Updated: Google's Glass Basecamp stores are closing their doors, shifting to online focus
Update: A Google spokesperson told TechRadar that Google is shifting the focus of its Basecamp experience toward the online space.
"Since most of our sales and support for Glass takes place online, we're shifting our Basecamp space accordingly," the spokesperson said. "We remain committed to Glass and are busy putting feedback from Explorers into the future version."
That sure sounds a lot better than "Nobody wants Google Glass, abort abort abort!" and it should reassure Glass users that Google isn't abandoning the project.
What form the Basecamp stores will ultimately take, though, remains unclear.
Original story follows…
The past couple of weeks have not been great for Google Glass users, and now to top it off it looks like Glass Basecamp locations in the US may be shutting down.
Google Glass Basecamps are the pop-ups in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles where Glass users could get technical support, try out different colors and accessories and more.
But according to Phandroid these stores are no longer taking new appointments, indicating they may be shutting down.
Bad sign/good sign
The Google Glass Basecamps were likely always meant to be temporary, but with the consumer version of Glass likely pushed into 2015 it probably isn't a good sign if they're closing already.Then again this could just be a natural part of Google's transition into the consumer Glass launch or into purely online sales on Google Play for its existing and future Glass headsets.
We've asked Google to confirm whether the Basecamps are closing and what that means for Google Glass, and we'll update if we hear back.
Read More ...
Blip: Kickstarter has axed a game system that actually draws your blood
Letting a video game system literally take blood out of you when you get hit in a video game is certainly one way to make games more immersive, but it also crosses a line as far as Kickstarter is concerned.
Let's be clear: this wasn't some stunt. The "Blood Sport," as it's dubbed, was designed to make donating blood more fun. With help from professionals you'd get a needle stuck in your arm, and when your character took damage it would suck blood out and into a donation bag.
The project was active on Kickstarter from November 18 to November 24, during which time it earned just $3,000 (about £1,900, AU$3,500) of its intended $222K (about £141K, AU$257K) goal.
They had intended to take Blood Sport on a multi-city tour, collecting headshots and blood in equal measure. It's unclear why Kickstarter put the kibosh on that, but there are probably a lot of people out there right now - people who want to donate blood but suck at video games - who are just a little bit relieved.
More blips
You won't need a cookie and a juice box after reading more of TechRadar's blips (though you might as well treat yourself anyway).- Apple loses $24 million battle over decades-old pager patents
- This experimental game console could be the worst idea ever
- 'Hodor' the Google app and it will 'Hodor' you right back
Read More ...
Windows Phone 8.1 'Denim' update promised to 'roll out soon'
We deal a lot with rumors and hearsay in this industry, so it's nice - if unusual - when an official source just comes right out and says something.
Cue the official Microsoft Lumia Twitter account, which said today that the "Denim" update for Windows Phone 8.1 "will roll out soon following testing and operator approvals."
You have to love the smiley face they tacked on to the end, as well.
How soon is "soon"?
"Soon" could mean any number of things where Microsoft is concerned, but it's at least nice to have them address the question directly.UK carrier O2 said on November 17 that Microsoft had yet to send it the Denim update for testing, and that even though some Lumia devices might get it sooner most users will have to wait until 2015 as a result.
Given that it's late November, 2015 could definitely be considered "soon," so Lumia owners anxious for the latest OS version might just have to wait until the new year.
Hopefully the new Cortana features, 4K video and more that are expected in Denim will be worth the wait.
Read More ...
Industry voice: 5 tips for successfully moving applications to the cloud
Five Tips for Successfully Moving Applications to the Cloud
The cloud is attractive to businesses because it offers unmatched flexibility along with savings and expanded capabilities. That's why migration to the cloud is expected to continue, with an anticipated cloud spending expansion rate of 25% in 2015 to surpass $100 billion, according to IDC predictions. Industry analyst firm Gartner predicts that worldwide cloud services spending will top $677 billion from 2013 through 2017, factoring in the rapidly growing sector of cloud advertising.
Your company may understandably be weighing a jump on the cloud bandwagon; the advantages can be significant. But before you make a decision, it's important to fully understand your goals and the risks involved in making the move. By planning ahead, you can improve your chances of a successful migration and achieve long-term benefits. Here are five tips that can help you prepare your business to move applications to the cloud.
1. Define your ROI. Before you make a move to the cloud, take the time to outline the expected savings over your company's existing costs. Conduct a detailed analysis, factoring in elements like expected hardware savings, reduced staffing expenses, lower energy costs, application changes and organizational efficiency. This will help you get a clearer picture of your objectives.
2. Identify applications that will need additional protection. Classifying information assets is an important component of a successful move to the cloud. Take a look at account requirements for physical and technical security, as well as your procedural and legal obligations. It's crucial to accurately identify, classify and protect information at all levels to achieve a successful move.
3. Make sure your applications will perform well in the cloud. If you intend to migrate existing code, it's crucial to make sure it's compatible with cloud operations. It may need to be refactored due to the different underlying architectures that support cloud-hosted applications and systems. You can optimize performance of cloud applications by code refactoring, and should consider doing so whenever you change to a different infrastructure.
4. Find out who will monitor application performance. Deploying applications to the cloud is no more a one-off event than installing applications on internal servers. Your business likely depends on the performance of key applications and systems, so you'll need to continuously monitor performance yourself, or make sure your cloud partner will do it for you.
5. Make sure you have a plan if something goes wrong. Even if you test a migration repeatedly, it's possible that you'll experience issues and have to roll it back to keep operations running while you find a fix. Make sure you have a plan in place before you deploy an application in a cloud environment.
The acceleration to the cloud is expected to continue for the foreseeable future because of the many benefits companies gain when they make the move. But it's important to keep in mind that the cloud isn't for every business. Weigh your options carefully, and if you decide that moving applications to the cloud is right for your business, keep these tips in mind to make sure your migration is a success.
- Travis Nisbett is a Senior Product Manager at Hostway Services
Read More ...
Apple might be developing its own virtual reality apps
Virtual reality is currently the realm of Oculus Rift, Facebook, Samsung, and Sony - with a little Google thrown in - but Apple may soon join the fray as well.
It certainly seems that way based on an Apple job listing for an app engineer with experience with "virtual reality systems."
"This engineer will create high performance apps that integrate with Virtual Reality systems for prototyping and user testing," the ad reads.
It also lists iOS and OS X app development and "VR/AR development" experience (i.e. virtual reality/augmented reality) as requirements.
Read between the screens
Naturally the listing doesn't go into detail beyond these requirements, but it's not hard to see where Apple might be going with it.Virtual reality is still on the cusp of really taking off, but with heavy hitters like Sony (with Project Morpheus), Facebook (which owns Oculus VR) and even Google (which punked everyone with a cardboard headset this year) in the mix there's little doubt that it will.
There are even third-party accessories, like the Pinć, that do for the iPhone what Samsung's and Oculus's Gear VR does for the Galaxy Note 4, turning it into a VR display mounted to your face.
Add Apple in officially and you just might be looking at the next big thing in tech.
Read More ...
Review: Logitech G910 Orion Spark
Using a basic, sub-$20 USB keyboard for gaming has satisfied my needs for years. With it, I’ve had my share of wins and losses. But whichever side of the scoreboard I ended up on, I’ve kept the capabilities of my hardware separate from my skill (or lack thereof). My current keyboard isn’t anything special, but most of the time it’s fine by me.
Other times, I imagine having a better keyboard, namely a mechanical keyboard for gaming. I would still suck, but this ideal keyboard would do everything in its design to help me be the best I can be and look awesome doing it. I’ve spent time with that keyboard recently, the $179.99 (£159.00, AU$249.95) Logitech G910 Orion Spark.
Design
Switching from a light and super-basic Logitech K120 (don’t judge me!) to the Logitech G910 was a reality check. Coming in at just over 3 pounds, this keyboard surely won’t be slipping around on your desk surface. But if you do want to play with it on your lap, the thick, 6 foot cable linking it to a USB port will allow it.The G910 is outfitted with 113 keys and dedicated media controls. Inside the keys are Logitech’s proprietary switches, which are seated in a square housing. With a free download of Logitech Gaming Software, you can go ape with whichever color configuration you’d like. Whether you want to paint each key a different colored strobe, break keys into groups, or set the entire keyboard to display a cool, looped lighting effect, that freedom is yours.
The keys on the left side that get the most action in-game (WASD included) have raised edges on three sides to keep your fingers from slipping forward on those keys. On the right side, the right and left lips are raised. These don’t keep your fingers from slipping forward, but the differentiation in design helps make no-look navigation easier.
Some other keys worth mentioning are the 9 “G keys” or macro keys. With the Logitech Gaming Software, you can relocate crucial functions to these keys. With a decent catalog of keyboard control profiles for recent blockbuster games, you’ll have no problem setting up your custom control schemes with the 9 macro keys. It’s a better offering than the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, which we knocked for only having 5 macro keys, with those being uncomfortably close to the main body of keys.
The “Game Mode” key near the media controls is a clever addition, but serves little purpose. When activated, it prevents you from being warped out of the game by accidentally pressing the Windows key during gameplay. Also, the keyboard includes 2 swappable palm rests, a large and a small in case you have a preference. Lastly, the “Arx Dock Release” slot holds your phone, which when running Logitech’s Arx Control app for iOS and Android, displays your PC’s vitals on your smartphone.
Performance
Throughout my time with the G910, it never batted an eye or misbehaved. The keys have a satisfying give, but don’t have that signature “click” you may expect from, say, a set of Cherry MX Blue keys. If this is a deal breaker, check out the similarly priced, LED-packed, and Cherry MX Red switch-infused Corsair K70 RGB. Still, the G910 supports 70 million presses and for that, I could see it lasting me several years.But to hardcore gamers, whom this was engineered for, 70 million key presses will last considerably less time. That reality shouldn’t be of any concern, as the investment, no matter how long it lasts, will help to hone skills and win games.
