Saturday 27 September 2014
TomTom has a new watch designed specifically for golfers
Playdate: We're livestreaming 'Forza Horizon 2' on Xbox One! (Update: it's over!)
What do you do when there's many hundreds of horsepower under your foot? Bounce on the pedal and put the devil to the floor, naturally. And that's just what Microsoft's latest racer allows you to do. We're talking about Forza Horizon 2 on Xbox One, of course. The game that lets you live out nearly any auto-fantasy you might have, so long as it includes picturesque European landscapes, pristine cliff sides and electronic dance music. We're just kidding on the last part -- you can totally turn the radio off. Join us right here at 7:00 p.m. Eastern / 4:00 p.m. Pacific as we bring you a taste of what you can expect from the open-world arcade racer when it hits store shelves (or your console) next week.
Belgian brewery to reduce truck use with underground beer pipeline
Consumer Reports weighs in on iPhone 6 bending
Snakebot and quadcopter combo makes for a go-anywhere rescue drone
Sony Xperia Z3 review: Hands-on
The Sony Xperia Z3 is the brand's latest flagship smartphone and as you'd expect, it replaces the Sony Xperia Z2.
As part of Sony Mobile's largest product launch to date, the Z3 is also joined by the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, the budget Sony Xperia E3, Sony Smartwatch 3 and Sony SmartBand Talk.
The Xperia Z3 has plenty of competition in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S5,HTC One M8 and the iPhone 5S iPhone 6 but what does it bring to the table. We went hands-on to find out...
As part of Sony Mobile's largest product launch to date, the Z3 is also joined by the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, the budget Sony Xperia E3, Sony Smartwatch 3 and Sony SmartBand Talk.
The Xperia Z3 has plenty of competition in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S5,HTC One M8 and the iPhone 5S iPhone 6 but what does it bring to the table. We went hands-on to find out...
Sony Xperia Z3: Size and build
Sony is sticking to the familar design of the Z2, albeit with a few tweaks. The new handset has the same 'omnibalance' design, with the premium silver power button once again placed halfway down the edge.
It's very slightly slimmer than the Z2 and also slightly lighter. It certainly feels comfortably to hold and it's also more durable, too. Sony has added nylon caps to the corners of the phone, which means that if you drop it, it's less likely to break.
What's more, it's the has the highest waterproof rating available on a smartphone, Sony tells us, so it should survive any accidental submersion.
It'll be available in the usual black and white plus two new colours - copper and rather nice green (see the gallery above).
What's more, it's the has the highest waterproof rating available on a smartphone, Sony tells us, so it should survive any accidental submersion.
It'll be available in the usual black and white plus two new colours - copper and rather nice green (see the gallery above).
Sony Xperia Z3: Features
The Xperia Z3 is the world's first smartphone with PS4 Remote Play - a feature that will also be available on the Z3 Compact and Z3 Tablet Compact.
A gaming mount (sold separately, price TBC) uses a sat-nav-style sucker to attach your device onto your PS4 controller so that you can play over your home Wi-Fi network, using your phone or tablet's screen. That means that you can play on your phone or tablet in another room to free up the TV for someone else, or even partake in some seriously antisocial multiplayer.
In theory, you could use it on Wi-Fi networks outside the home, as long as your PS4 is left on, but Sony doesn't recommend it as it can't guarantee the quality. We haven't had a chance to try this out properly yet, but we did have a go attaching the phone to the controller using the mount, which worked a treat. The PS4 function won't actually work until November, Sony tells us.
The phone also features DSEE HX, which converts audio to near high-res quality. We had a demo and can report that the conversion was definitely noticeable when switching between modes, but then the original sounded pretty good to start with.
In theory, you could use it on Wi-Fi networks outside the home, as long as your PS4 is left on, but Sony doesn't recommend it as it can't guarantee the quality. We haven't had a chance to try this out properly yet, but we did have a go attaching the phone to the controller using the mount, which worked a treat. The PS4 function won't actually work until November, Sony tells us.
The phone also features DSEE HX, which converts audio to near high-res quality. We had a demo and can report that the conversion was definitely noticeable when switching between modes, but then the original sounded pretty good to start with.
