Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The government insists airlines replace WiFi-allergic cockpit displays
A fleet of 737s and 777s are definitely in line for an upgrade, now that the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to replace their cockpits' displays with ones not vulnerable to WiFi signals. Let's go back a few years to understand what's going on here. See, back when the use of wireless internet aboard airplanes was only just starting to take off, Boeing conducted a test, which discovered that WiFi signals affected 737 and 777 cockpit displays. These screens, which showed pilots important flight data such as altitude and airspeed, flickered and even blanked out completely in the presence of WiFi. In one particular bad test run, the screen remained blank for a full six minutes.
While that's obviously not ideal, all the outages happened on the ground and only once during last year's round of testing. So Honeywell (the displays' maker) and Boeing just advised airlines to take their planes in and have those screens replaced -- an action the FAA was content with back in 2012. (To note, Boeing has started fitting planes built in September 2012 and beyond with updated displays.) Now the FAA is changing its tune, and Honeywell wants to know what has changed since then that has compelled the agency to make the upgrade mandatory.
We're guessing it's because airlines are becoming more and more open to the use of WiFi devices onboard, not just by passengers, but also by the flight crew itself, and that has raised safety concerns. After all, six minutes of outage could be fatal when you're thousands of feet up in the air. It's unclear how many airplanes will be affected by the mandate at the moment. According to Reuters , though, around 1,300 US planes will have to be refitted with the new screens within the next five years. Since each display costs more than $10,000 each and each plane has several, the upgrade will cost airlines roughly $14 million in total.
[Image credit: Bill Abbott/Flickr]
Filed under: Transportation
Source: The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Reuters, Federal Register
Pavlok needs your money to shock more people into breaking bad habits
There's no way you'd use a shock collar to train your beloved dog, but you wouldn't mind using one on yourself if it means breaking your nastiest habits, eh? If that's the case, then your day has come: Pavlok (a wearable band that can zap you with electricity) is now up on Indiegogo, with its designer hoping to raise $50,000 to develop more features and to begin mass production. In order to train yourself to stay away from bad habits or continue doing good ones, you'll need to program the Pavlok app -- for instance, you can instruct it to zap you awake if you hit snooze twice on your alarm. The good news is that you can set the electricity the wristband zaps you with from 17 to 340 volts, so you can adjust it accordingly and make sure each it's not strong enough to actually hurt.
According to the device's Indiegogo page, its creator (Maneesh Sethi, a Stanford alumnus) is working on IFTTT integration and also opening up the Pavlok platform so anyone can make an app to go along with it. It even listed some possible software tie-ups, such as instructing the wristband via IFTTT to zap you if you send a message to an ex, to beep loudly and embarrass you whenever you step into a McD's with the help of a navigation app, or to remind you to walk more when paired up with an exercise app.
When we saw Pavlok earlier this year, the prototypes cost $250 each, but now you have the opportunity to grab one for $125 via Indiegogo if you can wait until it ships out by April 2015 at the earliest. By the way, Sethi's no stranger to the idea of receiving pain to break bad habits. Back in 2012, he hired a girl off Craigslist to, erm, slap him every time he went on Facebook -- something he claims quadrupled his productivity.
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile
Source: Indiegogo
Bloomberg: Apple's splashing gold paint on the iPad too
The nice thing about living in Apple's ecosystem is everything is consistent: the app library, the user interface and design motifs echo across all of the company's devices. Well, unless you have a gold iPhone -- then any iPad you could possibly buy just simply wouldn't match. According to Bloomberg, however, those days might be over: the usual people familiar with Apple's plans say that the company will launch a 9.7-inch iPad next month with a gold backplate. You know, in case your buying habits are governed more by fashion than new features.
Source: Bloomberg
Stationary bike MMO lets you race against the world without leaving home
Indoor cycling normally isn't as fun as the outdoor variety, and it certainly isn't as social. Where's the thrill of blowing past a rival? That's what Zwift's upcoming massively multiplayer cycling game promises to solve. So long as you have a training bike with at least speed and cadence sensors, you can race people around the world in virtual environments -- think of it as an online role-playing game that builds up your real abilities. You can chat up other riders if you have a mic, and virtual reality support (through Oculus Rift headsets) might help you forget that you're still at home.
The game will cost $10 per month to play (much like other online games), and you'll naturally have to factor in the costs of both the indoor bike and sensors if you don't have them already. Right now, though, the real catch is simply getting to play. Zwift just launched its beta test with a mere 1,000 open slots, and you'll have to wait until the winter if you don't request an invitation in time. Having said this, it might be worth the wait if you've ever wanted to compete against other cyclists all year round.
Source: Zwift, Wall Street Journal
Arduino's new 3D printer lets you modify just about everything
If you're a fan of Arduino's tinker-friendly approach to computing, you'll be glad to hear that it's now extending that open philosophy to 3D printers. The company has teamed up with Sharebot to unveil the Materia 101, a small (5.5 inches by 4 inches) printer that's built to be both friendly to beginners and very accessible. You can modify the code on the underlying Arduino Mega mini-PC, of course, but you also have access to the full schematics of the printer -- you can upgrade it or even make your own, if you have the know-how and parts. Arduino hasn't said when it plans to ship the Materia, but it'll be available both as a build-it-yourself kit (priced under $800) and fully assembled (under $1,000).
Filed under: Peripherals
Source: Arduino
MSN's simpler, mobile-savvy homepage is rolling out to everyone
Well, that was quick -- after just a few weeks in preview mode, the revamped MSN homepage is rolling out to everyone. You should see Microsoft's simple, desktop-like web portal in your browser sometime within the next three days. If you're using Windows devices, you'll also see updated Bing and MSN apps that draw on the site's many services; the Food & Drink app will keep track of your recipes, for instance. Windows Phone users get a few perks on their lock screens in the process. The Health and Fitness app will show pedometer stats if you're using a Lumia 630, 635 or 1520, while Weather will show your local forecast. You'll still have to wait for MSN apps on Android and iOS, but all the other pieces of Microsoft's grand vision are otherwise in place.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Official Microsoft Blog
Playdate: We're livestreaming 'Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor' on PS4!
Welcome, ladygeeks and gentlenerds, to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from next-gen consoles. Because games! They're fun!
