EzyFlix.TV now an ABC show room without an iView
The ABC's iView service has long been regarded as one of the best video streaming options Australians have. But now relative newcomer EzyFlix.TV is hoping to challenge the ABC's offering by selling the ABC's own content.
In a partnership with the national broadcaster, EzyFlix.TV is now offering key ABC programs - including local shows Rake, Angry Boys, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Redfern Now and international regulars like Sesame Street, The Wiggles and Thomas and Friends - in a download-to-own format.
New programs will be available to download just hours after they are broadcast. EzyFlix will offer shows in both a "Season Pass" option for an entire series, or on an episode-by-episode basis for $2.99.
An eye for an iView competitor
Given that the ABC offers many of these programs as a free stream via its iView service, pundits may wonder exactly why they should pony up the cash to pay for something they can get for free.Craig White, CEO at Access Digital Entertainment (the company behind EzyFlix.TV), argues that option to purchase content to own digitally that can be watched across platforms gives customers a more permanent alternative to iView.
""iView and indeed all 'catch up' services offer content, most typically, for a limited window after its airing date. Some exceptions apply depending on who has produced and/or licensed the content for digital, exclusively or otherwise. Other catch-up services are also heavily advert laden/supported. All catch up services require internet connectivity to stream the content.
EzyFlix.tv allows you to stream content and/or download it for offline playback on up to five separate devices at any one time. It also stores your content in the cloud allowing you to re-access the content you own at any time. EzyFlix.tv is therefore a true 'anywhere, any device, anytime' service", Mr White told TechRadar.
In truth, the service is much more of a competitor to iTunes than iView, which already sells ABC programs.
Which means that EzyFlix.TV's more open platform, which isn't restricted to Apple hardware like the iPad Air or iPhone 5S, should win itself some new fans with the option of even more digital content.
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Pebble CEO touts 'hidden' functionality, says 'tons of apps' on the way
The CEO of Pebble says the popular smartwatch is only going to get better, as more features are unlocked and the next wave of apps arrive on the platform.
Speaking at the Engadget Expand event in New York, Eric Migicovsky revealed the Kickstarter phenomenon has "hidden functionalities" that'll be made available in due course.
When asked whether there's already a second iteration of the hardware in the works, Migicovsky said, there's still plenty of life in the current device, which raked in over $10m on the crowd-funding site.
"Right now we're focusing on the platform that's already on 190,000 wrists around the world," he said. "The hardware's already there, and has a lot of hidden functionalities that we haven't even unlocked yet."
More apps on the way
Migicovsky also revealed he's said he's betting big on third-party developers building apps for the device and said there's already "tons on the way""We're a small company. We decided to put most of our effort into the framework and underlying structure that'll let other people build apps on top of it," he said.
So, it seems good times are in store for Pebble fans. Just this week it got a whole lot more useful for iOS 7 users as it now plays nice with the Apple Notification Centre.
You can check out the rest of the 20 minute video interview over at Engadget.
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Microsoft killing support for purchased Xbox Video content on Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 7 users and old-timey Zune player owners will no longer be able to view video they've purchased through the Xbox Video store, Microsoft has announced.
The company emailed customers this weekend to inform them that, from February 2014, that video content they own will no longer be supported on their devices.
"This email is to notify you that in late February, 2014, Xbox will be making an update to our video catalog," the company wrote: "This update will allow us to more quickly and efficiently add the highest quality video content to the Xbox Video service.
"As a result, beginning in late February 2014, any Xbox Video content you own as of then, will no longer be playable through the Zune PC client, Zune devices, or Windows Phone 7 devices. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."
Still available on other devices
The announcement is a blow for those users on Windows Phone 7 or Zune devices, that have invested in video from the Xbox Video store.Microsoft has not indicated that any compensation will be offered to those users who have lost access to their video content and did not offer hope that the Xbox Video app will relaunch on Windows Phone 7.
"You can still enjoy all of your owned content at XboxVideo.com on your PC or Mac, or on your Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows 8 & 8.1 PC and tablet, or Windows Phone 8."
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Apple developing larger iPhones with curved displays for 2014, report claims
The iPhone 6 is in for a big design overhaul, if reports this weekend can be believed.