Sony Xperia Z3: Camera
The camera has the same basic spec as the previous model but with a few important refinements. The Z3 includes the world's first 12800 ISO rating, which should make it better for low light shooting.
It also includes an improved SteadyShot mode, ported over from the maker's camcorders. You'll also get a new wider angle 25mm lens, so you'll be able to pack even more into your shots. There are also several new software features including Face In - a mode that takes photos with the rear camera while including a selfie in a box in the same shot. We reeled off a few test shots - which all looked great - but we're looking forward to trying out the finished product in some more testing conditions.
It also includes an improved SteadyShot mode, ported over from the maker's camcorders. You'll also get a new wider angle 25mm lens, so you'll be able to pack even more into your shots. There are also several new software features including Face In - a mode that takes photos with the rear camera while including a selfie in a box in the same shot. We reeled off a few test shots - which all looked great - but we're looking forward to trying out the finished product in some more testing conditions.
Sony Xperia Z3: Screen
The 5.2-inch screen sports a full HD 1080p screen, with Sony making the deliberate decision not to go 2K as it doesn't think it's worth it on a screen this size. We have to agree.
Packing the brand's Triluminos and X-reality processing tech, along with IPS, the screen looks great and has really good viewing angles.
Packing the brand's Triluminos and X-reality processing tech, along with IPS, the screen looks great and has really good viewing angles.
Sony Xperia Z3: Performance
Running on the latest version of Android, the Z3 has 3GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. While we haven't tried out a final version of the phone just yet, navigating around the OS in our hands-on time was slick with no lag at all. Obviously we'll be testing that out further as soon as we can get a full sample in for testing.
Sony Xperia Z3: Battery
Sony is making a bold claim of a two-day battery life - again, we haven't had time to test that yet, but we're certain intrigued. Along with the existing power-saving mode introduced on the Sony Xperia Z1, the Z3 also has a power-efficient screen.
Sony Xperia Z3: Verdict
While it may seem quite soon for Sony to be replacing the previous model, the Xperia Z3 looks set to be a very strong contender in the smartphone battle. The improvements are subtle but significant and the PS4 functionality is sure to be a massive selling point for gamers. Stay tuned for a full review.
Sony Xperia Z3 release date: October 2014
Sony Xperia Z3 price: TBC
Sony Xperia Z3 release date: October 2014
Sony Xperia Z3 price: TBC
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983 review: Hands-on
It’s very rare that we find ourselves summoned down to Harrods in Knightsbridge for a phone release. But such was the case with the Porsche Design BlackBerry P’9983. The environment is well suited; this is a premium BlackBerry model, aimed at those for which a mere iPhone 6 or LG G3 alone won’t fit the bill. And yet, compared to the likes of the handmade £6,750 Vertu Signature Touch, the £1,400 asking price doesn't seem so steep.
This is Porsche Design's third BlackBerry handset, following last year's BlackBerry P'9982 - essentially a pimped BlackBerry Z10. This time around, its theBlackBerry Q10 that's been given the luxury treatment and with it, comes the return of the keyboard - BlackBerry's perennial calling card.
But if you're hoping for substantial new features, well, there aren't any. Internally, the phone remains exactly the same. It benefits from the latest version of the Blackberry 10 OS but then again, there's the forthcoming BlackBerry Passport to blow that particular tumpet. What we've got here then, is just a nicer-looking BlackBerry Q10 with premium branding and a massive price bump.
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983: Design and build
There’s no mistaking that the design and build is where the £1,400 price tag comes into play. Porsche Design has, to all intents and purposes, taken the BlackBerry Q10 and given the chassis a serious overhaul. The familair stainless steel machined Porsche Design logo is stamped above the 3.1-inch screen.
The same stainless steel edging is in effect around the handset, transforming the curved appearance of the BlackBerry Q10 into something much more angular. The design company pulled a similar trick with last year's P'9882. The weight of the handset remains pretty much the same, increasing slightly to 140g from the Q10's 139g.