Typing feels quick and easy. I ran a test to see if its wired up to prevent ghosting and was pleased to discover that there was not one instance. Feel free to check out the fun testing method and to see how your current keyboard measures up.
The G910 is a keyboard that is comfortable to use, doesn’t require heavy key presses to type, and can perform a ton of functions with ease thanks to the thoughtfully designed software that backs it up.
We liked
Though its promotional material might convince you that the G910 will appeal exclusively to the energy drink-guzzling, DOTA diehards, its design doesn’t break too far out of the mold of what makes a great keyboard. Logitech instead opts to refine the subtleties of design and functionality, which go a long way in making it accessible to both MOBA veterans and casual users alike.I also like that it will last a long time because…
We disliked
...using the keyboard, I could never wipe from my mind that it costs $179.99 (£159.00, AU$249.95). Though, if you have that kind of money, this is surely one to look out for.Although it’s perfectly functional and quite handy for the casual user, there’s nothing casual about the space it consumes on a desk. I share a desk, it was a problem. It will fit better into a dedicated gaming battlestation.
Final verdict
If you’re serious about PC gaming, the Logitech G910 Orion Spark is a carefully engineered mechanical keyboard worth its weight in LEDs. That said, folks may feel put-off about the premium price tag or lack of aural tactile feedback, which is understandable.But if you’re willing to look past the $179.99 sticker price you’ll earn a long-lasting, comfy and tricked-out PC companion.
Read More ...
Updated: CES 2015: what we expect to see
What we expect to see
CES officially invades Las Vegas January 6 - January 9, 2015. Those dates may seem far away, but as anyone who follows the show knows, they'll be here before you can say, "Happy New Year."Already we've had info coming in revealing what the annual tech fest will hold, though of course many mysteries still wait in those desert conference corridors.
Read on for company-by-company breakdown of what we expect to see during the 2015 edition of the International Consumer Electronics Show, and let us know in the comments if there's anything you're particularly keen on seeing. We'll keep an eye out for it.
Sony
Sony always comes out swinging at CES, and we expect this year to be no different.The company is hosting the prerequisite press conference on January 5, and it's here it plans to parade "the latest products and technology in 4K UHD, Hi-Res Audio, Digital Imaging and Mobile." If that doesn't spell it out for you, we're not sure what will.
While the thought of more 4K TVs is certainly tantalizing, the possibility of seeing the Xperia Z4 onstage is what really has our interest piqued. The firm announced its new Exmor RS IMX230 camera sensor in mid-November, and though it packs the same 21MP resolution as the Xperia Z3, it features a number of new features, including a CMOS image sensor that can track rapidly moving subjects.
A report from PhoneArena has the handset, said to come equipped with a larger QHD sreen, joined at CES by an even heftier Xperia Z4 Ultra. Among the rumored upgrades, both new phones could sport a heaving 4GB of RAM. What those extra GBs will bring is anyone's guess, but they'll sure look good on a spec sheet.
We also expect Sony to return to the wearable conversation; the tech is poised to be a major focus of CES 2015, and Sony should have more to say on its Core fitness tracker.
Samsung
Samsung's CES 2014 press conference will live on in infamy thanks to Michael Bay, but this year we expect the Korean firm to rebound with products that steal the show, not imploding directors.It's par for the course Samsung will unveil its latest TV line, and we expect a follow-up to the bendable TV unveiled last time around (maybe one that folds in half!). Some of the firm's CES '14 televisions had gorgeous curves, making a repeat of sloped screens highly likely.
But that leaves us wondering, what else? Will we see the next iteration of Pro tablets? It's possible. A new laptop? Less likely. More washing machines? Oh, you know it.
What would really knock our socks off is an update to the company's smartwatch and fitness tracker line-up and, if we can be so bold, some talk around Gear VR. That's all speculation on our part, but not out of the realm of possibility.
Samsung's plans may have yet to fully crystallize, but you can bet one of if not the biggest brands at CES will do it up this year. Especially if it wants you to forget about Michael Bay.
LG
As it does every year, LG is kicking off media day with an 8am PT press conference. It's early, it's packed, and it usually leaves us looking to MWC for the memorable consumer electronic goods. In short, like a $5 buffet breakfast, we get our fill of announcements but are hungry for more an hour later.Last CES was all about the match-up between LG and Samsung on the TV battlefront, and that should continue over to CES 2015. What that means in terms of significant come-to-market announcements is likely not much, but it should make for good viewing.
LG's press conference invite is predictably vague, offering only the chance to "enjoy a sneak peek at what's in store for 2015" and hear from LG execs about "product introductions and business strategies for the year." Unfortunately "product introductions" probably doesn't mean the LG G4.
Instead, look for the aforementioned televisions, some of them massive, more than a mention of webOS and a wearable, plus various smart home products.
Valve and other Steam Machine makers
Well, about the only thing you can expect from Valve is that it won't be at CES 2015, despite having a huge presence at the last show.The Portal maker informed TechRadar it won't be attending CES in the New Year, saving its Steam Machine mojo for March's GDC.
Although the impetus behind the Steam Machine movement is sitting this CES out, other companies like Alienware, Maingear and Gigabyte could be present to show off their PC-gaming-in-the-living-room wares. We haven't heard anything definite, but we don't expect CES 2015 to be totally Steam Machine deficient.
What we want to see: #1 - #5
The ramifications of CES 2014 are still being felt in everything from TVs to processors to wearables. CES 2015 promises to be an even bigger show, full of the innovative, the inspiring and the impossible.We've put together a list of what we want to see at CES 2015, so read on for our hopes and best guesses for the show. And don't forget to let us know what you're pining for come January, too.
1. TV innovation beyond the bend and curve
We get it. You can bend and curve (see here and here) a TV. Big whoop. How about revealing some television innovation that truly improves our viewing experience?CES 2014 was all about the curved TV screen for big guns Samsung and LG - who could make it bigger, thinner and curvier without folding? The problem was, was there even a problem for these concave couch curlers to solve?
As Dan Grabham asked in his CES hands on review of the 105-inch curved Ultra HD TV from LG, "do we really need curved TVs?"
The answer, from looking at the market, is no. Yes, there was an awe factor when unveiling these futurist devices in front of ravenous consumer-tech crowds, but when the lights faded and everyone went home, we weren't buying these sets.
Instead of trying to lure us in with more bends and curves, we want Samsung, LG and others to announce more 4K content and a viable system to deliver it to consumers at CES 2015. We know it's not the sexiest subject, especially since we've already seen 4K-and-beyond TVs, but why not give us stuff to actually watch on the growing field of ultra high-res screens?
There's currently no reason for the average person to buy a pricey 4K TV because there simply isn't that much 4K content to watch on them. If Samsung, LG, et al can come up with the content and fast, reliable ways to get it to consumers, we may leave Las Vegas truly impressed and excited for the living room screen's future.
Update: LG gave us a taste of what its future TV innovation has in store. In mid-July, the company posted a YouTube video of its flexible 18-inch OLED display. It's a neat trick and one that could have actual benefit to consumers, like fitting larger screens in unconventional spaces. Might we see the tech at CES 2015? We'd sure like to.
2. Stop the 4K TV price madness
It's no secret that 4K TVs are astronomically expensive, but on July 22 Samsung took it to a whole new level by revealing the price of the 105-inch curved 4K TV it showed off during CES 2014. The damage? A whopping $120,000 (about £70,333, AU$127,732).Talk about going from wow factor to ow factor.
We understand the parts for these high-res beasts are expensive, but it'd be fantastic if Samsung, LG and other makers of 4K TVs could lower the price of their products in addition to giving us stuff to watch on them.
It may take years before 4K TV prices are within most people's budgets, but the movement could start at this upcoming CES. We want to see top-tier TV manufacturers like Samsung reduce the price by one digit with a $999 price tag for a 50-incher.
This may be wishful thinking, but it's not unreasonable to want TV makers to begin to bring down the prices of the technology it carts out to amaze us.
3. More than just more tablets from Samsung
Director Michael Bay's meltdown was the most memorable moment of Samsung's CES 2014 press conference. Unfortunately for the Galaxy tablets also wheeled out during the presser, they were upstaged. Hard.Samsung has unveiled even more tablets since CES, leading us to plea, "Enough!" We're heading into the pre-CES months hoping Samsung can cook up a mobile device (yes, just one) that will hold its own next to celebrity implosions and smart laundry machines.
The Korean firm intrigued with its Youm flexible phone screens during CES 2013 - perhaps it will be ready to unveil a consumer-ready foldable phone or tablet during 2015's dance? With LG revealing roll-up displays (destined for TVs, to be sure), Samsung may be feeling the heat to bring a bendy phone/tablet to market.
4. Steam Machine pricing and availability
No doubt the people's favorite at CES 2014 was Valve and its army of Steam Machine partners, not to mention the Steam Controller.Valve hasn't kept quiet; since January, the company held a developer conference, showed off its VR headset and, in not so good news, announced Steam Machines won't arrive in consumer homes until 2015. It's the last point we want addressed at CES.
While at least one non-Valve Steam Box - the Alienware Alpha - should be out this year, we want the release date and price questions resolved for everyone else. In other words, we want CES 2015 to be brimming with Steam Machine news, including word of a truly affordable one.
Aside from Alienware, the rest of the pack, led by Valve, should get its act together by CES 2015. Of course, anyone familiar with Gabe Newell's crew knows speed is not their calling card, so while we can hope, we won't hold our breath.
5. LG and Huawei deliver standout smartphones
It's a long shot to think LG will actually unveil a smartphone during CES as it hasn't the last two years and typically saves such unveilings for MWC. Nevertheless, this is a list of what we want to see, right?Along with Huawei, LG could use CES to gain massive exposure with a knockout smartphone. The LG G3 isn't chopped liver, but perhaps LG could put its foldable display tech to work bending like a Cirque du Soleil performer?
As for Huawei, the Chinese firm is trying mightily to break into the US market. What better way to re-re-introduce itself to US buyers than with a carrier-backed, affordable and better-than-average phone announced in Sin City? Hell, trot out AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega or, better yet, T-Mobile CEO John Legere to say a few words. Even better, bring them both onstage and see what happens.