According to Bloomberg News, the company is working on devices with larger screens than the current generation coming in at 4.7- and 5.5-inches respectively. Previous reports have suggest Apple would launch a full 6-inch handset.
Perhaps more interestingly, the source said the new iPhone's will embraced curved display technology, with screens that curve down towards the edges of the device.
If the report proves to be accurate, the iPhone 6 promises to be the most radical design overhaul since the device first launched in 2008.
Pressure sensitive
Plans have not been finalised yet, according to 'people familiar with the matter', but the new handsets will likely arrive in the autumn of 2014.Interestingly, Bloomberg also claims Apple is working on touchscreen sensors that can distinguish between light and heavy presses, although that tech, it says is likely to be incorporated in future models.
Testing continues, the report claims.
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GameStick console delayed again, as Android-powered gaming moves on without it
The troubled, Android-powered GameStick console has been hit with more delays, with the official UK release date pushed back to the end of November, at the earliest.
The £79 ($79) HDMI stick has been beset by problems, but those who'd pre-ordered the console had expected to receive it this weekend.
Now Amazon UK is listing the device for November 29 release, while the official UK site says it'll be out on December 15. Buyers stateside will now be able to grab the console a little earlier, on November 15.
Some of those buyers across the pond who have already received their pocked-sized console units are reporting that the device isn't working out of the box, or have been freezing and randomly restarting.
Missing the window?
It's been a long saga for the British-born microconsole. It sailed past its Kickstarter funding goal in February and was expected to go on sale in April.The demand saw the release pushed back to June, and then a variety of teething problems resulted in further delays until November.
Reviews for the console have so far been mixed, with TechRadar awarding the console an underwhelming 2.5 stars out of a possible 5.
Since the GameStick's inception, other Android-powered consoles like the Ouya and Nvidia Shield have hit the market with varying degrees of success. The MadCatz Mojo is also scheduled to arrive on December 10.
For the GameStick, which doesn't offer access to the Google Play store like some of its rivals, there must be legitimate concerns that it is missing the window of opportunity to cement a presence in what's soon to be a flooded market of Android-powered gaming devices.
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INFLAME: The world's not phanatical about phablets or fond of fonblets
Not content with dominating the technological part of the modern world, Samsung's now trying to muscle in on our language - inventing the word "fonblet" to describe the huge mobiles that are becoming commonplace in the bursting pockets of today's consumer. This is something we reported on WAAAY back in January.
It's a bit of a con job, really. The internet's already decided that this new wave of monster, 5-inch-plus mobile phones ought to be called "phablets" but, perhaps with one eye on patents and copyrights and a need to grab as much intellectual land for itself as possible, Samsung's decided that "fonblet" is a better option.
It isn't. It's just as cumbersome and as stupid a word to say as phablet. It's one of those words, in fact, that you should never say out loud. If you own one of these large devices, simply call it a "really big phone" or a "massive phone" or just a "phone" to avoid looking like an idiot.
Internet reaction to Samsung's naming idea was pretty much unanimously negative, although, perhaps quite tellingly, no one could actually come up with anything better.
Phill Gates
Over on the Register, user Shagbag wasn't impressed by Samsung's attempt to usurp the widely used phablet handle, saying: "This attempt by Samsung to differentiate itself and take control of terminology is doomed to failure (phailure?). Just like MSFT's pathetic attempt to call their tablets 'slates', which has hopelessly failed as the word 'tablet' was already in common usage by then and continues to be the dominant term used in the market today."You know something's backfired when you're being compared with Microsoft. Meanwhile, over on Pocket-Lint, reader Robert Ryancloff broke out the ironic exclamation marks, with his comment: "All the awkwardness of watching a movie on a small screen coupled with all the awkwardness of trying to fit an iPad into your pocket... This is just what the market needs!"
Exclaim all you like, Robert, but the facts are that Samsung's selling container loads of these enormous phones, so much so that every other hardware maker is copying it as quickly as possible. So you're going to have to work out a comfortable way of holding one sooner or later.