BlackBerry devices were always noted for the keyboard and it's here that Porsche Design has shown some love. The P'9883 features glass-like PMMA plastic for increased durability and the design company has shaped the keys to create a pseudo 3D-like effect. And there's a nice new silver font too.
The raised buttons are comfortable to type on, but some quick test emails revealed that we've become too used to wide touchscreens - the cramped 'board takes some getting used to but there's a decent amount of travel on the keys.
Round the back, Porsche Design has coated the device with a "special glass-weave technology" that looks nice enough, but is immediately covered with smears and fingerprint marks. Which is a shame given how much you're asked to part with for it.
And yet, it's a sturdy, well-built phone. The silver and black blend obviously looks the business, and will find a nice home in the breast pocket of your Savile Row suit. This is the reason the phone is what it is - if you're of a particular income bracket and partial to an association with German automotive design, then you're going to like this device.
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983: Features
New features were awarded barely a mention during the reveal at Harrods, and chiefly rely on the updates to BlackBerry's operating system. Unfortunately, all you're going to get with this phone is a different font and the silver, executive-style Porsche Design clock. There's also a particular PIN ID designation with BlackBerry Messenger that identifies you as a Porsche Design user.
Around back is the 8MP camera that Porsche Design has equipped with a sapphire crystal coated lens. A small array of features, included burst mode, panorama and time shift are there to play with, but really it's not up to the likes of the HTC One M8 in the photography department.
The square 3.1-inch display boasts a 720 x 720 resolution that is clearly designed for the email and spreadsheet mentality than taking in a TV series on the commute home.
If the black and silver look is a little too boardroom for you, you can add one of Porsche Design's handcrafted leather cases to the P'8893. They come in a range of colours, including yellow, orange, salsa blue, pomegranate, dark brown paloma grey and blue green.
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983: Performance
Performance is handled by the same dual core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor found in the original Q10, although, like the P'9982, Porsche Design has given the internal storage a boost. The original 16GB has been upgraded to 64GB and you can still use a microSD card to add even more.
There's 2GB of RAM, keeping things moving quickly, and a 2,100 mAh battery that, BlackBerry says, will afford you 14 hours of talk time. Part of the work that the company has done on the operating system is to make it more power efficient and the representatives we spoke to at the launch were pretty confident you could get a day and a half's use out of the device between charges.
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983: Verdict
This is a phone being sold on its brand image alone, and to a very specific type of customer. BlackBerry, by its own admission, says this isn't going to be a mass-market phone. It's aiming to bring back the business love by way of a decent keyboard and supurb build quality. In the hand, it feels suitably premium - but then, so does the HTC One M8.
The inclusion of the Amazon App Store goes some way to remedying the worrying lack of apps that has always plagued BlackBerry and the edgy design is more mature and appealing than the curvyness of the original BlackBerry Q10. It would have been nice if Porsche Design had something in the way of third-party apps or services that could set this phone aside in a software sense as well as a hardware sense.
Ultimately though, you're going to want this phone in order to make a particular statement. It's a designer phone in the same way as there are designer sunglasses, watches and jackets. It's branding has little to no impact on the actual performance or usability of the phone - which still falls some way behind Apple's iPhone 6 or the top Android handsets.
This isn't going to be the phone that reinvents BlackBerry, but it does stand as a testament to the fact there are still customers out there that value exclusivity above all else. And to them, we say happy shopping.
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983 release date: Out now
Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9983 price: £1,400 inc. VAT
Apple Watch review: Hands-on
Well, it may not be called the iWatch, but Apple’s entry into the burgeoning wearable category – called simply “Watch” – has at last gone from rumour to reality. Unlike the many Android Wear smartwatches that have been standalone products with individual merits, such as the Moto 360’s “real” watch faces or the Samsung Gear Fit’s heart rate monitor, the break from the norm here is the sheer level of customisation offered, all in one go. Another similarity is the requirement to own an Apple phone, ideally the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus of course, and it's not clear how backwards compatible with older iPhones the Watch is.
