Do you want your home broadband services to have strict data caps like the ones on your mobile data plans? Of course you don't! But that isn't stopping Comcast and Time Warner Cable from pushing them anyway.
Showing posts with label November 22. Show all posts
Showing posts with label November 22. Show all posts
The FCC won’t decide net neutrality’s fate this year
Posted by Unknown on 7:03 PM
The net neutrality debate is poised to extend well into 2015, as this crucial matter is neither on the FCC’s agenda on Friday, nor in its December session, FCC spokeswoman Kim Hart said. Apparently, FCC’s Chairman Tom Wheeler is “caught” between the wishes of the White House and the needs of Internet service providers.
A8 Chip in iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Capable of Playing 4K Video
Posted by Unknown on 5:46 PM
The dual-core A8 chip powering Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus appears to be capable of handling 4K video playback, despite the fact that the two iPhones have native resolutions of 1334 x 750 and 1920 x 1080 pixels, respectively.
4K video playback on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus was first discovered by the developers behind WALTR , a Mac app that's designed to make it easy to upload and convert any music or video file to an iPad or iPhone for native playback, and reported by TUAW .
Image via iFixit
With resolutions of 1334 x 750 and 1920 x 1080, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus won't be able to reproduce the detail in a 3840 x 2160 4K video, but the A8's ability to play 4K content means 4K videos side-loaded onto one of Apple's two devices will still be watchable.
It's highly unlikely many users will load 4K videos on their iPhones due to the massive file size of 4K content and the fact that there's little practical use for it, but it has the potential to be a somewhat useful feature for some users who want to play 4K video recorded on their devices as there are apps available that advertise 4K video recording on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
4K video playback on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus was first discovered by the developers behind WALTR , a Mac app that's designed to make it easy to upload and convert any music or video file to an iPad or iPhone for native playback, and reported by TUAW .
The discovery was made by the developers of WALTR, a great Mac app that allows users to quickly upload video files to their iPhone which aren't supported by iTunes, such as FLAC and MKV files. While testing the app developers found it is possible to playback 4K videos on the iPhone 6. Even if Apple hasn't announced it, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are ready to play 4K videos.
With resolutions of 1334 x 750 and 1920 x 1080, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus won't be able to reproduce the detail in a 3840 x 2160 4K video, but the A8's ability to play 4K content means 4K videos side-loaded onto one of Apple's two devices will still be watchable.
It's highly unlikely many users will load 4K videos on their iPhones due to the massive file size of 4K content and the fact that there's little practical use for it, but it has the potential to be a somewhat useful feature for some users who want to play 4K video recorded on their devices as there are apps available that advertise 4K video recording on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
New leak gives another look at what Lollipop will look like on your HTC One (M8)
Posted by Unknown on 5:30 PM
There have been a lot of great Android phones released this year but we still have a soft spot in our hearts for the HTC One (M8), which really saw HTC make some excellent refinements and improvements to its already outstanding hardware design. And the good news is that the One (M8) will soon get a whole lot better with the addition of Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is one of the best new releases of Android we've seen yet.
iPad Assisting Speedskater Bridie Farrell in Comeback Bid
Posted by Unknown on 12:22 PM
After an almost decade-long absence, world-class speedskater Bridie Farrell is preparing for a comeback, and iPad is helping her in a big way. Farrell’s coaches are using iPad and the Dartfish Express app for in-depth video analysis of her performance. They evaluate her form, aerodynamics, and body language, and provide frame-by-frame feedback. iPad also simplifies the video recording process. “We’d have to lug around a laptop and camcorders, and so many wires and connections,” says trainer Robyn Mason. “With iPad, you don’t need to worry about any of that. It’s so much easier, so much more accessible.”
iPads With Instant Replays Transforming the NBA
Posted by Unknown on 12:22 PM
In a new video, Bloomberg.com reports that Apple has teamed up with Sportstec, a software program that provides quick edits of basketball game footage on an iOS device. The program lets players and coaches, who are provided with iPads, look at footage during a game or during halftime and make adjustments. “You can literally break down every single possession, who shot the ball, where on the floor, what was the result of the play,” says Sportstec vice president Anwar McQueen. Sportstec, whose program works exclusively on iOS devices, partners with 28 of the 30 NBA teams as well as many NCAA teams and the Olympic basketball teams.