Emerging like a Nazgûl in the night this fall is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. You could easily dismiss the game as a licensed cash-in on the likes of the Assassin's Creed or Batman: Arkham franchises, but the truth of the matter is that Shadow of Mordor is better than the most recent entries in either of those series. Sure, there's clambering up walls in very assassin-like fashion and rhythmic combat that'd make The World's Greatest Detective blush, but the team at Monolith (perhaps best known for the F.E.A.R. and Condemned series of first-person horror games) outclasses the competition in nearly every aspect with this incredibly violent take on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic source material. Until recently, it was fairly underhyped and that seems to have been its best asset; allowing the game's quality, not its PR machine, to do the heavy lifting. Still on the fence about picking it up today, though? Well, we're going to be streaming it on PlayStation 4, right here starting at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Twitch
Crackdown on spying apps leads to StealthGenie CEO's arrest
Apparently, the US government is now on a mission to bring down mobile applications offering spyware services -- which, for a variety of well-documented reasons, simply seems kind of ironic. Controversy aside though, the Department of Justice revealed today that Hammad Akbar, CEO of StealthGenie, had been arrested in Los Angeles and charged with conspiracy, advertisement of a known interception device, advertising a device as a surreptitious interception device and sale of such a device. StealthGenie, which had been available on iOS, Android and BlackBerry, was known for providing an app capable of monitoring someone's calls, texts and photos, as well as tracking their location and more. StealthGenie wasn't shy about doing that either; a quick glance at a StealthGenie promotional video, found after the break, sums up the ideals behind the application and the consumers it targeted.
"So you want to keep an eye on your loved one or your employees, because you suspect they're hiding something and it might get too late?" the video asks. "How do you know where they are or what they're doing right now? Maybe they're not really telling you the truth about their activities or whereabouts." Eventually, after a few seconds, StealthGenie claims to be the solution for those needs: "You are worried, so you wonder if the only way to find out is to know what they do on their cellphones right away," says the message. "You know that's the only way to give you all the answers. What you need right now is a solution that lets you uncover the truth by secretly monitoring all the activities of your loved one or employee, and let you know their location at all times."
As the DOJ points out in its briefing of the situation, the app was undetectable by users who were likely being spied on, which made it rather easy for StealthGenie's creepy magic to go untraced. Interestingly enough, Akbar's criminal case is the first one ever having to do with the advertisement and sale of a mobile spyware app -- and something tells us we're going to see more of this type as people adopt new technologies like smartphones and tablets.
"People ought to be able to control who can access their sensitive information, and stalking apps on cellphones directly violate that principle," outspoken Sen. Al Franken said regarding StealthGenie and the arrest of its CEO. "Currently, there is no federal law banning the secret collection of location data. That's why we need to pass my legislation to ban stalking apps once and for all."
"My commonsense bill will help a whole range of people -- including victims of domestic violence," he said. "My bill would finally put an end to GPS stalking apps that allow abusers to secretly track their victims, and it would also give consumers more control over their very sensitive location data."
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Department of Justice
More to expect at our free Engadget Expand event in NYC!
If you're keeping score, we've announced a bunch of great speakers heading to this year's Engadget Expand (such as RJD2 and the head of DARPA, Arati Prabhakar). Of course there's plenty more where that came from and we're excited to announce what else you'll see at the Javits Center on November 7-8 in New York City!
Today we're adding 5 speakers to our already awesome slate of technology leaders coming to Engadget Expand:
- Michael McAlpine, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Princeton University
- Paul Eremenko, Technical Project Lead, Project Ara, Google ATAP
- Alexander Reben, President & CEO at BlabDroid Inc.
- Bas Lansdorp, CEO & Co-founder, Mars One
- Alex Gruzen, CEO, WiTricity
You can flip through the gallery above to see who we've already announced and there's much more to come soon. But Expand isn't just about speakers, it's about letting you get hands-on with the future of technology and for that, we've got a few awesome exhibitors to announce.
OnePlus
Our friends at OnePlus will let Expand attendees go hands-on with the elusive OnePlus One smartphone. The company's mission is to never settle and deliver a premium-looking smartphone with top of the line specs. The flagship One starts at $299, unlocked and free of contract.
Suitable Technologies
Suitable Technologies has a lot planned for Expand, not least of which is letting attendees move around and experience the show floor from the comfort of, say, their Santa Monica beach bungalow. The company's Beam device makes the typical conference call experience much less lame.
GizmoSphere
We met GizmoSphere and its Gizmo development board at Engadget Live in Boston this summer. The company is bringing its experience down to Expand, where you can battle your friend for victory in the ultimate, "immersive" deathmatch. No, no, there won't be blood, but still -- this isn't your typical game, either.
There's much more to announce soon, but in the meantime -- grab your free tickets right here. Also, our 'In The City' sweepstakes runs through 11:59PM ET on October 7th, the winner of which will score themselves and a guest a free trip to Expand on our dime!
Hackers plead guilty to stealing code for unfinished Xbox games, military software
Surprise, surprise: the government doesn't take kindly to being hacked. The United States Department of Justice announced today that four members of an international hacking group have been indicted for stealing over $100 million of software and intellectual property, and two of the accused have already pleaded guilty. Using a mix of SQL injection and stolen passwords, the group reportedly hacked into internal networks owned by Microsoft, Epic Games, Valve, Zombie Studios and the U.S. Army. Their target? Video games and specialized pilot training software.
In addition to collecting data on company employees and internal dealings, the group is said to have stolen source code and technical specifications for the Xbox One, pre-release versions of both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Gears of War 3 , as well as an Apache helicopter simulator designed for the Army by Zombie Studios. The DoJ says the group is accused of conspiring to sell the proprietary information. "The American economy is driven by innovation," explained Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell. "But American innovation is only valuable if it can be protected."
Hacking happens all the time, but the DoJ says this case is a little unique-- marking what may be the first conviction of a foreign hacker for stealing business trade secrets. Even so, the defendant isn't that far away: David Pokora, who is pleading guilty, hails from Mississauga, Ontario in Canada. He hasn't specifically been convicted yet, either -- but a guilty plea pretty much secures that, doesn't it?