We digress, but the point is CES has become stagnant on the smartphone announcement front. We'd love to see LG and Huawei liven up the proceedings with a phone that makes us drool.
What we want to see: #6 - #9
6. Next-level wearables
Wearables are here, and they're beyond what even Dick Tracy could have imagined. CES 2014 saw its share of fitness and activity trackers, but in the subsequent months the market has exploded (relative to what it was, at least).Android Wear has ushered in a new era of wearable tech, and there's more than a fair chance we'll see the Apple iWatch announced before CES 2015 gets off the ground.
Although wearables are gaining steam, there's always room for improvement. Our wish list for CES 2015 wearables includes waterproofing, more with heart rate monitors, standalone smarties that don't need a mobile device and more full-featured smartwatches that are compatible with different OSes.
The last one is another long shot, but as TechRadar's resident wearables expert Matt Swider opines, it'd be nice to be able to have an Android Wear smartwatch that worked with an iOS device, and vice versa.
There's little doubt CES 2015 will be filled to the walls with wearables. One manufacturer - Lenovo - has confirmed it plans to unveil new wearable devices during the Vegas gathering.
The question is, will the new batch of wearables be much of an improvement of the ones we already have?
7. Virtual reality in Las Vegas
Just like wearables, we're no longer speaking of VR as a far-off possibility. There are a number of big-name contenders that, while not quite ready for consumers, are pretty damn close to being released. Oculus Rift is eyeing 2015, Sony's Project Morpheus is moving along and Samsung Gear VR is looking increasingly ready to reveal itself.That's not to mention the other smaller firms working on virtual reality gear (like the Virtuiz Omni) and the gaggle of developers likely to spring up after Oculus' VR conference in September.
CES is as much about entertainment as it is anything else, so VR-related innovations are well within the scope of the show. We want to see more VR content (games, apps, movies, etc.), more polished products and, if it's not revealed at IFA 2014, Samsung's VR headset.
Gear VR will likely be a serious Rift and Morpheus competitor, so come CES, we hope Samsung and anyone else dabbling in virtual reality are ready to bring it on.
8. Truly good 2-in-1s
It's not CES unless a cacophony of computers make their voices heard. There will be PCs of every stripe at CES 2015, but we're looking specifically at 2-in-1s for right now.HP, Dell, Acer and Asus are just a few of the notable names we're putting money on to unveil new tablet/laptop hybrids, so it's not a matter of if they'll be announced but rather of how good they'll be.
There's a chance Windows 9 will release this fall, which would already be an improvement over Windows 8.1. Even if we don't go all the way up to nine, Windows 8.2 may be ready to rumble come January 2015.
Aside from a souped-up OS (assuming most of the hybrids will run Windows), the advances in processors like AMD's Beema and Mullins APUs and Intel's Core M could make the 2015 crop of 2-in-1s the best to date.
If the build quality matches better internal specs, 2-in-1s may be the sleeper hit of CES 2015.
9. Smarter cars than ever before
Toyota ran away with our Best of CES 2014 awards thanks to its hydrogen-powered car. Part of our reasoning in giving the FCV the top spot was because of its industry-changing position as the first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle. Its impact, we reasoned, would be far reaching and vastly positive.Next CES, we want more of the same. We want cars that run on next-gen energy sources and we want cars that don't need a driver at all. Google typically doesn't drop by CES, but that doesn't mean automated cars from different venders can't make an appearance.
Speaking of Google, we fully expect automakers to show off their Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay-equipped models. For those who haven't picked a side, CES 2015 is the perfect time to call shotgun.
Car infotainment systems are in some ways still in their infancy, so we're excited to see what solutions await. Especially if it means going for a test-drive.
Read More ...
Review: Lenovo Z40
Introduction
Going with a budget laptop will save you bit more cash at the bank, but it often also means putting up with a lot of trade offs. Whether it's an unattractive chassis, poor performance, color washed screen or a truncated battery life, computer manufacturers have to cut corners somewhere to break even on an affordably-priced machine. For the most part, it's an unavoidable process.However, with the Lenovo Z40 I don't think its maker simply cut too many corners getting to its target price point. Starting at $599 (£399, AU$799), this dirt cheap 14-inch multimedia machine is seriously hampered by a short 3 hour battery life and low quality LCD screen.
I'm sad to say that this is a laptop you'll want to steer clear of. Let's get into what led me to be terribly disappointed with the Lenovo Z40.
Design
Once you've seen one budget laptop, you've seen them all – this couldn't be truer of the Lenovo Z40. For starters, the display lid is made of a plain, semi-glossy plastic that bends easily while catching an assortment of fingerprints and smudges with a single touch. You'll also leave plenty of fingerprints just opening up this machine, thanks to the Lenovo Z40's glossy plastic bezel.
Luckily, things look a little better with the laptop's underside, which features a slightly textured plastic and large rubber feet. Overall, the Z40 is one of Lenovo's least uniform designs yet, as the frame is comprised of five different pieces of material (six counting the keyboard deck).
The only slightly higher-end piece of material you'll find on the Z40 is an aluminum plate used for the laptop's interior. It comes as a single piece for the palm rests and surrounding the keyboard deck. Unfortunately, even this small bit of metal still flexes easily and does not add anything at all to the overall rigidity of the machine.
As ever, you'll find Lenovo's excellent AccuType keyboard but you'll feel tiny vibrations with every keystroke. The trackpad is also surprisingly small considering the large 14-inch chassis, so you'll spend a lot of time repeatedly swiping across its surface to move the cursor around.
Specifications and performance
The Lenovo Z40 is a heavy machine, considering it's 14-inch screen size and almost entirely plastic frame. Even the Z40's screen backflipping cousin the Lenovo Flex 14 is a lighter machine, tipping the scales at 4.4 pounds. The Acer Aspire V7 also weighs in at a very similar 4.41 pounds.You'll also likely have trouble slipping the Z40 into a bag, as it measures a pudgy 13.74 x 9.6 x 0.97 inches. It was a snug fit trying to stuff the Z40 into my messenger bag designed with a medium-sized notebook sleeve.
Meanwhile, it was a fools errand to try and slip it into some of my smaller bags. The Flex 14 is ever so slightly thinner and smaller at 13.25 x 9.50 x 0.85 inches, while the Acer Aspire V7 measures in at 13.4 x 9.4 x 0.9 inches.
Here is the Lenovo Z40 configuration given to TechRadar:
Spec sheet
- CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U (dual-core, 3MB cache, up to 2.60 GHz with Turbo Boost)
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 820M (2GB GDDR5 RAM)
- RAM: 6GB DDR3L (1,600Mhz)
- Screen: 14-inch HD (1366 x 768) LED
- Storage: 500GB; 8GB SSD cache
- Optical drive: Dual-layer DVD
- Ports: 2 USB 2.0, HDMI, 2-in-1 SD/MMC card reader, Ethernet
- Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Camera: Integrated HD 720p Camera
- Weight: 4.62 pounds
- Size: 13.74 x 9.6 x 0.97 inches (W x D x H)
Also, interested UK and Australian readers won't be able to find the Z40 in their respective home countries. Instead, those in the UK can pick up the Z50, which comes with a larger 15-inch, 1080p screen, only 4GB of memory and a slower Intel Core i3-4030U processor for £399.
Similarly, only the Z50 is available in Australia with a much worse-equipped base configuration. Starting at AU$799, the laptop comes with a lower resolution 1366 x 768 display, Intel Core i3-4005U CPU and no discrete graphics – but on the bright side, there's 8GB of RAM.
At such an affordable price point, the Lenovo Z40 falls into a large segment of equally, and in some ways, better-equipped notebooks. Take the first generation Lenovo Flex 14, for instance. That model comes priced $568 (about £363, AU$655) with a touchscreen, more RAM as well as a faster 128GB SSD storage drive. The only drawback to this cheaper, transforming multimedia laptop is that it lacks a dedicated graphics card for some casual gaming.
The $899 (about £574, AU$1,035) Acer Aspire V7 is another machine I've rated highly and would easily recommend. It's becoming increasingly hard to come by and it comes sporting a dated Nvidia GeForce GT 750M GPU, but the machine packs more enough power to get you through a day of tasks while making everything look great with its 1080p screen.
Performance
The only saving grace for this laptop is that it delivers decent performance. The Lenovo Z40 ran swimmingly with all my daily computing needs from image editing, web browsing and streaming 1080p videos.
The rig was even able to keep up with some modern games such as Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Shadow of Mordor. That said, I had to turn most of the graphical options to their lowest settings in order to run these said titles with a maximum frame rate of 30 and 50 frames per second (fps), respectively.
Benchmarks
- 3DMark: Ice Storm: 36,948; Cloud Gate: 4,456; Fire Strike: 835
- Cinebench CPU: 215 points; Graphics: 34.47 fps
- PCMark 8 (Home Test): 2,347 points
- PCMark 8 Battery Life: 2 hours and 38 minutes
However, the Acer Aspire V7 tops out as the best performing machine despite needing to power a higher resolution screen and being saddled with a last generation Nvidia 750M graphics card (though punchier than the Nvidia 820M). The Aspire V7 put up a Fire Strike score of 1,456 points and PCMark 8 performance of 2,306 points.
Quick and not in a good way
Don't expect any longevity out of the Lenovo Z40. The PCMark 8 battery test completely wiped out the laptop after a quick 2 hours and 38 minutes. Running a laptop with regular use usually produces better numbers. Unfortunately, in this case the Z40 once again ran short and died after just 3 hours and 4 minutes.
These results are especially disappointing, because I did not run any strenuous programs other than playing two games of Hearthstone. Otherwise, there was only some light web browsing in Chrome with just five tabs open at a time, while playing Google Music, working on a Google Drive document, and watching a short 30 minute video on YouTube.
