Where y'all be: September 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

NYC plans free public WiFi expansion in all five boroughs by December 2013

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NYC plans free public WiFi expansion in all five boroughs by December 2013

A handful of neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and the Bronx will have high-speed WiFi access available for businesses and residents by the end of this year. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an expansion today that'll roll out over the next few months, lighting up parts of downtown Brooklyn, lower Manhattan, Harlem and other areas by December 2013. Companies have invested $3.4 million in the new infrastructure, and the city has contributed $900,000 to get the job done. We're still a long way from having a city blanketed in completely free high-speed wireless internet, but with widespread availability in key areas, thousands of residents and smaller businesses should be able to drop their current internet providers before the ball drops to welcome 2014.

[Image source: AP/Frank Franklin II]

Filed under: Wireless

Source: Michael Bloomberg

Wii U update 4.0 brings Wii games to the GamePad's screen

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Wii U update 4.0 brings Wii games to the GamePad's screen

Wii U update 4.0 brings Wii games to the GamePad's screen

Nintendo's pushing out version 4.0 of its Wii U system software, and it's bringing a few unexpected -- yet welcome -- changes. Ironically, tweaks to how the hardware handles titles from The Big N's last home console headline the update. Folks taking Wii games for a spin will now be able to do so using just the GamePad's screen, and enjoy Dolby Pro Logic II surround output -- though you'll still need a Wii remote to play. Iwata and Co. have also rolled in an image sharing tool that mirrors the one on the 3DS, which lets gamers share screenshots on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. With the fresh code in tow, demos from Nintendo can be downloaded automatically and a variety of USB keyboards are supported, to boot. The box's internet browser also got some attention, as it's been bolstered with the ability to open PDF files and remember user login details for web sites. Check your Wii U for the update or click the source link for the full changelog.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Nintendo

Source: Nintendo Japan (translated)

Omate TrueSmart smartwatch is also a phone, incorporates Fleksy keyboard (hands-on)

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Omate TrueSmart smartwatch is also a phone, incorporates Fleksy keyboard (hands-on)

While most smartwatches like the Pebble and the Galaxy Gear can't live up to their true potential without the assistance of a smartphone, the Omate TrueSmart is a full-fledged calling and texting machine right out of the box. We've seen a couple of other such smartwatches of course, but the TrueSmart sets itself apart with a design that's both water- and scratch-resistant, a unique UI that runs full-on Android 4.2 and most intriguing to us, a partnership with Syntellia's Fleksy keyboard so that you can actually type coherently on such a tiny screen.

We had a brief hands-on with the TrueSmart at the Glazed conference in San Francisco, and we'll admit to a bit of skepticism that we'd be able to do much with a 1.54-inch screen. However, we did manage to flip through the four-icon menu without too much trouble. The icons were large enough for us to tap, and we simply had to slide our finger to the left to go to the previous screen. It refused to recognize our swipes on occasion, but hopefully that's just due to it being a pre-production unit.%Gallery-slideshow99594%

Filed under: Wearables

Source: Omate

Lenovo intros four IdeaCentre all-in-ones, including a super-wide 29-inch model

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Lenovo intros four IdeaCentre all-in-ones, including a super-wide 29-inch model

Lenovo is known for all-in-one PCs that stand out, and that's certainly true of a new four-model update to the company's IdeaCentre line. The headlining B750 is reportedly the first PC to include a 29-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio display; its 2,560 x 1,080 panel is potentially ideal for both movie aficionados and multitaskers. Lenovo appropriately equips the B750 with a 2.1-channel JBL audio system, and gamers may like the combination of Haswell-based processors with standard GeForce GTX 760A graphics. The system ships in October with a $1,199 base price.