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: Department of Justice
Ozz takes the guesswork out of mixing cocktails
It takes time to hone your cocktail craft. Thanks to Ozz, the learning curve isn't quite so steep. The device visually guides pouring and mixing so that you don't have to worry about eyeballing the notches on a shot glass. A companion app for iPhone and Android sorts recipes and ingredients lists, allowing you to fine-tune proportions to fit your taste. Once you've settled on a beverage, the geometric Ozz base lights LEDs around the rim of a glass to let you know when you've added enough of that particular ingredient. Load sensors and lights are guided by that smartphone via Bluetooth, and after a marathon martini session, a built-in micro-USB jack handles charging. Ready to opt in? Early Kickstarter backers can secure one for €69 ($87), but those who hold out will have to fork over €99 ($125). Of course, if you choose to make that Old Fashioned with Old Crow and cheap bitters, you'll still end up with a shitty drink.
Filed under: Household
Source: Kickstarter
Smart yoga mat helps you perfect your poses
Yoga can be a great way to stay healthy, but it's hard to refine your technique at those times you can't see an instructor. SmartMat may have a solution for when you're stuck at home, though. Its self-titled smart yoga mat gives you feedback on poses by sending pressure data to an app on your Android or iOS device. On a basic level, it helps you perfect your poses by suggesting corrections to your alignment and balance; you can also teach yourself new moves through downloadable lessons, and there's a "Zen mode" if you'd prefer to enjoy the moment and get feedback later.
If you like the idea of a mat that doubles as a tutor, you can pledge $247 or higher to SmartMat's crowdfunding project to set aside a unit for yourself. Otherwise, you'll pay $447 to get the mat when it ships next summer. That's a long time to wait and a lot of money to spend, but this fitness gear might pay for itself if it lets you skip the occasional yoga class without feeling guilty.
Filed under: Peripherals
Path now lets you text businesses so you don't have to wait on hold
About three months ago, Path announced that not only was it rolling out a dedicated messaging app, it was also acquiring a company called TalkTo whose service allowed you to communicate with businesses via text. Today, Path is finally integrating the two together with a new feature called Places. Now in addition to messaging your friends on Path Talk, you're also able to send a text to any business or place, and no, you don't need to know the phone number to do so.
To use the feature, just head to the Places tab in the updated Path Talk app. From there, you can either select one of the nearby locations on the map or enter in the name of the desired business in the search field. Then type in your question or request, like "Do you have any reservations tonight?" or "Is there a time slot for a mani pedi today?" Path will then automatically assign an agent -- a real-life human being -- to act as a broker and make the call on your behalf. And in about five minutes, you'll get your answer.
"The idea here is that you don't have to worry about it," said Cynthia Samanian, Path's product manager. "We'll take care of it. Just go about your day. This app is about making your life simpler."
And just in case you're not quite sure yet on the sort of question to ask, the app will show a list of suggestions to help get you started. Samanian tells us that since TalkTo is an established company of over three years, these suggestions are actual questions that have been asked of these venues. She also wanted to be clear that you can use Places with any business, even if they're not in the map. "You're not at all limited to what you can see here," she said.
Additionally, the agent isn't just there to answer your questions; often he or she acts as a personal assistant by actually making the reservations for you. Since Path already knows your name and number, that's pretty easy for them to do. You're also able to cancel the reservation or change it to a different time within the same conversation thread. The agent is also often mindful enough to find out more information than you asked for. So for example, if you asked for the availability of a certain shoe at the local Nike store, the agent would respond not just with a Yes or No answer, but also the store hours, the sizes available and how much a pair would cost.
Stuart Levinson, who's the CEO and co-founder of TalkTo, explains that this is to avoid you having to make multiple calls. "It's about getting you the answer you need more quickly, before you even need to ask."
In a brief test of the app, I tried asking if I could get dinner reservations in a particular restaurant in downtown San Francisco. I searched for the name, tapped on the result and it showed me a green dot next to it, indicating that the restaurant was open (a closed restaurant would have a purple dot). A few minutes after I sent my question, an agent replied, "Sorry, but the restaurant is totally bought out for the night." So not only did I get my answer, but I was given a reason why I couldn't get the reservation.
"It's the sort of thing you can't get with OpenTable," said Levinson. In fact, he mentions that sometimes Path Talk is better than OpenTable, because restaurants often don't give OpenTable their entire inventory, like seats at the bar or an outdoor patio. "We're actually taking you to the person that's standing there in the restaurant, getting that up-to-date information."
I was curious about the number of Path agents they had, but Levinson wouldn't spill the details. He did say that they've scaled significantly in the past couple of months and that it's a global team that works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This, Levinson says, allows you to ask a question the night before when you happen to remember it, instead of putting it on your to-do list. "That's when it feels the most magical. You forget you even asked it, and the next morning, your phone beeps with the answer."
The Places feature, which is only for US and Canada for now, will be part of the new Path Talk app update. It should be out for both iOS and Android starting today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet
Source: Path Talk
Spotify goes live in Canada
Canadians: you no longer have to jump through hoops (or hope for an early invitation) to check out Spotify. The streaming music service has finally launched in Canada, complete with an extensive collection of domestically-made tunes. As elsewhere, you can play songs for free if you're willing to put up with ads, and shelling out $10 CAD per month for Premium lets you stream without commercials. The service is definitely late to the party -- it's years behind Rdio, and even Google Play Music arrived a few months ago. Still, it's hard to object to having one more way to listen to Grimes or Leonard Cohen.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile
Source: Spotify
Microsoft's next OS is Windows 10
Pebble drops prices by $50 and adds continuous fitness tracking
If you've been thinking about getting a smartwatch but haven't been persuaded to plunk down a lot of cash, Pebble's trying to make the decision a little easier for you. The watch maker is lowering the price of its full lineup by $50, which means you can now get the sporty original model (above, right) for $100 and the fancier Steel (above, left) for $200. Usually significant price drops like these are a reaction to slowing sales, but CEO Eric Migicovsky says that on the contrary, sales are still as strong as ever and the ecosystem is growing. The company wants to offer the "right price for the product" and properly represent Pebble watches in light of the swelling competition in this category, Migicovsky said. Indeed, with the debut (and proliferation) of Android Wear this year and Apple Watch next year, Pebble wants to add cost to its list of competitive advantages alongside battery life and cross-platform functionality -- especially as the holidays approach and smartwatch choices become even tougher.
