Google Wants to Make Your Internet Connection 1,000 Times Faster

GOOGLE/YOUTUBE

Google is working on data transfer speeds that would make its Google Fiber service seem like dial-up in comparison.

The company’s chief financial officer, Patrick Pichette, announced that Google was working on speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second — far faster than the 1 gigabit per second offered by Google Fiber in Kansas City, reported USA Today.

How does that stack up against the competition?

In theory, a 10-gigabit connection would be around 1,000 times faster than the average Internet connection in the United States, and about 400 or 500 times faster than your standard broadband connection, David Belson, author of Akamai’s State of the Internet.

But that doesn’t mean a subscriber would be able to take advantage of it.

“Think about driving down an eight-lane highway and it’s moving great, and then you hit a tollbooth, and all of a sudden it slows down,” he said. “It’s the same thing with Internet connectivity.”

If you’re downloading a program from a third-party without the infrastructure to support a 10-gigabit connection, then you aren’t going to see those blazing download speeds.

Still, connecting with Google-owned sites — like YouTube, which recently announced it would start supporting bandwidth-intensive 4K video — would be a lot easier.

Considering that Google Fiber is just now moving into its second and third cities (Austin, Texas, and Provo, Utah), it might be premature to start fantasizing about streaming ultra-high definition cat videos.

But Google’s innovations could encourage other providers to follow suit.

“They’re putting some pressure on the system,” he said, “and they are pushing incumbent carriers to do a better job of stepping up to the plate and bringing faster connectivity to users."

Samsung will unveil major Tizen changes at MWC, to combat Google’s Android lockdown

Say you’re Samsung. You own one of the world’s most popular mobile phone franchises. You’ve got a history of driving enormous revenues in the smartphone market — for many people, Samsung and Android are nearly synonymous terms when talking about the mobile phone industry. Headed into Mobile World Congress, easily one of the largest smartphone events of the year, you invite members of the press to attend… the debut of your next-generation operating system?

Apparently, yes. According to multiple reports, Samsung’s major unveil at MWC in February will focus on the operating system it’s been building for the past few years rather a smartphone launch. Presumably, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S5 at its own event, as it did last year with the S4. The fact that the Korean manufacturer wants to put such an emphasis on Tizen, however, is still surprising given that the OS has only shipped on a handful of camera SKUs to date.

Google’s Android lockdown

There are multiple alternative mobile phone operating systems in various stages of development, from Mozilla’s Firefox OS to Ubuntu Touch. Tizen is one of the only projectsbacked by a company as massive as Samsung — but having made so much money on Android, why is Samsung looking to leave it in the first place? It’s all about control — but the story there is more complicated than you might think.

Ars Technica wrote a major piece on how Google has used the Android ecosystem (ostensibly open-source) to tie its own services to the platform. Over the past six years, Google introduced open-source applications that provided basic functionality, then replaced them with its own closed-source apps in later versions. Once it’s created a closed-source version, the open-source flavor is effectively orphaned. Updates for the open, Android versions of the keyboard, calendar, photo app, or music player have been few and far between since the “Google” version of each application debuted.

Should Microsoft kill Windows Phone and switch to Android?

I’ve just had an interesting idea (which is pretty rare at the end of a long, hard week). What if Microsoft’s new CEO,Satya Nadella, drops Windows Phone in favor of Android? This might seem crazy, given the amount of time and money that Microsoft has put into Windows Phone — but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Adding credence to this idea is the Nokia X (codenamed Normandy) — a Lumia-style phone that runs Android. This mid-range phone, despite Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia, still looks like it’s going to come to market this spring. Is it possible that Microsoft is waiting to see how the Nokia X does, before making a decision on the continuation of Windows Phone?

Now, there is obviously a lot of inertia against this idea. Microsoft has worked very, very hard to make Windows Phone a viable third option alongside iOS and Android. It’s not quite there, but it’s getting tantalizingly close. Presumably, Windows Phone 8.1, due out in the first half of the year, will finally push us over the “hey, this is actually really cool” threshold. Likewise, and perhaps more importantly, Microsoft has spent a lot of time and money cultivating an army of Windows Phone app developers — developers that, confronted with the runaway success of iOS and Android, probably took a lot of convincing.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Hardware specs, software, and release date rounded up

It is now all but confirmed that Samsung’s Galaxy S5 will be unveiled on February 24 at Mobile WorldCongress in Barcelona. Earlier this week, Samsung sent out invites to an “Unpacked 5″ event, and in the last few days various insiders have leaked information about the event itself. While the S4 was released at a glitzy soiree in New York City, insiders say that the S5 will have a more reserved, business-like introduction in Barcelona. Another inside says that Samsung won’t be putting quite so much emphasis on gimmicky features, such as the S4′s Air View, with the S5 — instead, we should expect gentler, more mature innovation.