Don't need an extra-wide screen? Don't worry -- Lenovo's other three introductions may catch your eye. The A530, B350 and B550 improve on their predecessors with both Haswell chips and options for 1TB hybrid hard drives that combine speed with capacity. These smaller IdeaCentres should arrive alongside the B750 in October, with prices ranging from $799 for the 21.5-inch B350 to $1,199 for the 23-inch B550. %Gallery-slideshow99551%

Filed under: Desktops, Lenovo

Source: Lenovo

Verizon accepts device upgrades made during glitch, lucky customers can keep unlimited data

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Verizon accepts device upgrades made during glitch, lucky customers can keep unlimited data

We have bad news: Verizon didn't mean to let website visitors buy devices at upgrade prices while preserving unlimited data. The option was a momentary "software issue," the carrier says. However, we also have good news -- the company said (in the statement after the break) that it'll honor orders approved under these terms. Subscribers should be safe as long as the provider hasn't already cancelled their purchases. While many would no doubt prefer that Verizon made its glitch a permanent feature, it's good to know that at least some customers will get to take advantage of the network's accidental deal.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon

Via: Droid Life

Google's first batch of BufferBox delivery lockers arrives in San Francisco

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Google's first batch of BufferBox delivery lockers arrives in San Francisco

There may be a few less places to find an Amazon delivery locker after Staples and Radio Shack announced they were removing them from their stores, but Google's competing offering is now getting a boost with its biggest expansion to date. The company announced today that it's bringing its BufferBox lockers to San Francisco, marking the first expansion of the delivery service into the US since Google acquired the Canadian company late last year. Much like Amazon's lockers, the BufferBox service simply lets you direct deliveries to a locker instead of your own address if you don't expect to be at home -- a service that remains completely free for the time being. This latest expansion also brings integration with Google's recently announced Shopping Express service and mobile apps, which can now be used to direct same-day deliveries to a BufferBox locker. Those in SF can find a full list of locker locations at the source link below.

Filed under: Misc, Google

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google Commerce, BufferBox

Leak hints at iPhone 5c and 5s variants for Boost Mobile

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Leak hints at iPhone 5c and 5s variants for Boost Mobile

Apple offers iPhones through both large and small US carriers these days, but it has so far given Boost Mobile the cold shoulder. That may soon change, however -- @evleaks has just leaked ads hinting that Boost will get the iPhone 5c and 5s in the near future. While the images don't reveal any launch dates or pricing, they suggest that both smartphones will be eligible for the provider's "shrinking" unlimited rates. The expansion isn't all that crucial given the upcoming 5c and 5s launches through Virgin Mobile, but it doesn't hurt to have another option for low-cost iPhone service.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Sprint

Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Sharp's Aquos Phone Xx is almost all screen, gives 80.5 percent good face

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Sharp's Aquos Phone Xx is almost all screen, gives 80.5 percent good face

"Too much bezel" -- how often have you seen that complaint in the comment section of new phone announces? Well, you can throw this Sharp Aquos Phone Xx (and its mini companion) in the face of that haterade brigade because 80.5 percent of its 5.2-inch front is all screen. At 70 x 132 x 9.9mm, the Xx is more compact than Sony's rival 5-inch phablet, the Xperia Z1, but its collection of top shelf specs gives it a fatter profile. The Android device, which joins Softbank's 4G LTE lineup this December, crams a 1080p display, 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 running Jelly Bean 4.2, 2,600mAh battery and a 16.3-megapixel rear camera (with an f/1.9 lens) into that squat, water-resistant frame. It also features pre-loaded translation software to make sense out of captured English text -- handy if you're, you know, Japanese. We realize this is an unfair mobile tease for those of you green-eyed monsters living in the Western world; you'll likely never see the Xx make that transcontinental trek. But it's always nice to dream.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Source: Sharp, Softbank (Translated)

Insert Coin: KnowRoaming's SIM 'stickers' let you talk, text and surf worldwide on the cheap

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Insert Coin: KnowRoaming's SIM 'stickers' let you talk, text and surf worldwide on the cheap

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

You still can't power on your smartphone across the pond in London and expect to pay the same fees you do back in New York, but several offerings make it cheaper to get online across the globe. One of our favorites, KeepGo (formerly iPhoneTrip), has been our preferred method for browsing the web in Canada, Cambodia, and everywhere in between. But daily rates do add up, and that service requires that you swap in a separate SIM, tucking your primary card away until you're back on your contracted network's home turf. KnowRoaming, a new player in this space, has an even more appealing option, however. That firm's SIM "stickers" include all the electronics in a thin film that you can attach to any SIM card using the included applicator. The sticker sits dormant in your unlocked phone when you're at home, but once you cross a border, the service prompts you to jump onto a local network, bypassing your original SIM in the process.

