Here’s how to watch Microsoft’s IFA keynote
Unlike Sony, Samsung, Huawei and others, Microsoft isn’t putting on a flashy press conference at this year’s IFA. That said, Nick Parker, Corporate VP of the company’s OEM division, will be taking to the stage to deliver a keynote speech entitled “Windows 10 lights up new devices” roughly 30 minutes from now. Given Parker’s position and the brief keynote summary, we imagine he’ll be touching on the broad range of devices powered by Microsoft’s latest OS — including some of those announced over the last few days from the likes of Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and others. While we don’t expect any surprise announcements from Microsoft itself, never say never. We’ll be there, of course, and if you’d like to join us, jump on the livestream and settle in.
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub!
Filed under:
Software, Microsoft
Source:
Microsoft
Tags: ifa, ifa2015, microsoft, microsoftwindows10, windows10
Spotify updates its controversial privacy policy
Spotify has released a new privacy policy after the internet whipped itself into a furor over the last one. The streaming company got itself into trouble last month with an update that some onlookers labeled “eerie” and “atrocious.” Of course, it wasn’t really anything worth worrying about, as those that took the time to look through it properly quickly deduced. Nonetheless, Spotify pledged to update the policy to better clarify what it is and isn’t collecting from users, and now it’s done just that. The new version is virtually identical to the last, but includes a section at the beginning in plain language explaining things.
According to the new policy, there are two categories of information Spotify collects. The first is “information that we must have in order for you to use Spotify,” which includes things like your name, IP address, the music you listen to, and some sensor information to allow it to rotate videos. The second is “information that enables us to offer you additional features.” This second part is what got the company in trouble. Now, it’s noting that it “never receive any of the following information unless you expressly choose to share it.” This second category has quite a few examples, each of which are clearly explained in the policy:
- Your specific location: We will never gather or use your specific device location without first getting your explicit permission. This information enables us to create collaborative listening experiences (only with others who have also given permission), and to provide even better recommendations about locally popular music, live venues, and concerts.
- Your photos: We will only access images that you specifically choose, and we will never scan or import your photo library or camera roll. This allows you to choose individual pictures to change your profile picture or create cover art for a playlist. You can stop sharing photos and revoke access at any time.
- Your contacts: We will never scan or import your contacts unless you ask us to. If you choose to do so, we will only use your contact information to help you find friends or contacts who use Spotify.
- Your microphone: We will never access or use your microphone unless you give us explicit permission. This could enable you to control Spotify with your voice, and you will alway have the ability to disable access to the microphone.
“The distinction between these two categories is important,” Spotify continues, again reiterating that the first is required to use the service, while the second is to support additional, optional features.
With the update, those that left the service after the last policy dropped can take a look through and decide if they want back in. As the actual terms haven’t changed — they’re merely better explained — those that agreed to the previous terms won’t need to okay the new set.
Thanks, Joel!
Filed under:
Software
Source:
Spotify
Tags: privacy, PrivacyPolicy, spotify
Chrome’s next update makes it less resource hungry
A big part of what’s won Chrome a lot of converts is how much faster it is over the competition. That speed comes at a price, though: The web browser is notoriously a resource hog (especially if you have a dozen or so tabs open at once) and it dramatically cuts into battery life. As Google tells it, the latest version of the browser will help absolve those sins a bit. New tweaks include restoring only the most frequently used tabs should it detect that your machine is precariously low on resources, and a way of detecting when a page isn’t busy with something else and using the free processor cycles to clean up idle memory.
That, coupled with pausing crap like auto-playing Flash ads can free up somewhere around 10 percent of memory usage on average, with a Gmail tab using a whopping 25 percent less memory. There’s video below in case you wanted proof. Mountain View says that it’ll activate these new features as default over the next few weeks. Something tells me that this probably still won’t stop Apple from crowing about how much battery life you can save by using Safari anytime soon.
[Image credit: Photothek via Getty Images]
Filed under:
Internet, Software, Google
Source:
Chrome blog
Tags: browsers, chrome, flash, google, internet, memory, resources, update, video
Madfinger Games releases latest ‘Unkilled’ title, brings more zombie killing to your Android device
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Madfinger Games is a gaming developer studio that many Android gamers know fairly well. They produced Shadowgun, Shadowgun: Deadzone, Dead Trigger, Dead Trigger 2 and a few others. Their latest title, Unkilled, looks to rank right up there with their past success’.