This is a woefully poor showing even for a budget PC. The battery life of both the Lenovo Flex 14 and Acer Aspire V7 stretch past 3 hours and 30 minutes, even if just by a few minutes.
Tunnel vision
As if the inexcusable battery life wasn't bad enough, the Lenovo Z40 also packs one of the worst screens I've ever seen on a laptop. The biggest problem with the display – aside from the poor contrast and lackluster brightness – is its extremely narrow viewing angles. Just by tilting your head slightly, you can go from seeing a viewable image to an unintelligible mess of dark pixels.With most other laptops, you can still get a good picture unless you're looking at it from rather wide angles. The Lenovo Z40, on the other hand, requires that you look at the image dead on. If you deviate even by just 10 degrees both vertically and horizontally, the picture quality drops off severely.
Bundled software
Thankfully, Lenovo kept it light with the bloatware on the Z40. Much of the included software is actually useful, aside from the 30-day trial of McAfee Internet Security, which you'll be much better off replacing with Windows Defender or another firewall program. Here's a list of the most important apps you'll want to keep around:- VeriFace Pro: Passwords – pfft, unlock your laptop with your face.
- Lenovo Companion: This dedicated tool lets you register your machine with Lenovo and check the warranty.
- Lenovo Support: A quick guide to an electronic Lenovo Z40 manual, knowledge base and Lenovo's official discussion forums.
- Amazon Kindle: eBooks are great, but more importantly, you'll also be able to read comics on your laptop with this app.
- Evernote: This cloud-based notes and documents database app has made it into smartphones and tablets, so why not your PC too.
Verdict
Overall, the Lenovo Z40 is a disappointing machine even with the admission that it was made with affordability in mind. There simply isn't anything of note or surprising about the laptop, all the while it has too many shortcomings.We liked
Honestly, this will be a very short section as really nothing to worthwhile to point out about this laptop. It offers some decent performance for everyday tasks, and you can even ask it to play some of the latest games to hit stores. That's the most positive thing I have to say about the Z40.We disliked
Even at first glance, the Z40 didn't inspire much confidence. Upon opening up the laptop, I was disappointed by the laptop's poor build quality and lack of uniform design.Using the screen is an absolute chore, as you'll have to steadily hold your neck in the same position, lest you encounter the display's extremely narrow viewing angles. Even when you do get a good picture, the screen is still hampered by its own dull brightness and washed out contrast.
Perhaps the most offensive thing users won't like about the Z40 is its well below average three hour battery life. Simply put, the Z40 is easily beat by the crop of Chromebooks out there when it comes to lasting power – and for hundreds less.
Final verdict
It's tough to recommend the Lenovo Z40 in any case, that's pretty much the long and short of it. There are plenty of better options out there. Even with its bigger price tag, I highly recommend the Acer Aspire V7 for a 14-inch laptop, if you can still find it. This model splits the difference between gaming and affordable laptops beautifully with a gorgeous screen and better performance than the Z40 overall.I'll also warily recommend the Lenovo Flex 14 for its stronger components and better price. Having reviewed the Lenovo Flex 2 15 as well, I can attest that Lenovo's budget machines are notorious for subpar screens. With that in mind, find either laptop in a store before making the purchase. Otherwise, I would recommend looking in either direction for a laptop, whether that's affordability and longevity or power in a premium build.
Read More ...
IBM's latest enterprise tool lets businesses create B2B storefronts
IBM is launching a new enterprise tool that lets businesses create storefronts through which to sell directly to other businesses.
The company describes a divide between how businesses sell to consumers through user-friendly digital stores, yet B2B transactions are often carried out through clunky and outdated "online catalogs" or "manual sales processes."
With IBM B2B Commerce, businesses can craft easy-to-use digital storefronts "in minutes with no technical skills or expertise," IBM's announcement reads.
"By infusing the power and simplicity of engaging consumer experiences into a B2B environment, IBM B2B Commerce allows companies to more easily execute even the most complex B2B transactions - from purchasing simple replacement parts to entire systems," the company says.
Smarter Commerce
IBM is launching B2B Commerce through its Smarter Commerce initiative, and it's powered by IBM's WebSphere Commerce platform.The company says B2B Commerce's drag-and-drop interface lets vendors "quickly model complex buying scenarios" and deploy B2B storefronts "in just minutes."
Buyer profiles let organizations give different customers their own entitlements and agreements, while integrated search and marketing tools ensure that customers are directed to the products the vendor wants them to see.
Head to IBM.com for more information about IBM B2B Commerce.
Read More ...
Review: ScanSnap iX100
Overview and how it works
Before I had the opportunity to review the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 ($199, £186.40, AU$232) I doubt I would have ever written the following opinion: scanning documents can be fun. Most of us have had jobs and internships that required us to stand for hours at a time in front of massive, radioactive, multi-function scanners. We fed documents into feeders. We lifted and lowered trays. We hated every second of it.With the ScanSnap iX100, you'll never have to expose yourself to the horrors of Oldsmobile-sized scanners. At just 14 ounces and 10.7-inches wide, the ScanSnap is a powerful, portable and easy-to-use device.
The miniature scanner allows you to wirelessly scan documents to the computer, mobile device or cloud storage utility of your choosing. Images and documents will be replicated perfectly into PDF and JPEG in just a few button-clicks. This can sometimes be problematic (more on that later), but your experience with the device will be thoroughly enjoyable (especially when compared to your grandfather's scanner).
How it works
To scan documents into a computer, all you need to do is plug your ScanSnap cord into your USB port, insert your document into the feeder and press the blue Scan button. Your document will be fed through the device. On your computer monitor you will be prompted to decide whether to end scanning or to add a new document to the feeder.When you're done scanning you will be prompted to choose where the image will be saved. You can choose from a variety of options, including any folder on your device, any printer connected to your network, email, iPhoto or cloud storage utilities like Google and Dropbox.
That's it. You're done.
Mobile scanning
If you prefer to scan to a mobile device you will have a different but equally simple experience. You will be required to download the ScanSnap Connect App on your smartphone.Once you're all set up and ready to scan, you will press the blue Scan button within the app, the document will be fed through the ScanSnap, and the document will be sent to your phone. Voila!
Mobile users have two options for connecting the device: 1) using an existing wi-fi connection within your home or office or 2) using the ScanSnap's dedicated wi-fi network to scan wherever you might find yourself needing a quick scan.
Use cases and final verdict
Use cases
The ScanSnap is ideal for people who constantly gather business cards, photos or other paper items that don't necessarily require physical copies. You can quickly load a business card into the machine, scan it and then use the device's CardMinder tool to store the card-owner's name and business information.It's also great for organizing receipts from business trips or from the grocery store.
You won't want to use the ScanSnap for multi-page scanning. Because you need to load each page individually, the scanner is best-suited for one-off scans. If you need to create a PDF of your graduate thesis, then your grandfather's scanner is probably a better bet.
Speed
The ScanSnap is incredibly fast. Fujitsu says the scanner can create a digital file of a Letter page in 5.2 seconds. I actually had a better experience. My full-color image was sent to and pulled through the machine in 3 seconds.The business cards I scanned went through the device in about one second.
If speed is your top requirement for purchasing a scanner, and you're only concerned with one-off scans, you'll absolutely love this machine.
Flaws
Because the device is so good at recreating images, you'll find that less-than-mint images will look even worse in digital formats than they do on paper. Dust, creases, and scratches will appear on images if the pages aren't completely clean. The image I scanned looked perfectly fine to the naked eye, but the scanner returned the following digital file (click to expand to see flaws):
The device claims to offer "Automatic Image Stitching," which allegedly connects folded or disattached images along their centerlines. I tried to do this, and it does work, to an extent; however, the image created won't be exact and you'll definitely see creases or tear marks when the final digital image is created.
Smartphones can create digital files of images. It's called a camera. If you simply take a photo of your receipt or document, you can run the file through Photoshop to convert it to a PDF or a JPEG. This means the ScanSnap is doing something you could already do. However, it does make it easier and more practical - if you're willing to spend almost $200.
We liked
The ScanSnap is incredibly fast, versatile and handy. It's a small device that can travel with you wherever you go and it can send your files wherever you need them sent.We disliked
Because it can only scan one page at a time, you'll likely want to use a normal scanner for multi-page jobs. Also, be careful how you treat your physical files - the ScanSnap will copy all image flaws (even the ones you can't see) and reproduce them on digital files. Because this is a luxury item and not a necessity, you may not want to spend $200.Verdict
I thoroughly enjoyed using the ScanSnap. It made creating expense reports and storing business cards easy and fast. It was so much faster than Fujitsu advertises it to be, which is always a pleasant surprise. However, I'm not sure I'd spend $200 on something that can only be qualified as a luxury item.
Read More ...
Industry voice: Knowing when to cash-in on the cloud
When considering the move to the online world of cloud and mobile working, the banking industry holds up a fantastic example of how consumer attitudes have shifted in the context of interacting online.
The public took a huge leap of faith when they first made physical deposits in banks, placing their trust in them that they would keep their money safe. Step forward some years, high street banking is the norm and we have moved on from physical cash deposits and cheques to the world of online banking. It is now commonplace for us to manage our personal finances over the internet, increasingly through smartphones and tablets.
According to the British Bankers' Association, bank customers now make 5.7 million transactions a day through mobile apps. That is a huge volume of sensitive personal data, moving between the palms of our hands and the banks' central data centres. But we know it, and we've come to trust that it is secure.
It may have been hard to envisage making bank transactions through a mobile phone twenty years ago, yet today many of us don't think twice when banking via the internet. Today, we're nearing the tipping point where the same is becoming true for cloud computing. Millions of us use cloud for personal use – many without even knowing it through services like Amazon, eBay, Webmail or even Office 365. With the UK cloud industry expected to be worth £6.1 billion this year, this shift in consumer mind set is being mirrored in the corporate world.
Better under lock and key?