Google laughs off Microsoft’s Scroogled merchandise stunt
Posted by Unknown on 3:43 PM
Does Google feel intimidated by Microsoft's "Scroogled" merchandise campaign? Don't be silly, of course it doesn't. A Google spokesperson told The Verge that Microsoft's decision to sell anti-Google shirts on its website "comes as no surprise" because "competition in the wearables space really is heating up." The Google statement is something of a subtle dig at Microsoft, which so far looks like it might be late to the game for producing wearable computers, even as Google, Samsung and others have already started building smartwatches and headsets such as Google Glass. Of course, Microsoft could get the last laugh in this case if it turns out the wearable computing market is a bust and if consumers shun Google Glass just like they've been reportedly shunning the first-generation Galaxy Gear.
Google Play starts taking tablet apps seriously
Posted by Unknown on 2:28 PM
The Google Play Store is starting to take tablet apps seriously. Announced last month on the Android Developers Blog and spotted on Friday by Android Police , the Google Play Store is now only showing tablet-optimized apps in its top lists when accessed through a tablet. Apps that are not optimized for tablets will receive a “Designed for phones” tag, on the other hand. The Google Play Store has always lagged behind the iOS App Store in terms of tablet apps, so this move should encourage app developers to optimize more of their apps for tablets.
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EU reportedly set to sign off on Microsoft’s $7.2 billion Nokia deal
Posted by Unknown on 12:58 PM
Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's handset business is nearly settled, but an international deal this large requires approval from several groups. Reuters reports that "Microsoft is set to secure unconditional EU regulatory approval" for the deal. Consent from the European Union would follow that of Russia, India, Turkey and Israel, as well as Nokia's biggest shareholders. The European Commission, which serves as the competition watchdog in Europe, is set to make its decision regarding the legality of the deal by December 4th, although one of the sources said that the Commission "is expected to clear the deal without conditions." This would put Microsoft one step closer to taking control of Nokia's phone business.
The FCC’s Thanksgiving homework: Decide how to slaughter the Comcast-TWC merger turkey
Posted by Unknown on 11:43 AM
Longtime readers know that I've been very critical of both Comcast and Time Warner Cable over their pricing policies, their service quality and their overall business practices. This is why I gasped in horror when I learned Friday morning that Comcast is talking with the Federal Communications Commission about what regulatory hurdles it needs to cross to merge with Time Warner Cable.
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Apple begins its Retina iPad mini ‘stealth launch’
Posted by Unknown on 10:49 AM
The quiet launch of the Retina iPad mini left a lot of potential customers out in the cold. Not only has availability been extremely limited, the only way to secure the new iPad mini has been to reserve one online for in-store pickup. It looks like Apple is working on one of those issues, as AppleInsider shares a report from Cantor Fitzgerald's Brian J. White which states that three New York Apple Stores, including the Fifth Avenue location, now have unreserved Retina iPad minis in stock for walk-in customers to purchase.
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Why the gaming world still needs consoles
Posted by Unknown on 10:13 AM
With both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 now out in the United States, there's been some chatter about whether they'll lead to a broader revival in the gaming market or whether they'll be seen as the console era's last hurrah as more casual gamers get their fix through mobile devices while the remaining hardcore gamers hunker down in their PC bunkers. As someone who has enjoyed video games ever since getting his first 8-bit Nintendo console back in 1988, I really hope that dedicated gaming consoles stay as centerpieces of the gaming world because they provide something that neither tablets nor PCs can really achieve.
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Jury explains why it clobbered Samsung with a $290 million verdict
Posted by Unknown on 9:28 AM
After awarding Apple a $290 million win in a damages retrial part of the first Apple vs Samsung U.S. trial, jurors told Bloomberg that one Apple witness was the determining factor for the outcome of the case. According to Colleen Allen and Barry Goldman-Hall, two of the jurors assigned to the case, it was expert Julie L. Davis that tipped the balance in Apple’s favor.