Unkilled is another 1st person zombie shooter that takes place on the streets of New York. It brings with it over one hundred missions, multiple side-missions, unique bosses and a story line that plays on the conspiracy theory nut in all of us. Madfinger lists out a dew of the interesting bits of the game like homing rockets that don’t miss their mark, adrenaline that slows down the zombies for head shot take downs more easily and regularly spawning treasure chests containing loot, gadgets and other things.
It doesn’t sound like this one offers up a multiplayer aspect to it, but with over 100 missions and, whats sounds like, a long story line, the free title should be something worth giving a go at.
If you are ready to get your zombie killing on then hit the link below to grab the title. It is free and does offer some in-app purchases and does have some of those annoying energy to play aspects, but that shouldn’t stop you from picking it up.
http://playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js
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Native video calling coming to T-Mobile Note 5 and S6 Edge+ next week, more devices coming soon
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Video calling is a fantastic way to communicate. Be it for a business meeting, catching up with family or even being able to see the what you might be missing out on. Skype is probably one of the most well-known services for video calls, along with Apple’s Facetime and Google’s Hangouts. However, all of those require both parties to have the right app installed and sign-up for an account. Not everyone wants to do that. T-Mobile has announced today that the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be able to make and receive video calls on the network after a software update that is rolling out for both devices.
You can make T-Mobile Video Calls to and from capable devices on any available LTE connection − using data straight from your high-speed data bucket − as well as over Wi-Fi. Like HD Voice calls, T-Mobile Video Calling moves seamlessly between LTE and Wi-Fi. And, if you move off LTE or Wi-Fi to a slower connection, your video call seamlessly switches over to a voice call. If you move back to LTE or Wi-Fi, switch it back to video with a single tap.
The update to both devices is listed as starting next week, so don’t go thinking you are missing something on today. T-Mobile also states that they will be pushing the same software enhancement update to enable video calling function to 3 more devices by the end of the year. They don’t specify which 3, but my best guess would be the Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 and LG G4. I will be sure to keep an eye out for other devices as they make the list.
Source: T-Mobile
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Experience bullet time in Epic’s crazy VR demo
Game-tech powerhouse Epic Games and its Unreal Engine are capable of some seriously impressive stuff, and now the North Carolina-based outfit wants you to experience what it’s capable of in the virtual reality space. “Showdown” is the demo that the outfit’s been showing off at industry events for the past year or so (I got to try it at CES back in January) and it’s by far the most bad-ass bullet-time walk toward a hulking, missile-happy, bipedal robot I’ve ever experienced. The path is predetermined, sure, but as the street explodes into chaos around you, it’s entirely possible to duck down or peer around objects like pop cans or even cars as they hurtle toward you in slow motion.
Epic says that the “project and all its assets” are available for immediate download and it’s compatible with the Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2 and beyond as well as Sony’s Project Morpheus, and the HTC Vive Steam VR setup. Oh, and it’s free.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source:
Unreal Engine
Tags: bullettime, demo, epicgames, free, gaming, hd, hdpostcross, oculus, oculusrift, showdown, unreal, video, vr
Hollywood studios begin suing Popcorn Time users
Popcorn Time may have won an army of fans with its “Netflix for Torrenting” service, but its rapid rise in popularity has also caught the attention of Hollywood and its legal teams. The Wall Street Journal reports that the studio behind The Expendables movies is suing 16 users of the Popcorn Time service, after they were allegedly found to have illegally downloaded and shared copies of straight-to-DVD Pierce Brosnan film Survivor.
In a legal notice filed with the US District Court in Oregon on Tuesday, a production company representing Millennium Films said that it had tracked the accused using their IP addresses. It hopes to identify the defendants by subpoenaing ISPs for their real names. In an email to the Wall Street Journal, a Popcorn Time spokesperson said: “It’s really saddening to witness studios go after the ‘little people.’”
Last month, police arrested two people for running Popcorn Time guide sites in Denmark, where instructing people how to use the streaming service can land you in hot water, even if you don’t host the clients or content. In April, the MPAA welcomed a UK High Court ruling that forced ISPs to block access to websites hosting Popcorn Time software.