Data security is one of the biggest concerns for businesses when considering a move to cloud, but take a look at how we treat the banks.Questions around security in the cloud should not simply revolve around data security, it's about physical security too. Just as you wouldn't leave your bank details on your desk, you wouldn't leave a device with sensitive data on the train. Security in the cloud context should not be thought of in terms of data alone - businesses must also set firm parameters when it comes to devices. Cloud is secured – and its job of providers to make that so.
Not if but when
The pendulum has swung and the considerations for businesses have evolved from whether cloud is a viable option to the practicalities of how to leverage it. There's a recognition that the worlds of business and technology have changed – the cloud has opened up new ways of doing business, of communicating, collaborating, and managing data.Businesses should treat the cloud as a way of solving a business issue, rather than the latest trend that they need to be on top of. Start by considering the pain points in your organisation and work backwards from there by finding a partner who can provide the right solution to solve those issues. The cloud can be for everyone, but there's never a one-size-fits-all answer, just like there's no one single way for consumers to manage their finances online.
The good news is it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision. Once you understand what you're trying to solve you can have the discussion around which sort of solution is best suited for you - on premise, hybrid or cloud.
As
with banking 200 years ago, there are risks and security considerations
to take into account in moving to the cloud but look at how far we have
come. We have all taken a leap of faith when it comes to entrusting
banks with our personal finance data, and then accessing it through the
internet. You should always consider the risks, but don't allow your
fears to stop you from making the right decision for your business.
- Rob Davis is Head of Technology and Development at Sage UK and Ireland's Small and Medium Business Division
Read More ...
Hands-on review: Pinć
A few years ago, I was sure that I saw the pinnacle of smartphone case innovations: a smartphone case with a bottle opener embedded in it. Fast forward to 2014 and Pinć, an iPhone 6 case that doubles as a VR headset, is now on its way.
From its outer shell, Pinć (pronounced "pinch") is an unassuming iPhone 6 case. The current prototype, the first piece of hardware ever designed and assembled by interface software firm Cordon Media, is the size of two iPhones stacked together.
The headset's boxy design looks to protests pockets, though the team hopes to trim it down significantly before launch. The eye lenses inside the case pressed uncomfortably against my eyes while it was strapped to my head. I couldn't see anything clearly until I held the unit away from my eyelashes. Setting the lenses deeper into the case, as well as providing an alternative place on the face to rest the goggles will help to solve this.
As a standalone case, there's not much to Pinć. But of course, this is no standalone case. Opened up, the ingredients of VR, a head strap and goggles, take stage.
So, they're making the iOS experience completely VR-friendly? Nope. Rather, the Pinć team has a better solution to bring virtual reality to the small screen. Through their Unity-powered app, it operates in a fashion similar to HTC's Blinkfeed, bringing a smartphone user's most beloved content front and center, albeit in a new, fully-interactive way.
But why bring VR to mobile users at all? To the Pinć team, the platform was ripe for innovation. Project Morpheus and Oculus Rift each require additional (and expensive) hardware to do the heavy lifting of the VR software, but powerful smartphones, already in the hands of millions, are more than capable to provide a good experience to users. Samsung has made waves in this space with their Samsung Gear VR for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
Pinć to zoom
Visually, the Pinć app puts you in control of panoramic, interactive cockpit (think Minority Report). You can move your head freely, with the accelerometer inside the iPhone 6 tracking its movement for sensitive, 360-degree head-tracking.The best claim for touch control on modern smartphones is that it's so simple, that even a baby can learn to use it. The team recognizes that simplicity and almost universal understanding and thus, makes the new-age "pinch to zoom" a cinch.
To do this, Pinć includes two bands that you wrap around a finger on each hand. Holding your hands in front of you, the iPhone 6 camera tracks the LED and infrared-equipped finger bands. When the camera sees the bands, two dots appear on screen. These are your fingers, which look like mouse pointers.
See an item that you want to get a closer look at? Move your arms to hover the two cursors over it and "click" by pressing the finger bands to your thumbs. With that, the rest of the controls mimic familiar touch gestures.
Pinć will be releasing the SDK to developers soon, but they developed some fun mock-ups of what's possible. One was a shoe retailer page and I was able to get a closer look at some boots. With a click, the shoe model popped out of the page into closer focus, making it bigger with a outward pinch. A more unique demo allowed me to go apartment hunting by checking out detailed panoramic images of a space. It'll be interesting to see what Pinć offers closer to launch.
Cordon Media made clear that there's a time and place for Pinć. It's much more appropriate while waiting in the airport terminal than if you're late for a meeting. It's a new way to experience your content, not a replacement. And with the prototype draining an iPhone 6 battery in 2 hours, you'll definitely want to plan your use of Pinć accordingly.
Early verdict
The rough edges of Pinć prototype won't appeal to tech fashionistas, but with Cordon Media's aim for a $99 CAD launch, which is about $88 (£70, AU$102), it's hard to deny the appeal of such a cheap entry-point into virtual reality. With a tentative 2015 release, a bit of polish on its already impressive software will round out the offering.Now, let's just hope that get that hardware in order before launch. If it manages to produce a more comfortable headset, Pinć has the potential to become a formidable opponent in the mobile VR space.
Read More ...
Industry voice: How to build your own cloud
Cloud is nothing new, and there is a raft of terms and acronyms that we've seen appear over the last few years to describe certain elements of the concept. Going back to 'on demand', we've seen things like IaaS, PaaS and SaaS come into common use, but they're not helping to create clarity as to what we mean by cloud.
Cloud Confusion
Cloud is term used to describe applications and services that are hosted remotely and made available via an internet connection; however, the term is often mis- and overused, which is where the confusion arises. To understand what it is, and what it is doing for business, we have to look at examples of how cloud is actually helping solve business challenges, which can be broken down into three areas: agility, cost savings and flexibility.Increasing the speed at which a company can change its IT estate – e.g. turning on server capacity or services as and when required – to meet the business' need is critical in many sectors, but particularly in fast-paced industries like financial services.
We have one client that has a strategy to rapidly grow market share and has identified a need to grow their infrastructure at speed. That's all well and good, but, in addition to growing its infrastructure to meet its needs, it also needs to ensure the quality and resilience of any new kit or services it installs.
In the traditional IT environment, extending IT provision requires additional equipment. This has to purchased, installed and configured, then applications loaded before it can be made available – this generally takes between four and eight weeks. Delivering the same extra capacity using cloud services brings that time frame down to under a week.
Cost saving
In addition, it has saved our customer the capital costs associated with IT projects (Capex) and moved it to an operational expenditure (Opex), although it would be wrong to assume this benefit is unique to cloud, as financing and leasing models have been available for many years.Where it is unique is in the flexibility and scalability it offers, moving Opex payment up and down in line with the level of consumption rather than a fixed term. In addition, it removes the challenges around around IT estate refresh and end-of-life equipment disposal. We have found that this is particularly true for our mid-size customers as it gives them peace of mind around budgetary control and planning.
By selecting the correct cloud services, the complexity of an IT estate can also be reduced to a cost and service level agreement that are matched to the business need, with the flexibility to change in line with both tactical and strategic business goals. We have a number of clients that provision their entire IT estate via the cloud embracing the theory of IT-as-a-Service. This has enabled their IT teams to shift their focus from running the IT to supporting the core business and acting as an enabler for the business, rather than purely a cost.
Simple
Cloud is a simple term, and the concept is very simple, but its been confused by different parties using it in different contexts. In a way, the term is less important now, as businesses of all sizes are moving to the cloud and cloud-based services. Those that have are seeing the agility, flexibility and financial benefits we've talked about – whether they've gone for full or partial cloud adoption or a blended ('hybrid') model.Tony Limby is director, Cloud & Datacentre, IT Services at BT Business
Read More ...
Industry Voice: Retailers head back to the Internet
Technology companies,have been extolling the virtues of the online channel for at least as decade, and most retail businesses that can sell over the internet do – no matter what their size. But, it's only in the last five years that we've seen a dramatic growth in online sales – especially around major retail events like Christmas.
We saw some startling figures In the run-up to last Christmas, with almost 20 per cent of non-food items bought online in December, according to a report by the British Retail Consortium and KPMG. This represented a 19.2 per cent growth in internet purchases from a year earlier, the fastest increase in four years.
Pins and Ribbons
A great example of the growth in the online channel is John Lewis. Over the Christmas period, it reported a year-on-year increase of 22.6 per cent for online sales, which now account for about a third of its total sales. That's all well and good for a department store of the size of John Lewis, but it's also true for much smaller businesses that get their online sales right.I was recently talking to one of our BT Business Champions, Kerrie Murray, who runs Pins & Ribbons – a specialist interior furnishing maker and supplier based in the north east of England. Last Christmas, she saw an amazing uplift of 39 per cent in pre-Christmas online sales over the previous year.
Interestingly, Kerrie had taken the decision to close her high street presence and focus on growing the business online late last year. This was entirely based on the fact that the shop was the least profitable part of the business, but took up the majority of her time.
Having started the business from her kitchen table, selling via various online channels, she thought that the ultimate goal for the business was to open a physical shop. Whilst it added to brand awareness locally, the majority of her trade continued to come via the web – even from people living in the area.
Getting the balance right
In what was almost the reversal of how people perceived a website ten years ago, the shop became a 'brochure' for the products that were available online. Often people would come in to check out a product and then go away and order it online where there was a wider range of options. I've heard this termed 'robo-shopping' – research offline, buy online – and it's happening more and more. As a result, businesses need to get the right balance of channels and understand what the correct mix looks like to them, rather than looking towards traditional models for reference.The online channel has changed the way people buy and think about purchases, so businesses of all sizes need to understand both how it can impact them and also how to use it to their advantage.
As Pins & Ribbons did, getting the correct balance between channels and focusing on those that can help increase sales and growth in your business, is critical – especially as the online channel is predicted to grow and evolve in 2014 even more rapidly than last year.
- Danny Longbottom is managing director UK SME for BT Business, Responsible for the SME market in the UK.
Read More ...
tr tip off: TR Tip Off: Get WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe for free!