Apple Watch: Features
With two different face sizes – 38mm and 42mm respectively – three separate collections – the entry-level Watch, the sweat-loving Watch Sport and the 18-carat-gold, bling-tastic Watch Edition – plus six different strap styles with three different fits all fighting for your attention, seeing all of them at once is a disorientating experience. Apple lined all 36 different types up in a central hub at the Cupertino reveal like a cross between Baselworld and The Usual Suspects.
Make no mistake, this will be a new range from the off when it launches early next year, not a one-off product. Whatever your choice of wear - plastic for fitness, leather for work, stainless steel for evening wear - Apple seems to have it covered. Indeed, the “Milanese loop” number is verging on smart jewellery, the design of the face as its own entity meaning you can mix and match. We can see the custom-obsessed money flying out of wallets already – the price being “from” $349 is key.
We grabbed a hands-on with the “Modern” buckle, a magnetised fixer connecting its blue, brushed leather strap. It linked easily and was a perfect fit as luck would have it without adjusting – good old predictable wrist widths. The first thing you notice is the 38mm watch’s body is surprisingly small and light, the Moto 360 – until now arguably the looker in the smartwatch department – seeming hulking and heavy by comparison. The sleek design also sits comfortably next to normal watches – it actually looked a bit like the Uniform Wares one we were wearing – with little style concession at all. This is unprecedented for a smartwatch.
Apple Watch: Display
The Flexible Retina sapphire-glass display is both clear and strong, if a bit of a fingerprint lover. However, while it is used as a touchscreen, the neat digital crown dial on the side keeps your fingers off and out of the way, the small screen not often obstructed, flicking through customisation options and zooms in and out, and also acting as a home button. It’s a really clever solution and very intuitive, allowing you to customise settings such as contextual info and colour schemes quickly.
Apple Watch: Performance
Our hands-on involved a run-through some of the basic functionality – browsing the circular apps (you zoom in and out of them fluidly a la Google Earth), fitness monitoring (through the sensors on the reverse of the face), map finding, etc. The most impressive factor, though, was the consistent alerts, shunning loud beeps and flashing lights for a light throb to your wrist, be it for text messages, lap times or a reminder to get the shopping.
Apple Watch: Connectivity
Connectivity wise, there’s no ugly and impractical headphone ports, with all connections handled by Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. We were sent hand-drawn messages wirelessly to our watch by a member of staff, the use of which were unclear of – for a product so stylish, drawing little pictures on it seems a bit Nintendo for us – but it certainly works. Charging is elegant, too, a circular MagSafe connecting to the entire bottom of the watch body, where the four sensors sit.
Apple Watch: Verdict
Of course, this was a guided demo, and Apple was unsurprisingly keen to play up its style and connected credentials. We didn’t get much time to put the new S1 chip to the test, try Apple Pay or Siri (the latter is accessed via clicking the digital crown), see the extent to which it requires an iPhone to function (which we were told it does), or, of course, test the battery life, which Tim Cook and co stayed very quiet on indeed. The sheer lightness of the watch makes us wonder just how much stamina it’s packing, but we shall see. The headline news is this is a really good looking smartwatch that you could conceivably buy just as a watch, and that, for us, is a first. Whether smartwatches in general are a category that can prove useful enough to snare the masses, though, we're still unsure.
Apple iPhone 6 vs Apple iPhone 5s: What's changed?
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Display
First we had 3.5-inches, then the iPhone 5 gave us 4-inches, but now, finally, we have an iPhone with a 4.7-inch display. As with all iPhones since the 4, Apple has attached the Retina Display moniker to the iPhone 6 meaning pixels will, hopefully, be a complete pain to spot.
Speaking of the resolution, it is now 1334x750 (the iPhone 6 Plus is 1920x1080) which is a nice increase from the 1136x540 of the iPhone 5 and 5s. Apple says the 6 has 38% more pixels than the 5s, along with a broader angle of view.
Can it match up the 1080p displays of Android superphones like the Samsung Galaxy S5 or even the 2K versions on the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4? You'll have to wait for our full review to find that out.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Size and Build
Increasing the screen size from 4-inches to 4.7-inches clearly means the device itself is going to be quite a bit larger, but how bigger actually is it?