Filed under: Wireless

Source: KnowRoaming

Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear watch available from AT&T on October 4th

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Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear watch available from AT&T on October 4th

Look, we're with you: pre-orders are for losers. You're giving over your hard-earned cash so some company can bank interest and gauge sales allocations, just to guarantee you get it on day one. You'll be glad to know then, pre-order hater, that Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 smartphone and its Galaxy Gear smartwatch are available for purchase sans pre-order via AT&T's website and stores on October 4th. Those of you less averse to pre-orders will still get your Note 3 a few days earlier on October 1st. Still undecided on the Note 3? Our review's right here to help you make that decision. Dig it!

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T

Xi3's Piston modular PC launching November 29th for $1,000

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Xi3's Piston modular PC launching November 29th for $1,000

As if shelling out $900 this holiday to snag the two next-gen game consoles wasn't enough, Xi3's Piston modular gaming PC is arriving on November 29th for $1,000. Should money be no object to you, the adorable little box is available for pre-order right this minute, and that'll lock in an earlier arrival by two weeks. Included in today's news of the Piston's launch date is word that internal storage capacity was upped by another SSD connector; Xi3 says up to 1TB of SSD storage is now supported.

In a hilarious nod to Valve's Steam Machines news last week, Xi3 notes, "By adding a second SSD to their Pistons, users will be able to load a second operating system onto their machines, including the newly announced SteamOS." As previously reported, Xi3 is (at least in part) financially-backed by Valve, and the Piston is a bit of a "Steambox" (the previous name for Valve's Steam Machines effort) itself. SteamOS is said to be coming "soon," ahead of Steam Machines' official launch in 2014, and you'll see no surprise on our faces should SteamOS arrive ahead of Piston's November 15th pre-order availability.

On Xi3's homepage, the Piston is positioned with a wireless, Piston-branded gamepad (seen above). It's unclear if it ships with the system later this year, so we've reached out to Xi3 for more info.

Filed under: Desktops, Misc, Gaming, Peripherals, HD

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus review

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Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus review

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus review

When Samsung first released the Series 9 in 2011, it quickly became one of our favorite laptops of the year. Then, once Intel threw its marketing weight behind Ultrabooks, it became our favorite Ultra. But the Series 9 was born in the Windows 7 era, and it became harder and harder to recommend as touchscreens became the standard. Now, though, we have the ATIV Book 9 Plus, the first truly flagship-level Ultrabook Samsung has released since Windows 8 came out.

As you'd expect, it trades in the Series 9's matte, anti-glare display for a touchscreen. What's more, though, Samsung also cranked up the resolution, retiring that old 1,600 x 900 panel in favor of a 3,200 x 1,800 one. And, of course, it steps up to a newer Haswell processor, which promises not just faster performance, but also longer battery life (not that endurance was a problem on the original). So is it still our favorite Ultrabook? Pretty much.%Gallery-slideshow99388%

Filed under: Laptops, Samsung

Vodafone Smart 4G shows its face, some base specs in leaked flyer

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Vodafone Smart 4G shows its face, some base specs in leaked flyer