The news doesn't stop there. Pebble is also pushing out a software update that makes its watches more appealing to health and fitness fans. One of the biggest frustrations about Pebble's firmware has been that fitness tracking apps were nearly impossible to use continously throughout the day (and into the night) because the watches couldn't run in the background -- if you wanted to track your steps or the distance you ran, you'd have to keep that app open and running the entire time. Today's update fixes that problem, so now all of your fitness activity can be tracked continuously, even if it's tucked away behind your favorite watchface.
Among the developers taking advantage of the new update is Misfit, which is releasing an updated app with 24/7 activity tracking and sleep monitoring; Jawbone, which is launching a watchface for Up users; and Swim.com, which -- as the name implies -- runs algorithms that let you measure your distance, pace, strokes and time. Pebble says that the functionality will be open to all developers, so we expect to see a lot more fitness-related apps get updated in the near future. Given the emphasis on health and fitness tracking in many of the latest smartwatches on the market, it's good to see Pebble take steps in that direction and address one of the biggest frustrations experienced by its user base.
As a final note, Pebble is also expanding its retail presence internationally in the UK, Scandinavia and Benelux in October. Up until now, buyers in those regions have been able to order watches through the company's official site, but this will be the first time they can grab one through other means.
Filed under: Wearables, Wireless, Mobile
FCC unanimously rejects NFL's blackout rules
Well, that didn't take long. We reported yesterday that the FCC was taking aim at sports blackout rules this week, and today the Commission voted to nix the "unnecessary and outdated regulations." For nearly four decades, policies kept pay-TV providers from airing games blacked out on local stations. The rules also prevented that latter group from showing NFL matchups that failed to sell out at least 72 hours ahead of time. Now that the NFL no longer relies on ticket sales to drive revenue, the rules have been repealed to further eliminate blackouts for local viewers. As the press release notes, current over-the-air network contracts run through 2022 (FOX, CBS, and NBC), so the NFL won't likely make the jump to cable and satellite any time soon. If it so chooses, the league can create a private blackout policy (like MLB, for example), but it will no longer be afforded the protection of the government to do so. "Instead, the NFL must rely on the same avenues available to other entities that wish to protect their distribution rights in the private marketplace," the PR details.
[Photo credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images]
Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: FCC
Google gives students unlimited cloud storage
Google's invasion of our classrooms (and its war on paper) continues unabated. Back in August in the search giant released an online education tool for teachers who wanted to digitally manage their classes, and now it's launched an improved version of Google Drive that's free for folks toiling away in academia. The company's new Drive for Education is basically the same thing as its enterprise-based Drive for Work, which means you're looking at unlimited storage space (albeit with a 5TB file size limit) and access to Google Vault for message archiving.
To put that in perspective, Google's education users only used to get 30GB of free space -- that's more than enough for most, but dropping storage costs mean Google is trying to replace your paper-laden bookbag with the cloud. Itching for your turn to try the improved Drive? If your school is a current Google Apps for Education user, you'll see the unlimited space appear over the next few weeks... though you'll have to wait a bit for some of the other bells and whistles to go live. Vault, for instance, is second on the list of priorities after making sure everyone gets their unlimited storage, and auditing support (yawn) is due to come sometime after that.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Google for Education
Hands-on with Nokia's Here Maps for Android
When Microsoft finally completed its €3.79 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year, the company took control of its smartphone business but left behind a number of Nokia's other powerful and profitable properties. One such property was the company's mapping division, now called Here, which has become the defacto maps app for Windows Phone users the world over. Nokia tried to replicate the experience on iOS, but after poor reviews and the admission things "went horribly wrong," the company pulled its iPhone app and went back to the drawing board. As for Android, it looked like Nokia would never deliver a real Google Maps alternative.
Luckily, that's all about to change. Thanks to some marketing muscle from Korea, Nokia will soon give Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners advanced access to its maps app. While Nokia readies Here Maps for Samsung's Galaxy Apps store, which is expected to drop in the coming weeks, the company gave us an early preview of its new app, and it's good.
When you first launch the app, you will be asked to sign up or log in. It's important that you do, because you need an account to download maps and save collections for later. For ease of use, Nokia lets you use Facebook to sign in, but if you don't like the idea of sharing data with Zuckerberg and co., you can simply use Nokia's own signup form.
Once you've cleared that hurdle, you'll immediately notice how basic the app is -- there are no bells and whistles here. That's no bad thing, because the app loads instantly and transitions are very smooth. Just like Google Maps, Here supplies the default mapping data (labelled Maps) and turn-by-turn navigation (labelled Drive).
Getting Around
Selecting Drive will immediately ask you select your destination. You can either enter a location directly or pull up a list of journeys you've recently made. Once you've plugged in that in, Here Maps will list the duration of the journey, the total number of miles, the main routes it expects to take and will also, as long as you're not using offline mode (more on this later), list any potential traffic delays you might encounter on your journey. There are options to include or exclude major roads, toll roads, ferries or tunnels if your mode of transport requires you to.
In the wider settings, you can choose to enable a feature that will gauge your speed and warn you if you exceed a speed limit in a certain area. The app offers two sliders: one that lets you choose how fast you need to be going to trigger an alert in an area where the limit is under 50mph, and another for when you're beetling down a major road (over 50mph). There's the usual option to switch navigation voices, but unlike Waze, which offers guidance from none other than Terry Crews, you're stuck with regular male and female voices in at least nine European languages (which I'd still consider a huge plus).
During my short test, Drive performed well. It delivered early navigation prompts, meaning you can familiarize yourself with your surroundings before you make the turn. Although I was navigating roads I'm already familiar with, the app appeared to list the most effective route (i.e. the one I would've always taken), but did provide alternatives just in case.
If you don't have a car, Nokia also includes train travel and walking options. Once a destination is entered, the app will detect your current location and provide walking distances to your local station and a number of upcoming trains. Like when you're driving, it'll list the total journey and estimated arrival times, how many changes it expects you'll make and also give you a detailed summary of the journey ahead of you.
Offline Maps
One of Nokia's mapping strengths is its ability to offer offline data not just for specific countries, but entire continents. Google offers a way to make selected areas available offline, but even then you're only getting a tiny fraction of what Nokia can offer. To enable offline mode, Nokia has included a small tickbox in the menu. As soon as you enable it, you can search for specific locations and enable turn-by-turn navigation, but you won't benefit from traffic warnings or Nokia's updated place listings. Be warned, though, if you want to use offline maps, you need to make sure you have a chunk of free space on your device. For reference, North American and European maps take up 6.8GB and 9GB, respectively, and there are no options to dial it down to capture smaller areas.