Well, the iPhone 5s came in at 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm, with a weight of 112g, the iPhone 6 on the other hand tips the scales at just 6.9mm thick - making it one truly thin phone.
Instead of the straight lines that made up the iPhone 5s, Apple has gone much more curvy with the 6, rounding off the sides and giving the phone a look that resembles the iPad Air and iPad Mini.
All the side mounted buttons have been given a refresh, while the on/off switch has thankfully been moved from the top to the side. The Lightning connector and headphone jack still cover the bottom.
Aluminium, as you’d probably expect is still the material of choice, though the display is now covered in strengthened glass (not sapphire though), so expect scratches to be much fewer and far between.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Features and Performance
While almost every high-end Windows 8 and Android smartphone has packed NFC for countless years now, Apple has finally decided to stick a Near Field Communications chip inside its flagship smartphone. Having NFC means the iPhone can now make use the new Apple Pay feature, which lets you add cards into the Passbook by just taking a picture of it.
iOS8 obviously will come preinstalled, with its array of features like improved notifications, extensions, the Health app and more.
Apple, as usual, hasn’t delved deep into the specs for the new iPhone 6, though we know it runs on a dual-core A8 processor, with a 64-bit architecture, and with a suspected 1GB of RAM. Apple says the CPU is 25% faster this year, with 50% faster graphics and the device should be able to run at full power throughout the charge cycle.
Apple showed off a few game demos during the presentation and we have to say the graphical detail, which is provided by the new Metal engine Apple announced at WWDC, looked pretty fantastic.
Last year’s iPhone 5s was the first Apple phone to pack a 64-bit processor, an A7, so the jump to A8 should give improved performance along with better battery management. You'll also have access to the brand new M8 coprocessor, which tracks motion and works in tandem with HealthKit in iOS8, great for keeping an eye on your daily step count.
One of the new features of the M8 is that it can tell the diffference between cycling and running, plus there's also a barometer.
The WiFi has thankfully been upgraded to 802.11ac, a feature that previously wasn't supported.
16GB, 64GB options for internal storage are available, though for the first time a 128GB choice is available for the phone. Notice no 32GB option?
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Battery
Keeping that 4.7-inch display toting iPhone juiced up is a battery that Apple claims will easily see you through the day, offering 10 hours of LTE browsing, the same as the 5s.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: Camera
One of our favourite aspects of the iPhone 5s was its 8-megapixel, sapphire covered snapper that boasted an f/2.2 aperture, backside illuminated sensor and a nifty true tone flash.
It was fast, took some of the best pictures we’ve ever taken with a smartphone and had a flash that we didn’t instantly turn off and never even think about putting it back on again.
So, what improvements can we look forward with the iPhone 6? Well for one the 8-meg sensor is still here, as is the same aperture, though there is a new feature called 'focus pixels' and an improved image engine which offers advanced noise reduction and faster autofocus. Image stabilisation is also offered, though on the iPhone 6 it's only digital, but on the 6 Plus it's optical.
1080p video is supported for both 30fps and 60fps and there's an improved hyper slow-mo mode.
Up top there's a new FaceTime HD camera, with better face detection and an all new sensor that lets in 81% more light, plus the ever popular 'burst selfie' mode.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 5s: The Verdict
While we were pretty sure we were going to see a new iPhone today, it's still good to finally be able to say it's official. it seems that Apple has finally moved the iPhone forwards for possibly the first time since the iPhone 4 gave us that first Retina Display, thanks to that bigger screen and features like NFC
Apple Mac bug a bigger threat than ‘Heartbleed’
A security flaw called Shellshock in software on Unix-based operating systems is worse than ‘Heartbleed’, the exploit that affected nearly every computer last year.
The bug could take years to fix, and there’s nothing users can do to protect themselves.
Unlike Heartbleed, which let hackers spy on computers, Shellshock gives them access to control targeted systems.
The vulnerable software is called Bash, which is used by Apple Mac computers.
It’s used to control the command prompt on many Unix-based operating systems.
Cyber security firm Rapid7 and US government-backed National Vulnerability Database have rated Shellshock 10 out of 10 in severity for its maximum impact.