Samsung Personal Communications Device IV
Over on tech news aggregator Ubergizmo, reader Fauxshizzle came up with an interesting naming challenge. He suggested: "I am surprised we still call them smartphones. The phone part is so secondary at this point it is pretty much a computer with mobile network capabilities. I can't think of a better term off the top of my head, but both phablet and fonblet are terrible names. That would be like Microsoft referring to their next console as the Xbone."Hmm. Computer with mobile network capabilities. Comnets? Comblenets? Cornettos? Reader Raj Singh came up with some catchy alternatives of his own in response, adding: "I don't like either terms... they should be referred to as Person Telecommunications Devices or Personal Internet Devices or Personal Communications Device or something of that sort. It's not a phone; it's a phone, too."
Great ideas, Raj. Really catchy. Roll off the tongue, that lot. Can't wait to buy next year's Samsung Personal Communications Device IV.
Phomputer says no
One possible easy way out for Samsung and its naming quandary was offered by Gizmodo reader The Alpha Gamer, who suggested Samsung bung some of its cash in the direction of Asus for one of its existing big phone/small tablet names, saying: "Can't they just pay/bribe Asus and call it a Padfone?"The way Samsung's hoovering up money from millions of smartphone buyers every month, it'll be able to buy the "iPad" name from Apple soon enough.
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In Depth: Wireless power: could Cota make it long-distance and mainstream?
Replacing your phone's charging cable with a wireless charging pad you put it down on is delightful and convenient, but it's not enough of a difference that everyone will want to pay extra for it.
But charging your phone without ever having to take it out of your pocket? Now that would be convenient – and startup Ossia is working on a system to charge devices up to 30 feet away.
The Cota system, currently a large prototype (the final box will be much smaller) sends energy over a channel in the familiar 802.11b Wi-Fi spectrum that's only used in Japan, so it doesn't interfere with wireless data – and it doesn't need a special licence. It can even use the same antenna that's in your phone or tablet or even your Bluetooth headset already, just with some extra wiring.
The way it works is by putting a small beacon in the device you want to charge, which sends out a low-power signal. "It's about one millionth of the power of a Wi-Fi signal," Ossia CEO and Founder Hatem Zeiner told TechRadar. The signal will be blocked by any people in the room, but it will also bounce off the walls and ceilings to reach the charger. The phased array of antennae in the charger (200 in the current prototype, 20,000 in the units that will ship in 2015) recreate the signal in reverse, sending power directly to the device and nowhere else.
If you move around the room, or you move your device, Cota will find it again and use the new signal path to send power. When I stood in the way of the prototype array it took a couple of seconds to find a path around me (in a large office room ten feet away from the wall); the final version will check 100 times a second and should reconnect without you noticing.
Cota sends out 1W of power; that's about as much as your phone uses, so it's more like trickle charging than plugging into the mains. If multiple devices are sending beacon signals, the system checks which has the lowest battery and charges that one first. "When everyone is out, it can charge your remote controls and smoke detectors," suggests Zeiner, "then when you get home it starts charging your phone." And just like Wi-Fi, you can run it open so anyone can charge devices, or closed, so you aren't paying for your neighbour's phone.
The competition
The wireless charging that's already built into phones such as the Nokia 920 using the Qi standard is induction charging – a more sophisticated version of the way you charge an electric toothbrush. Power is transmitted from one coiled antenna to another and they have to line up and be close together. You can send power through a thin sheet of wood, but not across the room. New Zealand-based PowerbyProxi has recently joined the Wireless Power Consortium that creates the Qi standard, to incorporate its adaptive distance charging into Qi 2.0.When you put a device down on a pad using PowerbyProxi charging that should beat the 70% efficiency Qi claims to achieve, but it will also let you charge things a few inches away from the charger, and even upside down – as with Cota, they don't need to be in direct contact.
The magnetic resonance charging Qualcomm is using to charge electric cars is more efficient than inductive coupling, but the coils need to be much larger; although a large coil can send power six feet, a coil that fits in your phone could only be a foot away from the charger.