After prematurely breaking cover in the US, Vodafone's Smart 4G appears to have fled to Italy, where it's allegedly been spotted again on one of the network's local flyers. If the image above is to be believed -- and the light spec list is pretty standard to this kind of marketing material -- we now know a little more about Voda's first own-brand LTE handset. Namely, its rounded-corner design, 4.5-inch display, 8-megapixel camera, Snapdragon processor and Jelly Bean Android build. Oh, and that in Italia, it should cost €5 per month on prepaid plans, or come free with two-year contracts. The FCC docs that originally outed the Smart 4G don't list an LTE band compatible with Vodafone's Italian network, suggesting the device could come to several European countries (at least) in a few radio variants. We're still certain it'll feature on a low-cost 4G contract in the UK, but before we get ahead of ourselves, let's wait for the formal announcement, which has to be coming soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Source: @flapic (Twitter)

In a bid to control the internet, China tries to put the squeeze on mobile news apps

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In a bid to control the internet, China tries to put the squeeze on mobile news apps

It's like Jeff Goldblum's neurotic, chaos theory spouting character in Jurassic Park said: "life, uh, finds a way." Or, in this case, it's the internet that can't be kept down at heel. According to a Reuters report, the Chinese government's State Internet Information Office has instituted a "crackdown" on rogue mobile news apps that purportedly transmit images of pornography and other "obscene information" to children. But what's more likely, however, is that the apps in question serve as a workaround for citizens seeking news reports from established foreign media outlets; news that would otherwise be censored.

The move could see any offending app makers, which includes popular apps like Zaker and Chouti, effectively shut down if they fail to fall in line and sanitize their content. China's long had a history of strangling internet access, but this development, coupled with recent news of censorship as usual for its Shanghai free trade zone, highlights just how difficult it is for the state to control the web. And with new social networks cropping up every day and promising novel means of spreading illegal information, that fight's fast becoming a losing battle.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile

Source: Reuters

IRL: Wahoo's Blue SC speed sensor for bikes

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IRL: Wahoo's Blue SC speed sensor for bikes

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

IRL: Wahoo's Blue SC speed sensor for bikes

Smartphones, tablets, smartphones, repeat. We tend to come back to the same sorts of gadgets here in "IRL," but this week we're shaking things up with a fitness device. Associate HD Editor Ben Drawbaugh is one of the few mountain biking enthusiasts on staff, which means he was one of the only people qualified to test out a bicycle computer, something we normally wouldn't review. After the break, find out if a $60 Bluetooth Low Energy sensor is worth the investment.

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals

Google launches Android game vending machines, puts first ones in Tokyo (naturally)

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Google launches Android game vending machines, puts first ones in Tokyo (naturally)

In a country that has no shortage of vending machines, Google Japan has decided to join the fray. The company has announced three dedicated Google Play machines that will sell 18 different gaming titles which are a mix of free-to-play and paid-for titles. To use the machines, you'll need a smartphone running Android 4.0 and NFC -- and that's about it. You rest the phone on the tray below the screen, and NFC pairing takes care of the rest. We put the machine to the test with our LG G2 on hand, and had no troubles choosing and downloading a free game through the machine. There's a slick unified animation from the giant touchscreen (which looks almost identical to drinks machines elsewhere in the country) to your Android phone of choice when the download kicks in. Also, for trying out another Google app, you'll get a 'present' which 'drops' down from the screen and into the vending tray once your download is complete.

Not an Android user? Don't worry, because the vending machine will offer up a Nexus 4 for you to try out, although you do have to give it back, however. Several boiler-suited Google employees will man the machines when they're switched on tomorrow in front of the Parco department store in Shibuya. For now, it looks to be a Japan-only promotion -- but it's another great excuse to hit up the country's vending machines. %Gallery-slideshow99512%

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Gaming, Software, Mobile, Google

Sky adds 'The Wire' and other high-profile TV box-sets to its VOD collection

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Sky adds 'The Wire' and other high-profile TV box-sets to its VOD collection

With the news that Netflix is being brought to Virgin Media's TiVo boxes, Sky needs to cook up some sort of response. That's why the broadcaster has thrown some money around to offer those premium US dramas everyone raved about before Breaking Bad (The Wire, The Sopranos and Mad Men). If you own a Sky+HD box and use Sky Go, you can now binge down on those shows, plus offerings like Seinfeld and Boardwalk Empire. The new collections will be added from tomorrow, nestled alongside existing domestic fare like I'm Alan Partridge and The Inbetweeners. At the same time, Sky has let slip that more channels will be coming to its Catch-Up TV service including Discovery, Star, Watch, G.O.L.D. and E! -- hopefully meaning we'll never again miss an episode of The Soup ever again.