However they rated it low for the complexity of exploitation because hackers only need three lines of code to break into the system.
Hackers could theoretically set specific environment variables on Bash, which would let them take control of victims’ computers.
Even worse, they could potentially use Shellshock to create worms, or attacks that would automatically replicate across machines.
“In theory, this could take the form of an infected machine scanning for other targets and propagating the attack to them,” security expert Troy Hunt told The Guardian.
“This would be by no means limited to public-facing machines either; get this behind the corporate firewall and the sky’s the limit.”
Robert Graham, a security expert and CEO of Errata Security told The Independent it will take a long time for experts to fix all affected systems.
“Years from now we’ll keep finding yet another device that’s still not been patched,” he said.
He claims to have found at least 3,000 systems vulnerable to the bug, but he has only scanned systems on port 80.
He added that a scan for embedded webservers on odd ports would give him “a couple times more results”.
Mr Graham warns that DHCP services could also be infiltrated.
Shellshock is so serious that even the US Department of Homeland Security has released a warning and issued patches to fix servers.
The exploit, which was discovered by Linux expert, Stéphane Chazelas has gone unnoticed for at least 10 years.
Security researcher, Michal Zalewski wrote on his blog: “My take is that it's a very unusual bug in a very obscure feature of a program that researchers don't really look at, precisely because no reasonable person would expect it to fail this way. So, life goes on
Thursday 25 September 2014
Samsung shows off battery-sharing cable for your mobile devices
Samsung's latest tech accessory is the Power Sharing cable, a battery buddy-up system that'll let you drain juice from one device and power up another.
The cable is double-ended with micro-USB connectors, meaning it's good to go with any micro-USB-friendly device.
In terms of Samsung, that means it's good for all the latest category flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Galaxy Tab S, and the Galaxy Gear smartwatch.
"The new Power Sharing cable gives multi-device users a versatile way to charge their devices - it lets users share the power of their Galaxy battery with either thei own devices or a friend's no matter where they are," says the Korean tech firm.
To work the new wares, you'll first need to download Samsung's Power Sharing app from either Samsung Apps or the Google Play Store.
Once that's sorted, you can then select the amount of power you want to shift over, and then plug in both devices. Voila, instant juice.
Sammy also says its cable is teeny enough to 'fit in a pocket and purse'.
The Power Sharing cable ships in two colours, namely black or white, and retails for £15 - although Samsung says it's nearly out of stock, so get your bids in quick if you're keen.
Apple's iOS 8.0.1 gets pulled after breaking TouchID and networks
Apple has pulled iOS 8.0.1 after it emerged that the update was preventing some iPhone features from working correctly.
The update was designed to provide some minor bug fixes, and largely to make sure HealthKit was working correctly.
In reality, the software Apple pushed over actually stopped the TouchID sensor from working, as well as removing cellular data networks, for a large number of users.
A Redditor (hamy89) reported an official response from Apple via online chat that read: "we have identified an issue with the new iOS 8.0.1 release and our engineering team is hard at work to correct this for all of our customers as quickly as possible."
The message continued: "We greatly apologise for the inconvenience and greatly appreciate your patience. As of right now there is not ETA on the fix but we will have one shortly."
Following the (unsurprising) internet furore, Apple offered a fix that would re-install iOS 8.
"We have a workaround for you if you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and you lost cellular service and TouchID functionality today after updating to iOS 8.0.1," reads the statement.
"We are also preparing iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it as soon as it's ready in the next few days."
Unfortunately, re-installing iOS 8.0 means the Health app is not working once again, so it's not short of trading one problem for another.
This fiasco follows an on-going en masse complaint over iPhone 6 Plus handsets reportedly 'bending' or 'warping' for many users under normal usage.
Samsung's relaxing on mobile to focus elsewhere
Samsung is reducing efforts in its mobile division, with the Korean tech firm reportedly shifting a large number of software engineers to work on other projects.
The WSJ says around 500 software engineers will be leaving the 'mobile unit', to work on 'consumer eletronics, TVs, network, printer, and its corporate software R&D divisions.'