Owners of the latest mobile devices – like iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, Samsung Galaxy S5 and more – despite their differences, have something in common. They want their favorite video content beamed to their devices with ease. The problem? It's usually not easy.
Friends, let us clue you into a secret. Digiarty Software's incredible WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is not only easy to use, it's your one-stop-shop, no matter the device, for incredibly fast, accurate and flexible video conversion. The app can convert any HD and SD videos to MP4, H.264 format for playback on all tablets and smartphones. And we're hooking you up for free in our WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe Thanksgiving Giveaway!
Available for use on a wide variety of Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1) machines, WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is an all-in-one solution for those looking to get the most out of their video content.
This simple program can convert a wide-range of video formats, including popular high-definition formats, such as MKV, and M2TS, among several others, into formats that your everyday devices can support, like MP4, AVI, M4V. Apart from HD and SD videos, it is also capable of converting 4K UHD video, almost the clearest video to date. FYI, you can download 4K video from YouTube easily with this software. The list goes on, as do the devices supported by WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe.
Have a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Nexus 9 or some other device? You're covered. What about older devices like the iPhone 4S, Blackberry or an HTC Droid Eris? Digiarty Software remembers you, too.
It's hard to pick a favorite feature. Being able to download YouTube videos or make photo slideshows with the program comes close, but what's best about the WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is that gives you the keys to your content. It lets you drive, so to speak, by allowing you to:
- Select inner subtitles in video, or add extra subtitles.
- Set any time point of the video as Start Time and End Time to output your desired movie part and duration.
- Drag the frame to get the area you want, or set details via following options or Auto expand to profile video resolution to fulfill the playback screen.
- Merge multiple video files into one super-file.
As a special Thanksgiving gift to you, we've teamed up with Digiarty Software to give WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe to you, a $50 value, for the low, low price of free. We know we have your attention now, so pay close attention to the following steps and you'll get your free license in no time.
Simply click the video converter giveaway page and you'll be taken to a holiday offer page. Once you're there, select "Get Giveaway Version" and the download will start. Unpack the .zip file and you'll find a text file which contains the license code.
This code can be used to run WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe on an unlimited amount of PCs (hooray!), but make sure to activate your code with Digiarty as soon as you can. But if you want your Thanksgiving home DVDs ripped and converted for playing on your phone or tablet, give WinX DVD Ripper Platinum a shot.
Read More ...
Updated: Android 5.0 Lollipop release date, news and features
Release date, design and notifications
Update: We've published our interim Android 5.0 Lollipop review based on the Nexus 9 - check back again in the next few days when we add in phone features and a final score.Android Lollipop is here, and it's brought a raft of new changes. It's got radical new design, 5000 new APIs and it's going beyond the mobile form factor.
Android 5.0 is contextually aware of its surroundings, plus voice is a major input source as the search giants looks towards devices such as Glass and smartwatches.
The experience is seamless across devices - phones, tablets and TVs - so making Android Lollipop devices communicate properly is top of the feature list.
If you've got a sweet tooth for all the information about Android Lollipop, then you've come to the right place. Here's everything you need to know about Google's new mobile platform.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next major upgrade for Android
- When is it out? Now!
- What will it cost? Nothing, it's a free download
Android Lollipop release date
Android 5.0 Lollipop is rolling out now to the like of the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, 7, 10 and Google Play edition devices, with the newly announced Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet rocking the software out of the box.For the rest of the folk in the world you're at the hands of your phone's manufacturer as Samsung, HTC, Sony and co. fiddle and fine tune Lollipop to their liking.
Some manufacturers have already started to push out the Android 5.0 update, with the LG G3 gaining the sweet treat as well as Motorola's Moto X and Moto G handsets.
- Want to know when your device will get Lollipop? Check our constantly updated Android Lollipop update: when can I get it?
"We will begin rolling out updates to the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) in regions worldwide within 90 days of receiving final software from Google, followed shortly thereafter by other One family members and select devices."
OnePlus has committed to bringing it to the OnePlus One within three months of Google releasing a final build, while Sony has revealed a whole host of handsets that'll be getting version 5.0
If you're wondering about how much this update will cost the good news is Android 5.0, like all previous updates, is free.
Android Lollipop Material Design
The big news for Android Lollipop is the change to the way it looks - and it's going well beyond the mobile phone to the tablet, TV screen, watch and even the car.The new Material Design is strange in that it bucks a trend at the moment - yes, it's flat, but it's heavily based on making every animation, every ripple, every shadow look real, which is something that most brands are shying away from.
Google tells us that this feels more intuitive, which means that there will be shadow gradients, 3D tiles that slide over one another and most importantly: access for developers to use this for themselves on their apps.
The idea is obvious: remove the fragmented way Android looks and bring consistency to the app world no matter what device you're on. Google intends to create an expansive ecosystem that will allow you to start a song on one device, move to another room, pick up a separate Android device and continue right where you left off.
The Roboto font has been updated too, so everything from watch to TV to mobile looks the same.
Every animation on screen will be allowed to connect to one another - so there's no 'teleportation between apps'. The home, back and multi-tasking window buttons on Android 5.0 have been refined too, and overall, this is a massive step forward for a cleaner, more intuitive-looking version of Google's mobile platform.
To get a taste of Material Design now just head on over to the Play Store on an Android device, as the material design update is available for it and a host of Google's own apps including Chrome, Maps, Calendar, Gmail and many more.
Notifications and lock screen
Notifications on Android Lollipop have been given an overhaul, so only the more relevant information about your apps is presented.You can even adjust the OS to display notifications from the most important people and apps during the evening hours or an important meeting. The notification panel is being merged with the lockscreen so you can see what's going on as you pick up the phone, and a simple swipe up takes you into the phone.
Imagine that the lockscreen is similar to the notifications panel now, and you're pretty much there.
Android Lollipop will also learn from you, working out what you look at and interact with more often to prioritise that notification.
Another big change is that notifications will flow over the screen at the top - get a call when you're playing a game and it will pop up at the top, asking if you want to take it. This will likely be the same with messages etc too, meaning less intrusion at the wrong times.
The lockscreen on Android 5.0 is smarter as well - if you've got a specific location set up, or are wearing a Bluetooth device, the phone will recognise you and unlock without a PIN.
Move away or take your watch off and you'll need to tap or swipe in a code when you unlock - or you can even use your voice.
Apps, performance, battery and more
Interlocking apps on Android Lollipop
Google wants your apps to be able to talk to one another on Android 5.0 - it used the example of searching for a place, only to have it served up in Google Earth, which is where it originally was being looked at.The idea goes much deeper than that though - Chrome browsing has an API that other apps can take advantage of, so if you click a link to book a table in the browser you'll be taken to something like OpenTable directly, rather than the mobile site.
This feature depends a lot on app developers taking advantage of the new tools, but all the onboard Google apps will be much more dependent on one another.
Faster, better looking and more efficient
Whilst Android 5.0 comes with some nifty new features that make an immediate visual impact, Google has put a lot of work in behind the scenes to ensure that Android Lollipop is the fastest yet.If you're not big on codespeak, then this is the upshot: a new way of putting the platform together when you're using the phone makes everything slicker, faster and more efficient.
If you're interested, here are the finer details: ART, an optional runtime in Android KitKat, has now been made the standard for Android Lollipop and works with ARM, x86 and MIPS platforms and runs twice as fast as the Dalvik runtime that is found on previous Android iterations.
The biggest benefit is that all apps will benefit from ART right away, without the need for them to be updated. ART is also more memory efficient than Dalvik, meaning that apps that are running in the background will benefit from megabytes of saved data.
ART is also 64-bit compatible allowing Android Lollipop to benefit from the larger number registers, cross platform support and the increased RAM support that 64-bit architecture allows for. That 64-bit support is being kicked in to gear now too, as the latest developer build is 64-bit.
Android Lollipop also allows mobile devices to further close the gap not only between mobile and console-quality gaming, but also between mobile and PC graphics.
Working with Nvidia, Qualcomm, ARM and Imagination Technologies, Google has designed the Android Extension Pack with the sole task of closing the gap between mobile and desktop-class graphics, which will result in "more realistic environments, more realistic characters and vastly improved lighting".
Android Lollipop battery life
Batteries on phones running Android Lollipop are now more efficient with Project Volta, Google's new way of showing why and how a phone's power pack is juicing down.It opens up the battery use to developers so they can see what's ruining the experience, which should in turn help plug the gaps in power leakage.
Battery Saver mode is integrated by default too, which can lengthen your use during the day by up to 90 minutes. It's not extreme power saving like on Samsung or HTC phones, but it's still useful to have baked in, even if all and sundry already have a likely more efficient version on board.
Even without Battery Saver mode Android 5.0 could do wonders for battery life. ArsTechnica put the new OS version to the test and found that a Nexus 5 running Android Lollipop had around 36% more battery life than one on Android 4.4 KitKat.
Android TV now baked right in too
Android Lollipop also supports TV. It's called Android TV, unsurprisingly, and despite the failure of Google TV the brand is having another go, such was the popularity of the Chromecast and the newly announced Nexus Player.This means you've got content (games, films, TV shows etc) straight on your big screen and have a home button to get you back to the main display whenever you want.
Search is well-integrated too (through the mobile phone... or even an Android Wear watch), with Android TV very much powered by voice. So say you search for something like 'Breaking Bad' on the phone (when connected to the Android TV) it will show you the option to watch it on Google Play or any other compatible app installed.
The demo showed that Netflix was installed, but didn't appear in the search options - perhaps it was just a dummy app for now, but certainly that would be where the info would show.
And here's the great news: Android TV has been signed up to by some big names - the likes of Sony, Philips and Sharp have whole 4K ranges based on Android TV. Asus and Razer promise to have set top boxes to achieve the same thing too... although surely Google will update Chromecast to achieve the same thing.
Either way this could really ramp up the smart TV game.
Android TV is looking to snap up the mobile gamer too as you can take the games to the bigger screen in the house, though you'll need a separate gamepad, and you can even play multiplayer games.