The rumor mill currently indicates that the Galaxy S5 will have an ultra-high-resolution screen (possibly 2560×1440), an all-new aluminium chassis, and possibly some kind ofbiometric scanner (fingerprint or retina). If the Galaxy S5 is unveiled in Barcelona, it will probably be released some time in March.

Let’s dive into everything that we know about the Galaxy S5′s hardware, software, release date, and price.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Hardware specs, software, and release date rounded up

• By Sebastian Anthony on February 6, 2014 at 12:38 pm
• 33 Comments

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It is now all but confirmed that Samsung’s Galaxy S5 will be unveiled on February 24 at Mobile WorldCongress in Barcelona. Earlier this week, Samsung sent out invites to an “Unpacked 5″ event, and in the last few days various insiders have leaked information about the event itself. While the S4 was released at a glitzy soiree in New York City, insiders say that the S5 will have a more reserved, business-like introduction in Barcelona. Another inside says that Samsung won’t be putting quite so much emphasis on gimmicky features, such as the S4′s Air View, with the S5 — instead, we should expect gentler, more mature innovation.

The rumor mill currently indicates that the Galaxy S5 will have an ultra-high-resolution screen (possibly 2560×1440), an all-new aluminium chassis, and possibly some kind ofbiometric scanner (fingerprint or retina). If the Galaxy S5 is unveiled in Barcelona, it will probably be released some time in March.

Let’s dive into everything that we know about the Galaxy S5′s hardware, software, release date, and price.

Galaxy S5 release date

First off, we should note that Unpacked 5 isn’t guaranteed to be the launch of the Galaxy S5. Previously, it was rumored that Samsung’s MWC event would focus on software and its Tizen phones, with the Galaxy S5 receiving its own separate event in the following weeks. Given the invitation’s prominent use of the number 5, though, it would be very sneaky if Samsung didn’t unveil the Galaxy S5 at MWC. Samsung tends to release its flagship Galaxy phones about a month after their unveil — so expect a Galaxy S5 release date around the end of March or beginning of April.

Galaxy S5 hardware specs

Rather unusually for a smartphone, the Galaxy S5′s hardware spec is still quite nebulous. Most reports agree that the Galaxy S5 will receive a higher-res screen — possibly as high as 2560×1440 (560 ppi, if the screen size remains at five inches). Beyond that, it’s mostly guesswork. The S5 will almost certainly have a beefy SoC — but odds are, it probably won’t be a 64-bit chip (except for Apple’s A7, there simply aren’t any 64-bit ARM chips ready to go). RAM-wise, there are a few reports that the Galaxy S5 might be the first smartphone with 4GB of RAM.

There are also fairly solid rumors that the Galaxy S5 will have some kind of biometric sensor — either a fingerprint or retina scanner. Evleaks, a fairly renowned leaker with a good track record, says the S5 will have a fingerprint scanner.

Microsoft slashes prices on Windows 8.1 tablets, achieves near-parity with Android devices

We’ve known since IDF that Intel intended to put pressure behind Bay Trail’s sales volume by aggressively positioning the tablets across both Windows 8.1 and Android, but it seems Microsoft doesn’t want to be left behind — or undercut. The company has made significant slashes to prices on multiple devices in the Microsoft Store — the 32GB Dell Venue Pro has dropped from $299 to $229, while the 32GB Lenovo Miix 2 and Toshiba Encore (also 32GB tablets) have fallen to $249, from $299.
Dropping the Venue Pro to $229 actually puts Microsoft in the unusual position of going head-to-head against the $229 Google Nexus 7 (2013), but offering twice the storage (32GB versus 16GB). While Windows 8 has been roundly chewed up for offering far less than maximum capacity once the OS and restore files are accounted for, the 32GB Dell Venue 8 will still have 4-6GB more practical storage available than the Nexus 7 device.
The tablets themselves are powered by the Intel Bay Trail Z3740D, the same chip inside the Asus TransformerBook T100. While more expensive, the T100 also sports a larger screen (10.1 inches), a removable dock, and up to 64GB storage). Having used it extensively, I can say that the performance of this solution is surprisingly good — it far outstrips Clover Trail, and the integrated GPU is capable of handling many tablet games.
No, the Venue Pro 8 doesn’t have the Nexus 7′s 1920×1080 screen, but the 8.1-inch display on the Venue Pro still hits a PPI of 186. That’s higher than a conventional desktop monitor, even if it isn’t quite “Retina” quality (though as always, that’s a relative term and depends on viewing distance).

Microsoft is clearly trying to boost the visibility of its own Store (it’s selling the Dell Venue 8 Pro for a lower price than Dell itself). Still, this move also aligns with some of Intel’s priorities. The chip manufacturer has stated that its goal is to dramatically drive new tablet adoptions in 2014 with strong offerings in both the Windows 8 and Android ecosystems. If prices like this stick around, we’ll see Windows selling at head-to-head parity with Android throughout the year, at least at the upper end.