The change-up could signal that Samsung's content with its current mobile software, and wants to bring other parts of the company up to par.
Samsung's smartphones and tablets are some of the firm's most popular products, and take up prime position in the eyes of many consumers.
It's worth noting though that Samsung's TouchWiz Android skin is often slammed for poor design. Tizen OS is also fairly unpopular. Both are products of the software engineer workforce.
Samsung spoke to the WSJ regarding the move, with the firm suggesting its transfers were intended 'to further strengthen the company's overall software prowess.'
It's important to remember that we're not actually sure how many software engineers will be remaining in the mobile divison, although we do know the firm had just north of 40,000 software engineers as of 2013.
Samsung also said it wanted 'to enhance [its] competitive edge in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry and increase synergies for the Tizen platform.'
Smart home platforms are a target for many firms right now, so a focus on the Internot of Things by Samsung is unsurprising.
Earlier today we heard Amazon was working on its own smart home tech, designed to make it easier for customers to make purchases via the retail giant.
Wednesday 24 September 2014
Robot butlers with RFID scanners could be used as service animals
We already use dogs and monkeys as service animals to help people with disabilities, so why not use robots as well? Researchers at Georgia Tech have combined RFID tags, long-distance scanners, and a self-propelled robot to develop a method of reliably locating objects in a real-world setting. With this setup, people with reduced mobility or short-term memory can ask the robot for help finding important items like medicine or documents.
In their research paper, Travis Deyle, Matthew Reynolds, and Charles Kemp explain how they used ultra-high frequency RFID tags to help their custom PR2 robot locate specific items in a complex environment. Items of interest are fixed with unique RFID tags, and the robot has a long-distance RFID scanner mounted on either shoulder. From there, the robot moves about the living space — logging all of the tags it senses. After a lap or two around the house, it can then search out a specific tag, and move toward the item in question.
Tuesday 23 September 2014
Apple stuffs rumours and says Beats Music isn't being binned
Late last night, TechCrunch reported that Apple was going to 'discontinue' Beats Music.
The tech site cited 'five sources' that included 'several prominent employees at Apple and Beats', revealing that the Cupertino firm was keen to shut down the streaming service.
It seems the article is only a half truth however, as Apple has now patently affirmed the contrary, with Apple's PR rep Tom Neumayr telling Recode the story is 'not true'.
Recode did, however, report that Apple might be modifying Beats Music in the form of a departure from the current branding.
TechCrunch responded to Apple's clarification, writing: "This aligns with what my sources said, which is that the Beats Music brand will be shut down, but that it's unclear what Apple wants to do in streaming music."
"It seems quite possible that te Beats Music product could be rolled into iTunes rather than being 'shuttered', but that's semantics."
It seems that the issue is the result of a confusion over the term 'shut down'. Apple says it's not going to kill of Beats Music, but it could be argued that a complete absorption into iTunes is very much the same thing.
It's also worth noting that while it's still early days in the Apple/Beats merger, Cook & Co. made no mention of the audio firm during the recent keynote, and none of the new products have shipped with Beats Music built in.
This could be a signal that Beats may in fact be undergoing a re-branding process internally, which still could result in the complete destruction of 'Beats' as we know it.
Instagram's in-app ads go live in the UK today
Instagram has hit the on-switch for in-app advertisements here in the UK, meaning your feed is about to bid welcome to some unexpected visitors.
The social media giant says the initial roll-out will only show off 'carefully selected brands', including Cadbury, Starbucks, and Sony Music.
'Corporate scum,' we hear you cry. 'How dare they fill my feed with obtuse marketing propaganda?!'
Fortunately, Instagram's sticking a big old 'Sponsored' tag next to paid-for posts, so you won't mistakenly spend your whole paycheck on Cadbury's chocolate just because you thought they were your #insta-mate.
"We want ads on Instagram to be as engaging and high-quality as the experience of flipping through a favourite magazine," says James Quarles, Instagram's business and brand development boss.
The firm's also sorted out a handy guide that will fill you in on how the ad system is actually going to work.
For starters, Instagram promises that advertisers won't have re-use access to your photos and videos, meaning they can't nick anything from your feed.