Offline maps are likely to be a huge help if you want to see the sights while you're abroad but don't want to waste money on roaming fees. Before you go, though, you can add the places you'd like to visit to a "Collection," which you can then pull up when you arrive in a distant land. The point-of-interest database might not be as comprehensive as Google's, but it's certainly not lacking. Nokia also lets you share these locations with other people using its Glympse integration, letting others see where you're visiting and possibly join you (if you're online, that is).
The app provides a decent mix of features without becoming bloated or troublesome to use. If you're looking for a legitimate alternative to Google Maps, Here Maps matches its rival in many aspects and betters it in others. The new iOS and Android apps will be available later this year, after Samsung has enjoyed its period of Android exclusivity.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Nokia
O2 now lets you charge iTunes credit to your phone bill
O2 already has a number of deals in place that allow its customers to buy digital wares and charge the cost straight to their phone bill. It now has a new partner in Apple, as the carrier's "Charge to Mobile" program has been expanded to include iTunes vouchers this week. Direct-carrier billing is supposed to be about convenience, but O2 contract and pay-as-you-go customers need to jump through a few hoops to take advantage of this new way to pay. It's handled through an O2 subsite -- o2vouchers.co.uk -- where you select an iTunes voucher of up to £30 that'll be emailed to you when the payment goes through. You then volunteer your mobile number, and you'll be sent a text you must reply to in order to approve the transaction. When the code eventually hits your inbox, you can use the credit in iTunes, iBooks and the iOS/Mac App Stores. A slightly more convoluted process than you were hoping for, we imagine, but at least you can get a fiver off a £25 voucher from now until this introductory promotion closes at the end of next week.
Filed under: Wireless, Mobile, Apple
Via: The Inquirer
Source: O2
There will be blocks: 'Tetris' is coming to the big screen
If you've ever pined for a feature film about the beloved 80s classic Tetris, you're in luck. The Wall Street Journal reports that an adaptation of the popular game is on its way, thanks to Threshold Entertainment. While that studio may not immediately ring a bell, it's the force behind transforming Mortal Kombat into two full-length movies in 1995 and 1997. So, what can we expect? A "very big, epic sci-fi" effort that aims to be much more than a bunch of CGI blocks with arms and legs. "What you [will] see in 'Tetris' is the teeny tip of an iceberg that has intergalactic significance," Threshold CEO Larry Kasanoff tells WSJ. What's more, "location-based entertainment based on the epicness" in addition to the film itself could be in the plans, too. One thing's for sure: these folks are going to be pretty excited about the news.
[Photo credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images]
Filed under: Gaming
Via: The Verge
Source: The Wall Street Journal
What you need to know about Facebook's battle with drag queens
In mid-September, Facebook started deleting profile pages belonging to drag queens like Trannyshack founder Heklina. Why? According to Facebook's "real names" policy, the use of any other name than your legal name isn't allowed. Despite a face-to-face meeting with influential drag queens, Facebook won't cave to the pressure.
Considering anyone can make a Twitter profile and a Google+ profile with whatever name they want (the latter ditched its own "real names" policy in July), why is Facebook refusing to budge and let its users be their true authentic selves?
WHAT IS IT?
Facebook says that its service is a "community where people use their real identities," and requires everyone to provide their real names in order to keep its community "safe." What constitutes a legal name to them is one which matches the user's "credit card, driver's license or student ID." The policy goes on to say you can include an "alternate name" next to your legal name, which it says could be a "maiden name, nickname or professional name."
In the drag community, a queen's "stage name" is their identity. It's who they are and represents their personality that they've grown into -- and it's certainly not a nickname. If RuPaul's Drag Race alum Latrice Royale (above with Jennifer Hudson) were to walk down the street in 'boy clothes' and you wanted to say hello, you'd likely address her as Latrice, not by her legal name: Timothy.
Facebook is the one social network that generally controls your experience, whereas on Twitter, you're in control. Facebook decides what it thinks you want to see based on its mysterious EdgeRank algorithm. Reports from March show that less than 7 percent of fans see content from a Facebook Page organically (fancy social media lingo for not being promoted with money). Naturally, Facebook is a big corporation that needs to keep its investors happy -- and to that end, it expects page owners to spend money to make sure their content is seen.
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Drag performers aren't businesses who sell products and they're not in a very lucrative line of work (not to mention those outfits can be expensive). On Facebook, they really just want to keep their friends and fans updated with what they're up to, such as performances and charitable causes. And they also make plenty of room for your everyday status updates, too.
A performer will set up their account to let others follow them and selectively accept friend requests. It makes sharing news about events (using Facebook's events mechanism) significantly easier. And most importantly, this allows for a more intimate connection.
The other challenge some performers encounter is safety and security. Most drag queens are wide open about who they are, but as San Francisco supervisor Scott Wiener reminded us, "...not all drag queens have that luxury." They might live in a place that's not super diverse like San Francisco or need to keep their drag life separate from possibly judgmental family and coworkers.
Let's say I had one Facebook profile using my legal name and another with the drag persona Edwina Gadgetina. Maybe I don't want Engadget's readers or my Mom to know about the secret persona I go by at night in Palo Alto's hottest nightclubs. With current rules, I'd be forced to rename my 'drag' persona account to "John Edwina-Gadgetina Colucci." When someone looks me up by my legal name, both profiles will appear in search and I might not want them to see my other life.
WHAT'S THE ARGUMENT?
Facebook's names policy is really what the company thinks constitutes a legal name. When Heklina spoke to a Facebook rep, she was told an algorithm discovered the drag queens and started going after them. Let's break that down: there's an algorithm within Facebook that's trying to figure out which names are real and which are fake. Sure, this algorithm could take out the "Seymour Butts" of the world, but why drag queens, and why now?
With its 'real names' requirement, Facebook is in effect telling drag queens that they can't be their authentic selves on the service. Why, for the limited group of people Facebook serves up your content to, should it be in the business of censoring your identity and way of being? Social media is supposed to be about being yourself and saying what's on your mind, in the manner in which you choose to do so.