Android Lollipop rumors
The rumors from before the event:Android 5 is going to be exciting, there's no doubt about that. Google saves the change to a new number for the big things, and it seems Android L is now on its way, ready to be debuted at Google IO on June 25.
We thought it would have been Key Lime Pie that showed off the next level, but on 31 October 2013, Google officially revealed its next minor update, Android 4.4 KitKat, which now clears the road for Android 5.
The dessert-themed code name that we assume will begin with L is anyone's guess at this stage. Android 5.0 Lemon Cheesecake or Android 5.0 Lemon Meringue Pie, anyone? Though there's talk that it might be called Android Lollipop or even Android Moonshine, as it's apparently internally known.
However, the latest leaks point simply to Android L - given Android head honcho Sundar Pichai said the conference would give the world an early look at the new OS, chances are the name will be held back until closer to launch, which may be later in the year.
Then again, a new screengrab of the KitKat Easter egg shows a new pudding - is that a hark to the possible Key Lime Pie that was usurped by KitKat, or are we looking at Lemon Meringue Pie?
It may not be called Android 5 though, with some rumors suggesting the next major iteration from Google's wheel house could arrive as Android 4.5. That would make sense as we've had 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 in recent years.
That said, it appears Google may have just dropped a hint as to the version number of the next iteration of Android. 5.0 is currently looking favorable after the time of "5.00" appeared on screenshots posted on Twitter by the search giant - a signal Google has used before.
As we wait on official news of that name, we're constantly combing the web to see what's going to be happening with this L-powered update, so check back to see what we've uncovered and the level of likelihood each rumor brings.
Multiple user accounts
Multiple user accounts have been available on Android tablets since 2013, but so far phones have gone without the feature, which allows you to limit what things children, co-workers or anyone else who isn't you can access on your device.Android L will achieve this by allowing you to setup multiple accounts on your phone and comes with a default "guest" profile that allows someone to use the device without seeing any of your personal data.
Android 5.0 release date
Given Android 4.4 KitKat appeared on 31 October, we're looking forward to finally seeing a big step forward for Android. The good news is we're going to get our first taste at Google IO, the search firm's annual two-day developer conference in San Francisco.That's a year on from when we had originally expected to see Android 5.0, which was at Google IO 2013, but Google has been keeping things within the '4.x' family for a while now.
Sundar Pichai, Google's new head of Android told Wired that 2013's IO was "not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system"," which makes us wonder when the new software will be coming.
Our take: Android updates are still appeating too slowly for our liking, as while each 0.1-numbered upgrade is good, it's not enough to make us want the native experience.
We're expecting Google to make Android 5 rather special indeed, which means it can only wait a maximum of 6-7 months after KitKat was announced to show it off - so it's a relief to hear it's appearing, in some form at least, at the conference.
More recent reports of Android 4.5 being next in line may mean the update is more iterative than sprawling overhaul, so we're not getting too carried away just yet.
In any case Google I/O is set for June 25-26, so with any luck we should know lots, lots more about what Android Lollipop will be bringing to the table soon.
Android 5.0 phones
The first handset to run Android 5 will either be a Nexus phone or tablet, and given the timing of the announcement we think it might be the latter. The Google Nexus 5 launched Android 4.4 at the tail end of next year, and while we've been waiting for the update to the big-screen tablet, the Nexus 10 (2014) doesn't look like it's appearing any time soon.HTC looks like the front runner to bring this tablet to the market (if it does exist), but the rumors aren't pointing to an unveil any time soon.
We're also hearing a lot of rumblings about a Nexus 8, a slate which will supposedly launch with Android 4.5, so maybe that's the device that Android Lollipop will make its debut on.
Will it be known as a Nexus though? The scheme is under threat from Android Silver, but it doesn't look like that's launching yet, so we reckon the Nexus name will be kept for at least the next round of devices.
Android Wear
A more recent idea is that Google's next version of Android will have more fitness smarts built in - and this is an idea we think has legs, if you'll pardon the sort-of pun.Apple is set to launch the iWatch and iOS 8 with fitness very much at the heart - Cupertino looks very likely to be bringing something that's able to track your heart rate, blood glucose and other vital medical info before shooting it over to your doctor.
It seems Google wants to do the same thing - it's recently-launched Android Wear platform already has companies like LG and Motorola signed up, and Samsung is rumored to be joining the party too.
The idea is future versions of Android (ie Android 5) will allow the software to harness "fitness data from sensors on your Android device."
Pichai has essentially confirmed this is going to be baked into the hardware and software side of things, telling Bloomberg that it made no sense to have to go to the doctor to measure a variety of health elements when technology can do it daily.
"You obviously need to be able to measure these things so many more times and then apply more intelligence to it," he said.
It also looks like Android 5 may add support for 64-bit processors, as the Nexus 8 is rumored to have one and to be running the new version of Android (if it turns out to be a real device - chances are it won't appear just yet).
That in turn would allow for more than 4GB of RAM in devices, opening the floodgates to enormous increases in power.
Some have speculated that Android 5.0 will be actually Chrome OS, Google's high power operating system for its Chromebooks - that it would use Android for low- to mid-level handsets and put Chrome on the high end.
However, this makes little sense given the effort that would be needed for app integration, so like Microsoft and Windows Phone the mobile OS will very likely continue as is.
A recent image of 'Android L' (which is presumably Android 4.5 / 5) appears to show the browser floating in the middle of the screen, which may mean we'll be getting split screen apps. That would certainly be a useful feature, particularly on larger devices.
Samsung, LG and Sony already do this but if the functionality is baked into Android then all devices potentially could.
Android 5.0 interface
While little is known about the potential interface changes for the next iteration of Google's mobile platform, be it Android 5.0 or Android 4.5, a screenshot has appeared online claiming to reveal the upcoming version.
There's a clear visual overhaul present in the screenshot, and according to the leak the new design is being referred to as "Moonshine" internally at Google.
We've also caught a glimpse of how the dialer might look in Android 4.5 / Android 5, courtesy of an image leaked by Google itself. It's not in for a radical redesign but if the image is to be believed then it will be going blue, rather than sticking with the current light gray colour.
Read More ...
This tiny affordable Chinese PC could change the future of Android AND Windows
A little-known Chinese company called 10moons (whose logo, by the way, bears a close resemblance to Lenovo's) has launched a tiny computer that could well be the precursor to a new generation of dual-booting, affordable computers.
The D9i appears to be carrying both Windows 8.1 and Android 4.2, allowing you to choose between the two operating systems. A previous attempt by Asus to get the two OSes on one device was canned after Google apparently vetoed the release of the Transformer Book Duet TD300 Hybrid.
This time around is slightly different as Intel may be behind the move (there's a big Intel inside logo prominently displayed), meaning the CPU maker wins regardless of whether the OS is Android or Windows. Plus for the time being, this RMB499 (about £52/US$81/AU$93) device is only on sale in China.
Coming soon
You can expect many more of these affordable devices to be launched soon, especially if Microsoft chooses to support it (and why shouldn't it?).Physically, it looks like a Now TV box but in black and with rounded edges. It carries the same standard component as a tablet but without a screen, cameras and a battery. Essentially, it's a bigger version of a cheap Android dongle but runs Windows too.
It gets you a quad-core BayTrail Intel Z3735D processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB onboard storage, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, a microSD slot, two USB ports (including a USB 3.0 one), HDMI plus a remote control.
Read More ...
Microsoft adds Skype to Office Online
Microsoft has announced that people will now be able to use Skype within their Office Online setups to communicate and collaborate with co-workers in real-time.
In a post on the Microsoft Office blog, Nelson Siu, a program manager for Microsoft's Office Shared Experience team, suggested that people would be able to continue to chat with their correspondents when switching devices (assuming that you have connectivity).
That feature was available on OneDrive and is likely to be as rudimentary. The current one doesn't allow video conferencing or voice and you can't upload files either.
Default choice
This latest announcement shows that Microsoft may have chosen to make Skype its default communication tool for both consumer and business audiences.Earlier in November, it announced that it was canning the Lync brand, renaming it as Skype for Business. Weeks before, Microsoft also revealed that it was working to get Skype integrated with Internet Explorer.
The next (logical) step would be for Microsoft to combine Skype and Office on the desktop.
- For now though, why not read our review of Office 365
Read More ...
INDUSTRY VOICE: How to drive efficiency using cloud services
Cloud services are an effective way can deliver more than just capital expenditure reduction and improved efficiencies. It can help to support a company's effective management and control of reporting and deliver better levels of transparency.
Company director responsibility is widespread and failure to carry these out can lead to fines, personal liability for company losses and, in the most extreme cases, imprisonment.
As well as the duty to report on financial results on a regular basis, new legislation means that the responsibilities on directors grows all the time. As recently as April, new directives issued by the European Union placed additional responsibilities on directors of some 6000 companies with more than 500 employees, whilst the 2006 Companies Act is regularly revised following legal cases, often adding further obligations for directors. There is little doubt that the responsibilities for organisations to monitor, manage and report on various aspects of their business activities will continue to grow in the future.
The role of cloud
Using cloud servicesan deliver more than just capital expenditure reduction and improved efficiencies. It can help to support a company's effective management and control of reporting and deliver better levels of transparency.Business documents are important. They catalogue activities, actions, costs and prices. Businesses receive documents in many different ways: by post; hand delivered (for example delivery notes); through email; via electronic transfers.
Each item is important in its own right, but also adds up to an audit trail for transactions that will be needed as evidence for reporting. Yet managing this information is complex. Documents go missing, information is copied and distributed, misfiled and lost. The sheer cost of managing, storing and retrieving documentation for financial reporting can be significant.
Businesses do not need to operate in this way. And one of the significant opportunities afforded by cloud-based back office automation is a clear and easy to access audit trail for business. Using back office automation software, documentation arriving at a business can be scanned (if in a paper format) or digitally filed (for non-paper documentation) into a businesses' enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or finance software (if relevant). Smart ERP systems will enable users to add relevant tags to documents so that they can be retrieved simply and effectively whenever required.