Filed under: Internet, HD

Facebook to join Twitter in providing TV networks with user data

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Facebook to join Twitter in providing TV networks with user data

Now that Facebook has granted broadcasters access to your public wall posts, it wants to give them even more of your data -- but anonymously this time. Zuckerberg and Co. told the Wall Street Journal it'll supply the likes of ABC, NBC, FOX and others with detailed analytics on how much buzz a show is generating in terms of likes, comments and shares. It'll mine that info from private postings as well public ones, though it said that the data will be aggregated without revealing anyone's identity. Of course, Twitter and Nielsen have been supplying networks with such info for a while now, but Facebook claims its results are more meaningful, since viewers must ostensibly use their real identities. One CBS exec added that Facebook's wider demographic also seemed to jibe better with actual audience numbers, meaning that programming could become less affected by tech-savvy types and more by... your mom.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Facebook

Source: WSJ

A.I smartwatch is also a standalone Android smartphone (update)

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A.I smartwatch is also a standalone Android smartphone (update)

Smartwatches sure are multiplying faster than rabbits. One of the newest devices hoping to make it to market is the A.I Watch: a companion gadget that's also a standalone Android phone, similar to a Chinese creation we saw in August. According to its developers, you can use the A.I Watch to make and accept calls -- à la Hot Watch -- even if it's not connected to a phone via Bluetooth. That's because it has its own SIM card slot and supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM bands, as well as 3G. They also claim that its unspecified 1.2GHz dual-core processor is powerful enough for downloading apps from Google Play, loading Maps for navigation, streaming videos and accessing social networks, among others. The A.I Watch runs Android 4.0.4, has 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, a 1.54-inch 240 x 240 touchscreen display, a 500mAh battery and a 5-megapixel camera.

If the device ever makes it to retail, it'll sell for $279 each, which is around the price of Samsung's Galaxy Gear. Right now, however, the device's fate hangs in the balance as its creators work to raise $100,000 on Indiegogo to cover mass production costs. Check out videos of the A.I Watch in action after the break, and enjoy a chuckle over one of its watchfaces that looks undeniably Metro-esque.

Update (09/30/2013): So, a lot of you have pointed out that the A.I watch is a dead-ringer for Vapirius' AX2 smartwatch. We don't know for sure if A.I watch is merely a copy, but we've reached out to its developers for comment -- we'll update this post once we hear back. Meanwhile, the AX2 is available in Europe for €299 ($400), so you can probably bypass this Indiegogo campaign and go straight to Vapirius' website... although seeing as A.I has only raised a miserable $3,677 of its $100,000 goal, it seems like plenty of you weren't that excited to begin with.

Filed under: Wearables, Mobile

Source: Indiegogo, A.I Watch

Samsung claims 100 million people use its ChatOn messaging service

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Samsung claims 100 million people use its ChatOn messaging service

Though we haven't received any ChatOn messages ourselves lately, Samsung says that its messaging service has caught on with some. In fact, it's just chalked up a "global subscriber base" of 100 million folks in around two years, thanks to its availability on diverse platforms like iOS, Android, Bada, the web and Windows Phone. Samsung singled out China and India as key markets for the service and touted features like drag-and-drop media sharing and the ability to hand-write messages with an S Pen-equipped device. Though the numbers sound good, we're not sure if the Korean company is counting active users or just those who registered out of curiosity because it came pre-installed on their phones. By contrast, WhatsApp counts 300 million subscribers who use the service monthly. We've reached out to Samsung to confirm and maybe we'll get around to registering for the service ourselves, some day.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Samsung