It also suggests using the feedback button to 'hide ads you find less interesting', so it's easy to improve the system in the future.
The Instagram team says it wants advertisements to 'feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favourite brands."
Instagram's had a huge user base for quite some time now, although it's not yet monetised the app in any consumer-tangible way, despite being completely free to download.
Just last month, Instagram launched its second app, Hyperlapse, which is designed to create stabilised time-lapse videos
Nearly half of Apple's mobile users now have iOS 8
Apple's latest mobile operating system is now installed on 46% of devices since it began rolling out to users on the 17th October.
The new OS has yet to overtake iOS 7, which currently sits at a 49% adoption rate. There's several reasons for this.
For starters, many simply can't upgrade - iPhone 4 users for instance - as the new OS simply isn't supported on devices that old.
There's also likely a healthy contingent of Apple users who are happy to stick with iOS 7, either out of preference, or for performance reasons.
iOS 8 has been reported by many as causing a noticeable slow-down on some models, particular the iPhone 4S.
Alongside these groups, there'll also be many who simply just haven't got around to upgrading yet, or simply don't know how to.
The figures will have been especially bolstered after Apple managed to sell upwards of 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units over the launch weekend, all of which will come with iOS 8 installed as standard.
Interestingly, there's also a remaining 5% of Apple device users running operating systems before iOS 7. That's old school.
The new statistics show up on Apple's developer support page for the App Store. It's handy for devs to know how many people are using a given OS, as incentive to provide app compatibility for olders systems.
By comparison, just 24.5% of Android users are using Google's latest 4.4 KitKat operating system.
Saturday 20 September 2014
The world welcomes NX1 at Photokina 2014
Photokina is the world's leading imaging fair and it is being held in Cologne, Germany from until the 21st of September. At the Photokina 2014, on September 15th, Samsung held Samsung Premiere 2014 – NX at PHOTOKINA 2014. And all eyes were on Samsung, as people were anticipating what one of the biggest players in the imaging market will reveal at the Samsung Premiere 2014.
When the time came Myung Sup Han (EVP and× Head of Imaging Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics) unveiled the Samsung NX1 and Malcom Andre, (Product Manager at Samsung Europe) gave the product presentation.
From the Samsung Premiere 2014, we’ve learned that Samsung has designed NX1 completely from scratch, from the imaging engine to the sensor to the auto focus system. The result is a completely new type of CSC (compact system camera) with best-in-class technology and performance. Just to name a few distinctive characteristics of NX1, it supports:
- 15FPS continuous AF shooting,
- Auto Focus (AF) System III with 205 Phase Detection AF points
- 28MP APS-C BSI CMOS Sensor
These are some of the features that advanced photographers have long been waiting for. Since more and more semi-professional and professional photographers are leaning towards more lightweight and portable CSC models, NX1 provides a genuine alternative to DSLRs. However, the magnesium alloy body of the NX1 makes it highly durable allowing no compensation for its portability.
Ads by OffersWizard×"The NX1 represents the pinnacle of× Samsung’s advanced photographic expertise and heralds a new era of intuitive, premium quality photography for all photographers," said Myoung Sup Han, Executive Vice President and× Head of Imaging Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications business at× Electronics. "With the launch of the NX1, Samsung is re-defining what is possible with a compact system camera, allowing photographers everywhere to achieve previously unimaginable levels of quality in each and every image they capture."
Emphasizing the fact that NX1 is also an interchangeable lens camera,× Samsung also announced the new 50-150mm S ED OIS lens, which features F2.8 maximum aperture and 35mm equivalent 77-231mm focal range.
People have been playing around with the NX1 at the Photokina 2014. The general first impression among the exhibitors at the product booth has been great. People seem to be impressed with the image quality, fast AF system and the overall design of the NX1.
As Samsung expects the NX1 to mark a turning point in premium photography, we look forward to see the kind of photos created by all the expert photographers around the world with the NX1. At Samsung Tomorrow, we plan to bring more information on NX1, so please stay tuned.
- See more at: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=42234#sthash.fNsVio53.dpuf
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