Back to my example about tech journalism's first drag queen, Edwina Gadgetina. Complying with the policy and changing my name to the one I'm born with won't work, and converting said profile to a "page" (rather than personal profile) isn't going to work, either. Facebook could easily have come up with a way for those who have a chosen name to use it, while still being able to weed out fakes or impersonators, but they chose to remain bullish and tarnish its image in the process.
Oh the other hand, Facebook has been known to be an ally with the LGBTQ community, not least of which was rolling out about 70 different gender options for a user's profile earlier this year. Last year, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg marched in San Francisco's Pride parade along with former Baltimore Ravens' linebacker and prominent "straight ally" Brendon Ayanbadejo (pictured above). This names issue likely doesn't mean that Facebook's suddenly had a change of heart about the LGBTQ community, but it needs to be further educated on why this issue is so important. A protest is planned on October 2nd in San Francisco to push back on the policy, and plenty of people are changing their profile pictures to the purple #MyNameIs graphic throughout various social media channels as a sign of solidarity
WANT EVEN MORE?
Another result of this is a mass Facebook exodus: some drag queens (and others in the LGBTQ community) are fleeing en masse in protest, to Ello. Our own Nicole Lee walks through everything you need to know about this new social network.
The queen herself -- RuPaul, also weighed in on the controversy. She told The Hollywood Reporter: "In showbiz, there's no such thing as bad publicity as long as they spell your name right, but it's bad policy when Facebook strips the rights of creative individuals who have blossomed into something even more fabulous than the name their mama gave them." On that note, if you need some inspirational TV viewing and a good laugh, I highly recommend a few episodes of last season's RuPaul's Drag Race .
Finally, Edwina Gadgetina isn't real yet, but if she was, she'd want to remind drag queens deflated by all of this to not let Facebook get them down. Put on that wig, your Pink Pebble and hear the gospel of Latrice Royale: "Get up, look sick'ning, and make them eat it."
[Image credit: Eric Risberg/AP Photo (Lil Ms. Hot Mess, Sister Roma and Heklina), Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images (Jennifer Hudson and Latrice Royale), Shutterstock (Facebook Menlo Park, CA Campus), Jason Agron/Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg and Brandon Ayanbadejo), Mathu Andersen/Logo (RuPaul), pic via Salon.com ]
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Matchstick's Firefox OS adapter sends media to your TV for $25
Looking for a streaming media stick that's more accessible than Google's Chromecast? You might have found it. After a few teasers, Matchstick has revealed the first Firefox OS-based media sharing adapter. The self-titled gadget lets you "fling" video, websites and other content from Firefox (naturally), Chrome and supporting apps to your TV. While the hardware should be a bit more powerful than Chromecast, the real allure is a completely open platform -- you can tinker with the software and even build your own hardware if you're the entreprenurial sort. A low price will help, too. Matchstick hopes to sell its stick for $25 this February, and that's assuming you don't back the upcoming Kickstarter project -- get in early and it will cost $18. Even if Matchstick doesn't get as much app support as Google's device, it may be worth a look.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD
Via: CNET
Source: Kickstarter, Matchstick
Is this wrist-worn smartphone on Indiegogo a hoax or a fever dream?
One downside of Indiegogo's lax attitude to projects is that there's no requirement for a prototype or any proof that the device being pitched could even exist. In fact, the site is so laissez-faire, that a creator could probably promise a hoverboard powered by unicorn tears, and the only limit to its success would be human credulity. In unrelated news, Arubixs has taken to Indiegogo to ask for $300,000 of funding for Portal, a flexible, bendable smartphone that can be worn on your forearm like Leela's Wristlojackimator - with a watch strap holding it in place at either end.
The company's reticent to talk about specifications, saying that its suppliers have wrapped it up in "more legal documents than you can imagine," and accusing the "big guys" of printing money to put small companies down. What it will claim, however, is that he Portal will be just 4.8mm thick, 0.7mm thinner than the Gionnee Elife S5.5, a device with huge battery life and heat dissipation issues thanks to its small size.
Arubixs also won't be drawn on what CPU the Portal will come with, but will claim that it'll be paired with 2GB RAM, 64GB storage and a quartet of cameras (with at least one 8-megapixel lens). We're also told that the device will come with a staggering 3,200mAh battery that uses "proprietary flexible battery" technology that's probably not fictional, at all. Oh, and it's water resistant to 10 meters. By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active and CAT's S50, two real rugged phones that actually exist, will only survive depths of up to one meter.
We don't want to be cynical, here, and nothing would be better than if this company can achieve something that'd put Samsung and LG's engineers to shame. That said, there's nothing in the company's executive biographies that makes us think that it's a possibility. For instance, CEO Brandon Mairs has some expertise in composite materials after running a firm that made carbon fiber auto parts for sports cars. Engineering VP Adam Eastman, meanwhile, is still taking his Bachelor of Science degree at UC Berkeley, and while he may be a materials genius, there's nothing in his record to suggest he's developed the next big leap in flexible technology. Still, if you want to take a gamble on this device, we won't stop you, and Arubixs wants $400 of your hard-earned for a finished Portal Sport with an arm cradle and wireless charger.
[Thanks, Bradley]
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile
Source: Indiegogo
Zero Motorcycles' new e-bikes can last 185 miles on a single charge
With the bad memories of 2012 product recalls firmly banished to the past, Zero Motorcycles is today unveiling its 2015 lineup of e-motorbikes. Changes from the 2014 models include improved seats, a slight increase in price, and larger batteries that extend the bikes' range to a maximum of 185 miles with the $2,495 Power Tank accessory (a 14-mile boost from last year). The base Zero FX model now clocks in at $9,845, while the top-of-the-line Zero SR will set you back $17,345. You won't be able to buy any of the new bikes until December (February in Europe), but you can whet your appetite with a selection of videos below.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Autoblog
Source: Zero Motorcycles (PDF)
TiVo's Android app now supports streaming
It was nearly a year ago that TiVo brought streaming to its iOS apps, enabling you to watch recorded shows anywhere with a WiFi signal. Eleven months later, and the company has finally added the same functionality for TiVo's Android app. The feature will work on most devices running Android 4.1 or above, but there are a few caveats, like the fact that it won't work on devices with Intel's mobile chips, and you're still at the mercy of whatever copy protection restrictions is placed upon the shows. On the upside, the app will also access content from Hulu Plus, Netflix and Amazon Instant Video - the latter being another service that's belatedly gotten around to adding Android support for its users.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, HD
Source: TiVo Blog, Google Play
Microsoft needs your help to predict the future accurately
Apparently, Microsoft Research is working on a forecasting methodology based on data and not on the fevered dreams of precogs or Nostradamus-wannabes. In the past few months, the project's researchers have been relying on the data they've collected (such as outcomes from past events) to accurately predict several political races and game matches. But now Redmond wants the help of humans to improve its predictive powers, so it has launched a new website called Prediction Lab, where anyone can register and vote on various topics such as who'd win a congressional seat or an NFL match. Unlike ordinary polls, users can vote repeatedly, though they'd have to back up their choices by betting virtual points. This apparently leads to more accurate votes, since people have something at stake, and that could improve the accuracy of Microsoft's algorithms.