Samsung will unveil major Tizen changes at MWC, to combat Google’s Android lockdown

Say you’re Samsung. You own one of the world’s most popular mobile phone franchises. You’ve got a history of driving enormous revenues in the smartphone market — for many people, Samsung and Android are nearly synonymous terms when talking about the mobile phone industry. Headed into Mobile World Congress, easily one of the largest smartphone events of the year, you invite members of the press to attend… the debut of your next-generation operating system?
Apparently, yes. According to multiple reports, Samsung’s major unveil at MWC in February will focus on the operating system it’s been building for the past few years rather a smartphone launch. Presumably, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S5 at its own event, as it did last year with the S4. The fact that the Korean manufacturer wants to put such an emphasis on Tizen, however, is still surprising given that the OS has only shipped on a handful of camera SKUs to date.

Google’s Android lock down

There are multiple alternative mobile phone operating systems in various stages of development, from Mozilla’s Firefox OS to Ubuntu Touch. Tizen is one of the only projects backed by a company as massive as Samsung — but having made so much money on Android, why is Samsung looking to leave it in the first place? It’s all about control — but the story there is more complicated than you might think.
Ars Technica wrote a major piece on how Google has used the Android ecosystem (ostensibly open-source) to tie its own services to the platform. Over the past six years, Google introduced open-source applications that provided basic functionality, then replaced them with its own closed-source apps in later versions. Once it’s created a closed-source version, the open-source flavor is effectively orphaned. Updates for the open, Android versions of the keyboard, calendar, photo app, or music player have been few and far between since the “Google” version of each application debuted.

Here’s the kicker: If device makers reject one closed-source version of an application, they don’t get any of them. Google can’t stop a manufacturer like Amazon from using Android, but it controls all of the licensing terms for Google apps. Those licensing terms are reportedly much simpler if you’re a member of the Open Handset Alliance — and the contractual terms of the OHA license prohibit device manufacturers from forking Android.

Samsung’s work on Ti zen illustrates that the company doesn’t much like the way Android has been turned into a Google-only show. The terms and agreements surrounding the Google applications that govern the Android experience (and that users want) are as much a prison as the ecosystem that Android was ostensibly supposed to combat. Faced with the difficulty of building its own competing applications at the heart of Android or targeting a new OS that isn’t encumbered by the same license terms, Samsung has decided to pour effort into both camps. Samsung’s own version of Google apps and its TouchWiz UI skin aren’t just annoyances (though they’re certainly annoying) — they’re the manufacturer’s attempt to insure it has acceptable alternatives if its arrangement with Google breaks down. The Google Play ecosystem only exacerbates the trend — apps that use Google APIs can’t run properly on devices like the Kindle Fire.

Google’s smart contact lenses for diabetics: Another step towards the Google-powered cyborg

Google X, the secretive research lab famed for its work on Glass and Google’s self-driving cars, has unveiled its next product: Smart contact lenses. The first smart contact lens, aimed at diabetics, takes a glucose level reading every second from the tears that wash over your eye when you blink, and transmits that data wirelessly to a nearby device. Google doesn’t say what device, but presumably a smartphone or Google Glass. Yes, if Google X has its way, we will soon all look like cyborgs, our bodies becoming interconnected networks of implants and augmentations.

Currently, if you have diabetes, you generally have to perform finger-stick blood tests throughout the day. At best this is inconvenient, at worst it’s disruptive and painful — but either way, if you want to safely manage your blood sugar levels, it must be done. Due to the inconvenience factor, though, many diabetics don’t test themselves as often as they should — which then leads to all sorts of nasty situations, such as passing out. There are other ways of reliably testing blood sugar levels, such as your tears — but, as you can imagine, collecting tears is no easier than pricking your finger. Unless you have a smart contact lens…

UPCOMING NOKIA LUMIA 2520

ARE YOU READY FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY CORE ADVANCE

NEW SAMSUNG GALAXY STAR PRO

NEW QMOBILE NOIR V5

OS    Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

SIMs    Dual SIM

CPU    1.5GHz Quad Core

ROM/RAM    16GB ROM/1GB RAM

Size    163.5x81.3x7.9mm

Display    5.7" HD IPS

Connectivity

Network    GSM 850/900/1800/1900 WCDMA 900/2100

GPS    GPS/AGPS

GPRS/EDGE    GPRS/EDGE

WAP/MMS    Yes

WLAN    Wi-Fi 802.11

Bluetooth    Yes

Entertainment

Rear Camera    13 Mega Pixel Camera

Front Camera    5 Mega Pixel Camera

3.5 mm Ear Jack    Yes

Audio Player    Yes

Video Player    Yes

FM Radio    Yes

Internet    Yes

MRE    ---

Usability

Battery    3200 mAh

Torch    Yes

CANNON Rebel T5i 18-55mm IS STM Lens Kit

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