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Unlocked iPhone 5s now available from Apple online store
Posted by Unknown on 8:13 AM
Just like with the second-generation iPad mini, Apple has quietly started to take online orders for unlocked GSM iPhone 5s units, which are compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. So far, Apple has offered the iPhone 5s for sale on its website only part of on-contract deals with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, or contract-free with T-Mobile. The unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 5s is priced from $649 (16GB version) to $849 (64GB version) and will ship in 1 to 2 weeks, although the T-Mobile off-contract version should ship in 3 to 5 business days. Apple has recently improved shipping estimates for its flagship smartphone, likely in preparation for the busy holiday season. On-contract iPhone 5s units ship in 3 to 5 business days. The iPhone 5c has been available in an unlocked, SIM-free, version since its late September launch.
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Here’s everything you need to know about Xbox One’s launch exclusives
Posted by Unknown on 7:28 AM
Unfortunately for Sony, the PlayStation 4 lacks a system-selling game at launch. Killzone: Shadow Fall and Resogun are both worthwhile experiences in their own right, but they alone aren't worth the $400 investment of the console. As for the rest of the PS4's opening lineup, the vast majority of the games are appearing on the Xbox One as well.
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Xbox One complaints start flooding in: buggy disc drives, failure to turn on
Posted by Unknown on 7:19 AM
On Microsoft’s Xbox One launch date, various hands-on reports from early buyers have hit the web that show that the new console may be experiencing some issues from buggy disc drives, to temporary software update issues, the failure to actually turn on and even physical damage.
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Picture of metal Galaxy S5 frame purportedly leaks
Posted by Unknown on 6:12 AM
Get excited, Samsung fans — there's hope that the next generation of your favorite phone may not be made from cheap-feeling plastic after all! Nowhereelse.fr has posted a new set of leaked pictures that it claims are of the metal frame of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone. Although it's entirely possible that the device will feature a metal frame that's surrounded by Samsung's trademark plastic casing, Nowhereelse.fr's source seems to suggest that at least one future Samsung phone will have an aluminum build like the iPhone 5s and the HTC One. The leaked picture of the purported Galaxy S5 frame also suggests that the new device will have a slightly larger display than the Galaxy S4's 5-inch display. One of Nowhereelse.fr's pictures of the frame follows below.
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Apple may not be behind the World Patent War against Google after all
Posted by Unknown on 5:43 AM
Apparently, Apple isn’t try to sue the heart of Google’s business. You see, last month, Rockstar — a consortium of companies including Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, and Sony that purchased 6,000 patents from Nortel in 2011 — sued Google, among others, for infringing six patents. Not just any patents, but ones that covered “an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network,” which is pretty much Google’s entire business.
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Microsoft deals yet another blow to Finland’s national pride
Posted by Unknown on 3:43 AM
It's been a rough few years for Finnish phone fans who have had to watch in agony as the once-mighty Nokia lost its dominant market share before selling off its handset division to American tech behemoth Microsoft. And now Finland's YLE News reports that Nokia "has vacated its long-time headquarters in Keilaniemi Espoo" and that Microsoft has moved in, a symbolic transfer of power that shows the diminished status of the company that was once Finland's corporate crown jewel. The good news for forlorn Finns is that even if their days as a handset manufacturing power are over, they are positively ruling the mobile app market with mobile gaming powerhouses such as Rovio and Supercell.
The next market to get a Google fiber hookup will be… Uganda?
Posted by Unknown on 9:43 PM
Google is working on boosting the Internet infrastructure in Kampala, Uganda, by installing its own fiber-optic network. Installed in recent months and officially unveiled on Wednesday, the network will allow 10 local mobile operators and Internet service providers to improve data speeds by a factor of 100 in most places of Kampala, a city that has a population of three million potential Internet users. Carriers will get the faster data speeds, and will be able to offer access to speeds of up to two gigabits per second to customers. Three of Kampala’s service providers have already agreed to use Google’s fiber backbone, although end-user prices for faster service have not been announced.
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Why Comcast is pushing broadband data caps that nobody wants