Microsoft researcher David Rothschild (who predicted the 2012 Presidental Elections) put the new website to the test during the recent Scotland independence referendum. The morning when the result was slated to come out, Rothschild went on record to say there's an 84 percent chance that majority of the votes will be a "No."
He said:
Not only did we match the accuracy of major polling companies, but we also provided a lot of insight that they weren't able to get, through the fact that we had people coming back again and again.
Since the project was meant to collect data and improve Microsoft's technology, though, users will have to give the company some personal info such as their age and address. Also, some of the questions were apparently quite personal: PC World saw ones that asked the length of users' commute, as well as their stance on abortion. If that doesn't bother you in the least, or if you just really want to place some bets without losing your life savings in the process, head over to Microsoft's Prediction Lab website .
Via: PC World
Source: Microsoft Research, Prediction Labs
eBay and PayPal will part ways in 2015
Despite spending most of 2014 arguing the opposite, eBay has today decided it will divide its popular payment and auction properties in two. Next year, the company will split PayPal away from its embattled auction site, and as a result of the restructuring eBay's current CEO and CFO will step down from their roles, although both will take board positions. Dan Schulman, currently an executive at American Express, will become CEO of the new PayPal in 2015.
eBay has had a troubled year, with activist investor Carl Icahn pressuring the company to separate its growing online payments service away from its core business. Although eBay won a proxy battle to prevent that from happening, it's now decided to do so of its own volition. The split is expected to complete by the middle of 2015, allowing PayPal and eBay to operate at "arm's length" from each another, and hopefully helping PayPal to expand its payment offerings to fight against the likes of Apple Pay and Square.
Source: eBay (Businesswire)
Edinburgh becomes the first UK airport to openly trial Google Glass
Google Glass is still a rare sight in the UK, but it's proving popular amongst brands and businesses, especially when customer service is involved. Virgin Atlantic previously used the headset to welcome passengers to Heathrow, but only now is it making it's airport debut in Scotland. Edinburgh Airport today announced plans to equip its customer service teams with Google's smart eyewear, becoming the first UK airport (not airline) to use it on the front line. Staff will be fed real-time flight information, language translations and information about the local area, allowing them to provide assistance to travellers throughout the airport and not from behind a check-in desk. The airport says it will test Glass until December, meaning you might hear the phrase "OK Glass" if you find yourself, like many recent Ryder Cup golfers, passing through Scotland's busiest terminal in the coming months.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Basis unveils its first fitness tracker since getting acquired by Intel
You probably mainly think of Intel as the company trying to make 2-in-1s happen, but lately it's been dabbling in fitness, too. It all started when the chip maker acquired Basis, the creator of what was quite possibly the most sophisticated fitness wearable on the market. Intel promised it'd make it even smarter. Or something. Now, six months later, Basis is introducing the Peak, its first fitness tracker since joining Chipzilla. And it is indeed a bit smarter. Mostly, though, it's just a better-designed device.
Like its predecessor, the B1, the Peak is loaded with sensors capable of tracking your movement, sweat output, heat dissipation, blood flow and heart rate. This time, though, it can also track your heart rate during workouts. If that sounds like a no-brainer feature, CEO Jef Holove says the optical heart rate sensor on the old model produced too much signal noise while in motion. At the same time, an electrical heart rate sensor (the kind used in heart rate-monitoring chest straps) would have had a negative effect on both battery life as well as the size of the device. So that was out of the question. That said, Holove promises that a new optical sensor and an improved algorithm should produce more accurate results.
Additionally, the band now has a Bluetooth LE radio, helping it sync automatically with a brand-new Android and iOS app. This allows the band to behave more like a smartwatch -- sort of. In an interview, Holove said he didn't want users to be annoyed by too many pop-ups, but added that, at the very least, the band would show incoming texts and calls, along with notifications related to fitness tracking (reminders to get up and move, et cetera). Basis also plans to open its API to developers as it considers adding more apps. Really, though, the company is still figuring everything out: Holove says these smartwatch-like features will be added via a software update sometime after the device ships. That leaves Basis time to decide how many notifications is too many.
So that's how the new fitness tracker works. But if you ask us, the real story is how much better it looks. Aside from the fact that the original B1 was on the pricey side, it was also bulky, with various buttons on the side to make up for the fact that there was no touchscreen. It wasn't the sort of device you could wear with just any outfit. In contrast, this new Peak trades a plastic face for a thinner metal body, complete with an LCD touchscreen, and no buttons on the sides. Basis also claims the display is easier to read in sunlight, but we'll be the judge of that when we eventually get one in to review.
Additionally, the silicone band has a soft feel and a textured design -- one that manages to resemble the metal links on the Pebble Steel, at least from afar. We rather like it, but if you don't, you can swap in any standard 23mm band. As for battery life, Basis is claiming four days -- the same as the last model. Lastly, the device now meets the 5ATM standard for water resistance, which means it can safely withstand pressure equivalent to 50 meters of water (you've also gotta take into account things like diving, or rough water sports).
The watch costs $200, the same as the debut price of the last-gen Carbon Steel Edition, and will hit stores as soon as this week. Additionally, because Basis now has the backing of a big company like Intel, it can ship to more countries, with the UK and Canada being next on the list. The original B1, meanwhile, will go away. If you happen to own that older model, you can still sync with the existing app, though be warned: You won't be able to use the new application, the one designed for the Peak. That's a shame, because the new app has a slicker UI and also shows more information, meaning you don't have to visit the web console as often. You'll probably wanna upgrade eventually, but hey -- it's your money, not ours.