The only technology that claims to match Cota's 30 feet is charging by laser; that could go up to 300 feet but there are still potential safety issues and your phone has to be in direct line of sight. Ultrasound charging could reach up to ten feet and could deliver 40W (enough to charge a laptop) but you need a separate charger for every device and Hatem doesn't believe it's as efficient as Cota, which can send its 1W up to 30 feet in all directions and cover all the rooms in a two-storey house (at least in US buildings where brick walls are rare).
"Transmitting at 80KHz ultrasound loses half the energy for every metre it travels, and it doesn't go through walls well, it gets absorbed. It's like when someone has a party down the road and you can hear the bass from their music; you hear the low frequencies but it's the high frequencies you need for charging." He also believes his target $99 price for Cota will be cheaper than ultrasound equivalents.
We've seen a lot of wireless power demonstrations and Cota is still a prototype, but it works – and it reuses enough existing components that manufacturing shouldn't be too pricy. In a couple of years time, you might be able to buy a Wi-Fi access point that not only gets your devices online but powers them as well.
Being able to charge devices without plugging them in has several advantages. The power port takes up a small amount of space, which could be used for a bigger battery or more memory; it's also another hole in the case that makes it harder to create waterproof devices. But if there will always be power available, designers can make different decisions.
A phone could be thinner and lighter with a very small battery that just gets topped up all the time, or a device could be more powerful instead of optimising for battery life. "Devices like remote controls are still dumb," complains Zeiner; "the remote doesn't know the state of the TV or what buttons do when you're in different modes. The cleverer learning remotes drain so much power that you have to charge them far more often. The power needs stop remote controls from getting more useful."
Apply that to other things in your home; almost everything from smoke alarms to the clock on the oven to the future Internet of Things sensors could be easier to manage and more useful if you didn't have to worry about the batteries running out.
- Now why not find out which is the best cloud storage: Dropbox vs Google Drive vs iCloud and more
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Canon PowerShot G16 vs Nikon Coolpix P7800
Often billed as the ideal companion for a DSLR when its too big, heavy or inconvenient, the premium compact camera sector of the market is one that seems to continue to do well in an otherwise declining market.
Premium compacts such as the Canon PowerShot G16 and Nikon Coolpix P7800 appeal to enthusiast photographers because they allow full manual control and shoot in raw format.
Canon's G series has long been considered the gold standard of premium compacts. The latest model, the G16, features a 12.1 million-pixel sensor and inbuilt Wi-Fi. It goes square on head to head with the Nikon P7800, which also features a 12.1 million pixel sensor, but comes with an integrated electronic viewfinder.
Here we compare the two to see which is the better investment.
Canon G16 vs Nikon P7800: Handling
The G16 is easy to use, with menus arranged very sensibly with a number of direct access dials and buttons. On top of the camera, you'll find two dials, one for switching modes and another for adjusting exposure compensation. A dial on the front of the camera is used to adjust aperture or shutter speed (depending on the shooting mode).Meanwhile, the P7800 is another nicely built camera, with a pleasing number of dials and buttons. Here you'll also find an exposure compensation dial, with a handy light which indicates when it has been moved away from 0. There are also two handy customisable function buttons along with a quick menu button for accessing used settings.
Winner: Draw
Canon G16 vs Nikon P7800: Image Quality
Our lab tests indicate that the Canon produces better raw format files than the Nikon, which is useful if you like to work with your images in post-production. We've found that real world images display a great amount of colour and detail. Low light performance is also excellent, as is the ability to shoot at 9fps. The Canon's lens, offering a maximum aperture of f/1.8-2.8 also beats the Nikon's.Image quality is also very good from the P7800, with our labs tests suggesting that JPEG images are marginally better (for dynamic range and signal to noise ratio) than the Canon – good if you don't want the hassle of post production. Although the lens has a longer zoom range (7.1x compared to 5x), it doesn't have the maximum wide aperture of the G16. This might make a more appealing proposition to travelling photographers.