Source: Samsung

Timothy Leary-developed video games found in New York Public Library archive

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Timothy Leary-developed video games found in New York Public Library archive

The New York Public Library recently discovered a treasure trove of video games in its archives created by psychedelic evangelist Timothy Leary. Over 375 floppies (talk about flashbacks) containing a "dozen or so" games developed by the LSD-advocate in the '80s -- some are playable via emulation -- are now on display in the library's rare books and manuscripts division, according to The New York Times. The good doctor's digital works had a self-help bend to them, advocating self-improvement by interactive means as opposed to pharmaceuticals, and apparently recreational drugs as well. If you fancy yourself a cyberpunk, Leary also had an in-progress project based on William Gibson's Neuromancer, replete with writing by William S. Burroughs and a soundtrack by Devo. He had more than just prototypes, too: His Mind Mirror was commercially released in 1985 and sold 65,000 copies for publisher Electronic Arts. If you can't make it to the NYPL, a version has been adapted to Facebook so you can glean your personality profile from your... profile.

[Image credit: Jaycobs / Flickr]

Filed under: Gaming, Alt

Via: Kotaku

Source: The New York TImes

SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket with 60 percent stronger engines (video)

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SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket with 60 percent stronger engines (video)

While most of the news about SpaceX has surrounded the Grasshopper lately, the firm has been plugging away at its Falcon rocket, too. This just-launched Falcon 9 (dubbed version 1.1) boasts 60 percent more powerful engines, longer fuel tanks and according to the Global Post, other new features that were designed to boost lift capacity and "simplify operations for commercial service." To that end, the spacecraft was carrying a science and communications satellite for Canada's MDA Corp. when it left Earth's atmosphere. The take-off comes just over five years after the first Falcon's departure, and its itinerary will take it around both poles. Just remember, for a cool $56.5 million you too can send a Falcon 9 into space.

Filed under: Transportation, Science

Via: YouTub

Source: SpaceX (YouTube), SpaceX (Twitter)

Softbank announces the Arrows A, can fast-charge a day of use in just 10 minutes

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Softbank announces the Arrows A, can fast-charge a day of use in just 10 minutes

Softbank has just held its biannual showcase to reveal its new smartphone family and, as is often the case with Japanese carriers, there's a few interesting devices alongside the more predictable iPhone fare. Poring over the company's Winter 2013 collection, it's Fujitsu's Arrows A 301F that immediately jumps out, with the particularly useful ability to charge up "a full day" of use in just 10 minutes. The 2,600mAh battery will reportedly offer three days of use on a full charge and is accompanied by some more familiar smartphone specs, like a 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 800 processor, and 13-megapixel camera sensor. Talking of sensors, there's one other feature that's had plenty of attention elsewhere recently: a fingerprint reader. On the Arrow A, it's located on the rear, just below the flash and camera sensor, although the company hasn't elaborated on its uses. The phone will launch in Japan this December.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Source: Softbank

How would you change Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109?

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How would you change Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109?

In stark contrast to its PC lineup, Lenovo's tablet offerings are often the wrong side of exciting. The IdeaTab S2109, for instance, arrived with little fanfare or enthusiasm, and little to make it stand out from the rest of the mid-range 10-inch tablet crowd. Unfortunately, the day-to-day experience was similarly underwhelming, thanks to its middling chip, short battery life and dodgy design decisions. So, instead, let's close our eyes and imagine what we'd have done if Lenovo had asked us to craft its next tablet. What would you do? Tell us in the comments below.