With their Bittorrent-based distribution method, restricting access to Popcorn Time streams is a lot more difficult than pulling down the websites that host the tools to deliver them. However, the technology also makes users easier to track, which a number of streamers based in and around Oregon are starting to find out.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD
Source:
Wall Street Journal
Tags: bittorrent, hdpostcross, lawsuit, oregon, popcorntime, streaming
Amazon Video for Android and iOS now lets everyone download for offline viewing
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The wonderful world of streaming video content is quite easily cut short when you are out of data or when no data connection is available. If you live on services like Netflix, you know the struggle is real. However, if you utilize Plex or Google Play Movies & TV, then you are privy to having the ability to have movies and TV shows available on your device without a connection. Today Amazon has announced that they are finally bringing that experience to all Android and iOS users. Previously the offline function was limited to Amazons own branded devices.
The new ability is available to all Amazon Prime members in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Austria. There won’t be any additional charges to save your favorite shows or movies offline, but you do need to be a Prime member, obviously. The company does state “download thousands of eligible movies and TV shows”, which leads me to believe not everything can be saved offline. They do list out shows like 24, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey,Extant, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Mr. Selfridge, Orphan Black, Sons of Anarchy, Teen Wolf, The Americans, The Good Wife, Suits, Under the Dome, Veronica Mars, Vikings among others. Along with movies like Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Captive, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
“There’s no doubt that the way people watch entertainment is changing–anytime, anywhere viewing is important and we are excited to provide our Prime members with offline viewing capabilities on iOS and Android platforms starting today,” stated Michael Paull, Vice President of Digital Video at Amazon. “We are proud to be the first and only online subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing–on vacation, in a car, at the beach, on a plane, wherever our Prime members want to watch they can, regardless of internet connection.”
If you are a Prime member you will need a couple of apps to get started on your Android device. First up will be the latest Amazon Underground app. Then search for the Amazon Video app and get it installed. If you aren’t sure Prime is what you need in your life, feel free to take advantage of the FREE 30 day trial offer via the banner below. Along with instant video streaming and offline viewing you also get FREE prime shipping, access to 2 hour delivery via Prime Now in certain areas on certain products, access to a ton of music and a whole lot more.
Via: Amazon
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Qualcomm Smart Project will feature on Snapdragon 820 to halt malware attacks
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Qualcomm has been very proactive lately in trying to secure devices with its hardware inside and the benefit of Qualcomm’s solutions are that they done in the device, not in the cloud as other solutions attempt. Their latest attempt at this is the Qualcomm Smart Project which will feature in the Snapdragon 820 in an attempt to stop malware ever getting a hold on your device. Thanks to the Zeroth machine learning technology on Qualcomm’s new processor, Qualcomm Smart Protect will be able to not only figure out what malware has infected the device, but also whether it has changed form based on a known database. Check out Qualcomm’s video describing its new technology:
Malware has shown itself to be one of the primary growing threats to mobile platforms and having hardware manufacturers on board trying to combat it will go a long way to making our devices safer and more secure. While the Snapdragon 820 is shaping up to be a performance beast, it’s always nice to know that it has the security credentials to match too.
What do you think about Qualcomm Smart Project? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Qualcomm via TalkAndroid
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AT&T LG G4 Stagefright update rolling out to consumers
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The nasty little vulnerability labeled Stagefright took center stage not that long ago. It left approximately 95% of all Android device owners susceptible to attack on their devices from would be hackers via a MMS message, or picture message. Needless to say, a lot of people were worried about it as it would give the attacker full control over their devices. Since its discovery manufacturers and carriers alike have been working to plug the hole as quickly as possible. Just the other week AT&T pushed a patch out for the HTC One M9 and today they have begun rolling the patch out to their LG G4 devices.
The OTA that is rolling out doesn’t offer up anything else beyond being labeled as including “Device security improvements.” Although, in this case, that is a welcomed thing. The file is labeled as software version H81010I and weighs in at just 46.7MB’s. You will still want to make sure you have well over 50% battery life, a solid Wi-Fi connection and some time to let it install. Being so small, it shouldn’t take but a few minutes. If you don’t see the update pending in the notifications, you can navigate to Settings > General > About Phone > Update Center > Software Update. It still might not be presented to you, but it is coming.
Source: AT&T
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