Samung Gear VR demo units start showing up in Best Buy
Samsung still hasn't announced Gear VR's pricing and release date, but at least a couple of people have already seen demo headsets in certain LA Best Buy stores. Redditor hackertripz and Matthew Terndrup from Yourift have recently spotted demo units out in the open -- the bad news is, nobody can use it yet. Both of them reported that the headsets on display don't contain Galaxy Note 4s, which slot into the eyepieces to act as the devices' screens. Also, a Samsung rep told them that when the stores start letting people take the units for a spin, testers will be asked to sign release forms (likely absolving the company from any liability in case of an accident) and to sit down while using the headset. Is this Sammy's way of assuring us that we won't have to wait years before the virtual reality device hits shelves? Perhaps, but for now, you can read Ben Gilbert's hands-on and live vicariously through him.
Filed under: Wearables, Samsung
Via: Road to VR
Wii U now has folders to help organize your massive game collection
Having too much software isn't a problem many Wii U owners are complaining about. Nonetheless, perhaps in anticipation of brighter days ahead, Nintendo is updating its troubled console with an improved UI for organizing games and apps. After installing the update, a long press on any of the Wii U menu's empty squares will bring up a prompt to create and name a folder that you can fill to your heart's content. The update additionally lets you choose which games and apps appear in the console's new Quick Start Menu, and also comes with the usual bug fixes. Now, if only Nintendo would hurry up with Super Smash Bros , we might have a reason to take advantage of all these new features.
Source: Nintendo of America
EU says Apple's Irish tax deal is illegal
An EU commission has accused Ireland of granting "state aid" tax breaks to Apple that may break market rules. That was the result of an investigation by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) over Irish deals brokered in 1991 and 2007. It has now asked Ireland to provide more information about its tax arrangements with Apple and other companies, including Fiat and Starbucks. The OECD also looking into Luxembourg and the Netherlands as part of a larger probe to find out if certain EU nations help multinational companies swerve taxes. At 12.5 percent, Ireland has a lower tax rate than any other EU country, and Cupertino's complex tax deals there have been questioned before. As the US Senate saw recently, shuffling money around countries helps Apple avoid nearly $20 million a day in taxes -- and the EU seems to have a dimmer view of its strategy than the SEC did.
[Image credit: pieceoplastic/Flickr]
Source: European Commission
Premier Inn's new smart hotel lets you book, check in and get cosy with an app
More than four years in the making, Premier Inn has taken the wraps off its first smart hotel rooms. The UK's biggest hotel chain has embraced mobile with both hands, letting you book your stay, check in and play with various room settings using its official iOS or Android apps. The 123 square-foot rooms in its flagship "hub" in Covent Garden (which opens in November but is now available to book) come furnished with a 40-inch smart TV and as much free high-speed WiFi as you can guzzle. With an app that can seemingly control everything, including the room temperature and what's on the box, we wonder if London's street performers will notice a sudden drop in donations as guests decide to ditch sightseeing for some technology-enabled R&R.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, Mobile
Source: Hub (App Store), (Google Play)
'Doctor Who' skins for 'Minecraft' hit Xbox 360 this Friday
Fancy yourself a master of the Sonic Screwdriver? Well, in a few days you can put those skills to the test... in Minecraft , that is. Whether you're a timelord fanperson or a Dalek-sympathizer, you'll be able to show it off once the Doctor Who skin pack hits the Xbox 360 version of the pixely build-your-own-adventure on Friday. As if you needed another reason to look forward to this weekend, yeah? PlayXBLA (Microsoft's official blog for Xbox Live Arcade news) still doesn't mention any word of an Xbox One release, but considering that the company recently paid $2.5 billion for the game's developer, Mojang, we expect to hear it break the, ahem, silence on that soon.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: PlayXBLA
Apple Watch makes first public appearance at Paris Fashion Week
Colette is one of those ultra-hip Paris shops that may tempt you with its eclectic toys, clothing, tech and art -- until you see the prices. For Fashion Week in Paris, it's about to have a shiny new bauble: the Apple Watch. The store has announced a one-day only preview of the 1.53- or 1.33-inch wearable so that le public can see it for the first time. So far, only the press have glimpsed it, though we couldn't try any functions since it was just running a demo program. Apple told us that it'll be a strictly look-but-don't-touch event, with no new details -- and there's no word if Colette will actually sell it yet. If you happen to be in Paris though, you can see it now in it the fancy window display (which resembles the Watch interface) or brave the crowds in the store starting at 11:00 AM.
[Image credit: Papasoey/Instagram]
Via: 9 to 5 Mac
Source: Colette
Judge finds Grooveshark employees guilty of mass copyright-infringement
Grooveshark's disappearing and reappearing act looks like it could finally come to an end; permanently. A Manhattan judge has ruled that because Grooveshark employees themselves had uploaded 5,977 songs to the service and infringing on copyrights in the process, the outfit couldn't be granted safe harbor for hosting music from the likes of Jay-Z and Madonna. Meaning, the firm's previous method of compliance under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was null and void because it wasn't users who uploaded the copyrighted material (which would be subsequently removed upon request), it was in-house staffers including CEO Samuel Tarantino and CTO Joshua Greenberg, according to The New York Times . Reuters notes that there was also evidence of internal communications from Greenberg that told employes to share music as much as possible from outside the office in an effort to foster growth -- all as a condition of employment.
What's more, it was found that the streaming service had destroyed evidence pertaining to the case, including lists of files that'd been uploaded. The amount of damages haven't been set just yet and, naturally, Grooveshark is considering its future moves, which may or may not include appealing the judgment. It's worth noting that the company is still facing litigation at the New York federal and state levels, too.
[Image credit: Brad Barket/Invision/AP]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source: Reuters, New York Times
Monday, September 29, 2014
Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus coming to China on October 17th
Apple has finally revealed the date that its new iPhones will be available to eager users in mainland China: Friday, October 17th. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will go on pre-order there starting October 10th, with units available a week later at Apple Stores and all three major carriers. The devices will support TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, meaning 4G speeds will be available to users at China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. So far, the lack of availability has meant extortionate prices for smuggled models, though there's been an alarming lack of demand in the gray market. But at least Chinese Apple fans will largely avoid the parade of early iOS 8 bugs.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Source: Apple