Winner: Canon G16
Canon G16 vs Nikon P7800: screens and viewfinders
The G16 keeps the same fixed screen as the G15. It's a good performer, viewable from a decent range of angles. It would be nice to see a touchscreen, especially as its sibling the Canon PowerShot S120 has an excellent one. The direct viewfinder is basically a hole in the top of the camera, so there's no information (such as aperture) to work with. Previous generations of the G series had an articulating screen, but Canon seems to have decided that a fixed screen is a better all round option, and it does keep the size down.Nikon is giving both barrels in the EVF and screen war, with a fully articulating screen, useful for composing from awkward angles and self-portraits. The screen is also an RGBW device, with the W standing for white, representing the extra white pixels which give it increased brightness and contrast. Meanwhile, Nikon scrapped its optical viewfinder in the last generation of the P range, but it has now reintroduced a finder - an electronic one. It's only small, but it does have 921,000 dots and is useful. There's no sensor for judging when it has been lifted to your eye, however, which is a shame.
Winner: Nikon P7800
Canon G16 vs Nikon P7800: extras
The G16's inbuilt Wi-Fi can be used to transfer images across to a smartphone or tablet, or upload directly to services such as Facebook, making it good for social sharers. Unfortunately, the free app (available for iOS and Android), doesn't give you the ability to control the camera remotely, which seems a shame. The G16 also has a number of scene modes and digital filters as well as the fun "Hybrid Auto" mode which creates a short video compiled of clips shot before each photo taken per day. The new star mode enables the easy and automatic capture of star trails, star time lapse and star nightscape.Sadly there's no inbuilt Wi-Fi on the P7800, with Nikon still insisting consumers purchase an extra Wi-Fi and GPS module. There are some scene modes though, and a few special effects to choose from. If you want to create a panoramic image, you'll find this hidden away in one of the scene options, but at least it is available, unlike on the G16. Both of the cameras have a hotshoe, which means you can attach external accessories, such as flashguns.
Winner: Canon G16
Canon G16 vs Nikon P7800: Price
At £489/$489, the G16 is a significant investment, costing more than an entry-level DSLR. However, you do get maximum flexibility, full manual control, raw shooting and a pocketable device, making this an excellent second camera. It's a touch more expensive than the P7800 in the UK, so if you're on a tighter budget, perhaps look to the Nikon.In the US, these cameras are the same price. Both offer a lot for your money, despite the high price tag. Bear in mind though, that you will have to pay extra for a Wi-Fi module for the Nikon P7800 if you need it.
It's also worth noting that both of these cameras are significantly cheaper than the Sony RX100 II, which is huge competition in this segment of the market.
Winner: Draw
Verdict
It's a tough call choosing between these two cameras. Ultimately it may come down to brand preference or how much you need Wi-Fi or an articulated screen. Overall, we think the G16 offers more value for money, with a better lens and a more pocketable body size. That said, the Sony RX100 II is also definitely worthy of a look, as it has a larger sensor but a comparable body size.Don't forget to check out the full Canon PowerShot G16 review and Nikon Coolpix P7800 review for more in-depth analysis as well as plenty of sample images and labs data.
Winner: Canon G16
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Samsung Galaxy Gear now free with Galaxy Note 3 contract at UK retailer
The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch has endured such a poor response from consumers that one UK retailer is now giving the accessory away free, for a limited time.
Phones 4U is offering a free Galaxy Gear with all new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 contracts, making a mockery of Samsung's recommended price for the watch, which has been on sale less than two months.
The deal lasts until November 14 in store and online from Phones 4U, so it'll be interesting to see whether the Galaxy Gear holds enough appeal to approve sign ups at the retailer.
So far the smartwatch, hasn't fared any better in the US than in the UK, with reports claiming a third have been returned to Best Buy stores.
Lacking 'something special'
The device, which has 1.6-inch Super AMOLED 320 x 320 and a 1.9-megapixel camera, allows users to make and receive phone calls as well as read and reply to SMS messages, courted little favour in TechRadar's review, earning just 2 stars out of a possible 5.Samsung itself has admitted the first iteration of the Galaxy Gear lacks 'something special,' but says there are big plans to improve the device.
"We've acknowledged that our Gear lacks something special," an unnamed Samsung spokesperson told The Korea Times in September. "With more investment for user interface and user experience, Samsung devices will be better in terms of customer satisfaction."
Will you be picking up a free Galaxy Gear in the next week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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