program. This is very simple. Just follow the steps below:

• On your phone or tablet, head to Settings in the Sonos app.
• Click on “Advanced Settings”.
• Now click on “Beta Program”.
• Here you will be asked if you want to opt into the program. You can also leave it again at any time.
• Whenever there is new software to be downloaded, you will be able to “Update Now” from the music menu.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: What’s the difference?

Samsung has announced its latest Note, adding to its 2016 flagship smartphone line-up. The Galaxy Note 7 brings a fabulous design and some serious power with it, something that has come to be expected from the Note range.

The latest Note device to come to the UK was the Note 4 after Samsung chose not to launch the Note 5 in certain regions. The company skipped the Note 6 name in order to minimise confusion, but the Note 7 is still a long time coming, especially for those with a Note 3 who wanted to upgrade last year and were denied the chance.

If you are one of those, this feature is for you. Here is how the Galaxy Note 7 compares to the three-year old Galaxy Note 3. Is it worth the wait?

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Design

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has a beautiful design featuring a curved glass front and rear that is symmetrical from almost all angles. It measures 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm, weighs 169g and it has a water and dust resistance rating of IP68.

You’ll find a fingerprint sensor within the main button on the front, as well as an iris scanner at the top of the device. A re-designed S-Pen stylus sits within the device in the bottom right, also waterproof, and USB Type-C is featured next to it.

The Galaxy Note 3 has a squarer design than the Note 7, featuring straighter edges and a flat front and rear. It has a metal frame and a plastic removable rear, allowing users to remove the battery.

The Note 3 measures 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm so it is wider and thicker than the Note 7, but around the same weight at 168g. The Note 3 is charged via Micro-USB 3.0 and like the Note 7, the S-Pen sits to the right of the charging port, though it is larger than the new device. There is no waterproofing on the Note 3, nor is there a fingerprint sensor or iris scanner.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 iris scanner: What is it and how does it work?
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 preview

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Display

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has a 5.7-inch curved Super AMOLED display with a Quad HD resolution. This puts its pixel density at 515ppi, which is the same as the Note 5 and the Note 4.

The new Note has 4,096 levels of pressure, which is said to make it super responsive when it comes to the S-Pen, and it also brings the Always-on display technology from from S7 edge and S7 with it. Samsung has also included a technology called Mobile HDR, which makes the Note 7 the first smartphone capable of playing mobile HDR content, something that Amazon has just launched.

The Galaxy Note 3 also has a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, but as we mentioned, it is flat rather than curved. Its resolution drops to Full HD too, meaning its pixel density is quite a bit lower than the Note 7 at 386ppi.

• What is Mobile HDR? Why Samsung’s Note 7 screen is a window into high dynamic range’s future

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 borrows its camera capabilities from the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. That puts it with a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-camera, both of which have auto HDR and an aperture of f/1.7.

Both the S7 and S7 edge have been praised for their performance in the camera department so the Note 7 has some high expectations on its head. There is phase detection auto focus on board the rear, along with 4K video recording capabilities and an LED flash.

The Galaxy Note 3 has a 13-megapixel rear camera coupled with a 2-megapixel front camera. The rear camera has an aperture of f/2.2, while the front camera features an aperture of f/2.4, both of which are narrower than the Note 7, unsurprisingly.

The rear camera on the Note 3 has auto focus, as well as 4K video capture, being the first Note to offer the latter. The camera performance was better than the Note 2 by far, but the Note 7 will no doubt be better, despite the slightly lower resolution sensor on the rear.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Hardware

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will feature an octa-core Exynos processor or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 depending on the region, both of which are supported by 4GB of RAM. Storage options have yet to be detailed but microSD support for expansion will be present.

As we mentioned, there is a fingerprint sensor on board, as well as an iris scanner and USB Type-C. The Note 7 sports a 3500mAh battery, which can be wirelessly charged, as well as topped up quickly with fast charge.

The Galaxy Note 3 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip under its hood, coupled with 3GB of RAM. It comes in storage options of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, all of which have microSD support for further expansion.

The battery capacity within the Note 3 sits at 3200mAh and it is removable, unlike the Note 7’s. There is no fast charging on board, but the Note 3 was a solid performer in terms of battery life when we reviewed it.

NFC is on board both the Note 3 and the Note 7, but Android Pay isn’t available on the Note 3 so if you want to pay for something using your Note device, you’ll need to upgrade.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Release date, specs and everything you need to know
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 design: Rumour vs reality

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launches on Android Marshmallow with a refined and more subtle version of the TouchWiz software over the top. It also comes with the Edge UX, which is also found on the Galaxy S7 edge, utilising the curved screen as an access point.

Additionally, there are also a number of new features available with the Note 7, all of which you can read about in our separate feature, but they include improvements to the S-Pen software, as well as a separate Samsung Notes app.

The Galaxy Note 3 launched on Android Jelly Bean and it has since seen updates to the latest version of Android. It still features the TouchWiz software and it too offers its own functionality and features when it comes to the S-Pen. The experience will be familiar but it won’t be identical to the Note 7.

It’s also not clear whether the Note 3 will be updated to Android Nougat when it arrives later this year, whereas the Note 7 is sure to get that update at some point.

• What are the new S-Pen features for the Galaxy Note 7? New Air Command and features explored
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7: What’s new?

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy Note 3: Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 trumps the Galaxy Note 3 in every area, but that was to be expected. For those wondering whether to upgrade to the Note 7 from the Note 3, we’d say that’s probably a no brainer if you have the budget.

You get more powerful hardware, a beautiful and significantly improved design, as well as a very good chance of better camera capabilities. You lose out on a removable battery and chances are your wallet will take a beating, but you will get a device that is up there with the latest tech.

You can see how the Note 7 compares to the Note 5 and the Note 4 in our separate feature in case you’re considering upgrading but you aren’t sure you want to stretch to the latest and greatest. 

Wall-riding robots spin carbon fiber hammocks

You can mock impractical architecture, but there’s no denying it pushes design and technology in new directions. Case in point is a project from the University of Stuggart’s Institute for Computational Design (ICD) called the “Mobile Robotic Fabrication System for Filament Structures.” Created by grad student Maria Yablonina, it uses robots that crawl on walls to weave carbon fiber filaments into Spirograph-like forms. “Its main advantage is that you can build entirely new structures that would be impossible to materialize otherwise,” ICD director Achim Menges tells Dezeen.

Two robots pass carbon fiber threads back and forth to weave the pattern, then attach it to wall anchors, as shown below. The web-like structures can be built on up to four walls simply by adding more bots. The powerful vacuum fans require external power, so the team’s next step is to extend the range and the number of robots that can be used.

The “swarm construction” method is good for more than creating really strong hammocks. ICD has already built architectural roofs and high-tech building envelopes out of carbon fiber using traditional methods and industrial robots. However, Menges thinks the smaller, Roomba-like devices will expand the possibilities. “One can conceive more intricate, differentiated and larger architectural systems beyond the limits of the workspace and the reach of typical industrial machinery,” he says.

Via: Techcrunch

Source: University of Stuttgart