Filed under: Tablets, Lenovo

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Lenovo teases Yoga Tablet that can stand itself up, shift its center of gravity

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Lenovo teases Yoga Tablet that can stand itself up, shift its center of gravity

Looks like Lenovo and its executives are taking a page out of Huawei's book to start leaking its own products, with the victim this time being an oddly named Yoga Tablet. Our source told us that unlike the Yoga laptop series, this mysterious device isn't a transformable device. Instead, the main selling points here are the product will have a "leg" that can somehow stand itself up, plus it has some sort of mechanism that can shift its center of gravity, in order to give you the illusion that it's lighter in hand. As a bonus, the Yoga Tablet claims to be the world's slimmest slate with the longest standby battery life, according to Lenovo's own "spy shot" above. If all goes well, we can expect this intriguing device to launch a month from now, as confirmed by Lenovo SVP and head of China, Chen Xudong, on Sina Weibo.

Filed under: Tablets, Lenovo

Via: Ubergizmo

Source: Sina Weibo (1), (2)

Gmail Android app may get ads soon, APK teardown reveals

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Gmail Android app may get ads soon, APK teardown reveals

Google's Gmail app for Android has remained an ad-free sanctuary, but code uncovered by Android Police in an APK teardown of the application's latest version hints that circumstances might change. Buried within the the program is a new library called "ads," along with messages, functions and classes mentioning advertisements. What's more, a "ShowAdPreferenceManager()" function routes users to the ad settings page for their very own Google account. Its not clear if sponsored bits will make it into the promotions folder just like the web version of Mountain View's inbox, but the clues suggest you should brace yourself to see some marketing relatively soon.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

Via: 9to5Google

Source: Android Police

Interbrand: Apple now most valuable brand, worth estimated at $98.3 billion

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Interbrand: Apple now most valuable brand, worth estimated at $98.3 billion

Coca-Cola's 13-year tenure as "Best Global Brand" is over, however the new leader shouldn't really surprise you. Apple knocked Penelope Cruz's favorite soft drink from the number one spot on Interbrands' annual valuation report, but after posting massive profits time and again -- including a company-record $54.5 billion in January -- this isn't too startling. Cook and friends started their ascent at the eighth spot in 2011, and climbed to second place in 2012 before stealing the top prize in the latest list. Interbrand pegs Cupertino's brand valuation at $98.3 billion, which isn't exactly pocket change. Don't cry for the Sprite-maker though, it's still on the podium according to The New York Times, but behind another tech-powerhouse: Google.

Filed under: Apple, Google

Via: The New York Times

Source: Interbrand

Interbrand: Apple now most valuable brand, estimated worth at $98.3 billion

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Interbrand: Apple now most valuable brand, estimated worth at $98.3 billion

Coca-Cola's 13-year tenure as "Best Global Brand" is over, however the new leader shouldn't really surprise you. Apple knocked Penelope Cruz's favorite soft drink from the number one spot on Interbrands' annual valuation report, but after posting massive profits time and again -- including a company-record $54.5 billion in January -- this isn't too startling. Cook and friends started their ascent at the eighth spot in 2011, and climbed to second place in 2012 before stealing the top prize in the latest list. Interbrand pegs Cupertino's brand valuation at $98.3 billion, which isn't exactly pocket change. Don't cry for the Sprite-maker though, it's still on the podium according to The New York Times, but behind another tech-powerhouse: Google.

Filed under: Apple, Google

Via: The New York Times

Source: Interbrand

Apple rumored to need Samsung for some A8 chip production

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Apple rumored to need Samsung for some A8 chip production

There have been rumors that TSMC would handle some of Apple's future chip production, but details of the purported arrangement have been vague. The Korea Economic Daily may have just filled us in, however. It claims that Samsung will make 30 to 40 percent of Apple's A8 processors next year, with TSMC presumably assembling the lion's share. Apple wanted TSMC to be the sole manufacturer, but the challenge of building 20 nanometer-class chips led to a supplementary agreement with Samsung, according to the Daily's tipsters. Neither side has commented on the report, so take it with a large grain of salt. If the story is accurate, though, it suggests that Apple will have only modest success in excluding its arch-rival's technology from next-generation iOS devices.

[Thanks, Byungjin]

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple, Samsung

Source: The Korea Economic Daily (translated)

Refresh Roundup: week of September 23rd, 2013

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Refresh Roundup: week of September 23rd, 2013

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

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