Smart data extraction and storage
The most effective solutions extract data from these documents automatically, understanding the difference between (for example) text that is an address or company name and a purchase order number. By extracting this information and automatically applying it into the ERP or finance software, businesses can begin to automatically match, for example, invoices to purchase order and delivery notes. Where all of the relevant documents are available and the information matches, the software can process invoices for payment and securely store the information together in the cloud.There are obvious business efficiency benefits from this. All documents are securely stored and the vast majority of information processing takes place automatically, reducing the cost of business processes significantly and saving staff from doing mundane tasks day after day.
As much as 90% of invoice processing, for example, can be done manually. For businesses that rely on the completion of forms (like insurance companies, health providers or banks) the deluge of daily incoming data is processed automatically not manually, saving considerable time and money.
Cloud driving transparency
Where back office automation really pays is in the smart indexing of documents together. For the finance department this would mean that the purchase order, invoice and good received paperwork are all simply accessible in moments from the cloud. For an insurance company, it means that the numerous documents associated with every claim are all securely stored together and available to view online from anywhere.The customer service implications of this alone are significant – vastly reducing time to respond to customers. But consider a disputed claim, where the Ombudsman was involved. In this case a clear paper trail of information can be accessed and shared quickly and easily, rather than a frantic search to find relevant information scattered across different filing systems and branch offices.
And when it comes to the dreaded annual audit, information is available to auditors or tax authorities simply and effectively, saving time and money and reducing the impact of an audit on the businesses smooth running.
This is important because regulation on business is only going to increase. Responsibility for transparency is coming out of the Corporate Social Responsibility department and into the boardroom – and rightly so with directors becoming more and more personally responsible for their business actions. Cloud efficiencies run beyond cutting costs and improving efficiencies. Using the cloud to power back office automation can drive a more effective company governance programme, improve reporting and reduce business risk.
- Simon Shorthose is Managing Director of Readsoft UK. Readsoft is a leading provider of business automation services for back office processes.
Read More ...
Industry voice: Security controls for every business
Security breaches are happening too often and while hackers get smarter, enterprises are not doing enough to protect their data. In fact, NTT Group's 2014 Global Threat Intelligence Report revealed that 43 percent of incidents in 2013 were the result of malware.
The report claimed that companies were missing basic controls like anti-virus and effective vulnerability life cycle management contributed to such attacks. Half of the vulnerabilities detected during scans have had patches available for at least two years – yet businesses had not installed them – and anti-virus failed to detect more than half of new malware.
Malware is here to stay, so it is every IT department's responsibility to get the basics right if they are to protect their business from today's threats. Businesses could save significant sums if they put in place processes to reduce the risk of exposure. Prioritising controls and putting risk in context could have saved one company over $109,000 according to the report.
The basics
Vulnerability scanning is the most basic security measure. Where a security assessment is conducted to scan the customer's environment. Too many organisations aren't using these highly automated tests. Intelligence into vulnerabilities is invaluable as it offers insight into how attackers could use information to gain access to data assets. These vulnerabilities still need to be balanced against the business risk and put in overall context so that valuable resources are focused on mitigating the real risks to the business.IT departments should analyse and collect logs, we have found that logging and the use of SIEM is a tick box exercise and no analyses or correlation of logs takes place . Regularly tracking logs gives enterprises greater access to threat intelligence, so they can predict future risks.
Another basic security control, which is ignored by most firms according to the GTIR report, is incident response planning. Appropriate incident response is vital for minimising the impact of a breach. By having a well-defined and regularly updated plan, and recognising that security incidents will happen, organisations will be better prepared to handle incidents in an effective and consistent way.
Collaborate for better protection
Savvy enterprises are now working with a trusted provider to run basic measures. Outsourcing provides and augments the in-house skills of an organisation and enables that company to focus on building and developing its business. The outsourcer meanwhile provides risk intelligence to enable the board to understand, prioritise and manage risks and make informed decisions in a timely manner.A trusted provider might be a Managed Security Services (MSS) partner, which can access intelligent information for active threat management. An MSS partner, which typically has access to collective global knowledge and systems, provides visibility and control to manage information security risk – and is therefore able to actively notify customers about possible threats and proactively mitigate them.
In a society with constant real world threats, it is time for information security professionals to take responsibility for their own data. When the basics measures are done right, and with the support from a trusted provider, they can be enough to put risk in context and even help avoid breaches.
- Garry Sidaway is Global Director of Security Strategy at NTT Com Security and is a respected security expert. With over 20 years' experience in the IT industry, Garry's focus is on meeting business needs through the development of managed security services, business infrastructure, consulting and technology integration worldwide.
Read More ...
Watch Out, Netflix: Amazon may offer free Prime Instant Video service
Amazon is preparing a free ad-supported video streaming service to accompany Prime Instant Video according to the New York Post.
Although Amazon is yet to make anything approaching an official announcement, the New York Post claims the company is set to launch a free video streaming service, supported by adverts.
This would accompany Amazon's current offering Prime Instant Video, which comes as a package with a £79/$99 annual Prime membership, also getting you free delivery on Amazon's store.
While far from a certainty, it would be a clear way to combat the popularity of Netflix, which uses 35% of the US' total bandwidth at peak times.
Amazon Prime Instant Video, well, let's just say it doesn't use up anything like that.
Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video
The relative unpopularity of Prime Instant Video continues despite Amazon's use of Netflix-like tactics, including producing exclusive shows such as Alpha House, Transparent and Betas.Amazon has retorted to these rumours saying it has "not announced any plans to offer an ad-supported video streaming service," but naturally this does not rule out such a move in the future.
Adding a free service would make Amazon's video offering one of the most diverse around, with free, paid-for and on-subscription content, potentially all being doled-out from the same platform.
Amazon hasn't announced the breadth of its Prime subscriber base, but as Instant Video is just a bonus feature, it is likely that a relatively small proportion actually watch the service regularly compared with Netflix subscribers.
Read More ...
BT confirms it's in talks to buy back O2
BT is in talks to purchase the O2 mobile network from its Spanish parent company Telefonica in a deal valued at around £10bn.
The company confirmed reports that appeared in Spanish media stating that Telefonica would take a 20 per cent stake in BT in exchange for O2.
"We have received expressions of interest from shareholders in two UK mobile network operators, of which one is O2, about a possible transaction in which BT would acquire their UK mobile business," BT said in a statement.
Highly preliminary stage
"All discussions are at a highly preliminary stage and there can be no certainty that any transaction will occur."The O2 network was original BT Cellnet before being spun off in 2001 and then sold to Telefonica in 2005. As a result of the announcement, BT's share price rose by four per cent.
The second mobile network BT claims to have been approached by is believed to be EE, although this hasn't been confirmed by either party.
Read More ...
Sony Xperia Z4 and Z4 Ultra specs leak: more camera, pixels and power
Specs for the upcoming Sony Xperia Z4 and Z4 Ultra have been leaked, suggesting the phones will be a predictable small step on from the Xperia Z3.
Sony doesn't hang about with its phone releases: the Xperia Z4 and its bigger brother the Xperia Z4 Ultra are expected to be announced at CES 2015 in January. That's just a few months on from the Xperia Z3's September 2014 announcement.
It's no great surprise, then, that specs leaked by a tipster talking to PhoneArena don't suggest any world-changing innovations.
The Sony Xperia Z4 is said to get the bump up to QHD resolution, bringing Sony's Xperia line up to the level of the LG G3. It'll apparently use a 5.4-inch screen, 0.2 inches up from the current Xperia Z3.
Specs-savers
The Z4 will apparently sport a Snapdragon 805 processor, as used by many current phones including the Note 4, but is likely to be trumped soon by Snapdragon 810 devices. Galaxy S6, anyone?Despite not having a 64-bit CPU, the Xperia Z4 is reportedly to have 4GB of RAM. Although the Snapdragon 805 is a 32-bit CPU it has extra skills to let it handle more RAM than a normal 32-bit system. The real question: what will 4GB really get us? The jury's out.
Other tweaks include a more advanced camera lens system using a greater number of elements that could lead to a lens even faster than the Xperia Z3's f/2 one. The front camera is to get an upgrade to a 4.8-megapixel sensor too, bringing it up to the level of today's selfie masters.
How about the Sony Xperia Z4's ungainly brother? The leaker suggests the Xperia Z4 Ultra will have a 5.9-inch screen, Snapdragon 805 CPU with 4GB RAM and a slightly lower-res 16-megapixel camera.
Is it all made up? It all sounds about right, but we'll have to wait to January to find out.
Read More ...
Qualcomm gives us a sneak peek of flagship smartphones in 2015
Qualcomm has taken the wraps off a development smartphone, giving us a peek at the kind of specs we'll see in next year's handsets.
The Qualcomm Mobile Development Platform Smartphone is a 6.17-inch device running Android 5.0 Lollipop aimed primarily at developers. It's a showcase for the 64-bit Snapdragon 810 CPU that'll make its way into the top smartphones in 2015.
The 810 chip is built on a 20nm architecture with two sets of four Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 cores. Qualcomm says the cores are 50% more powerful than those found in the Snapdragon 805's Krait 450 CPU. The chip maker is also highlighting similar power efficiency to the Snapdragon 805.
Meanwhile, the Adreno 430 graphics chip is purpotedly 30% faster than the 805's Adreno 420. It'll manage 4K video encoding 30fps and 1080p video encoding at 120fps and similarly, can output 4K content to an external display via HDMI.
RAM, bam, thankyou Ma'am
Qualcomm's Mobile Development Platform Smartphone comes touting 4GB of RAM, opening the door for next year's handsets to come similarly specced.The 6.17-inch display has a QHD 1,600 x 2,560 while the handset is also loaded with the required sensors. That includes a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, an ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, pressure, temperature and humidity sensors as well as UV sensor and Mobeam sensor.
That last one is used to scan barcodes. Oh, and there's a fingerprint scanner as well.
Likewise, it also houses USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.1 and a 3,020 mAh battery - although considering how much tech is on board, there's no telling how long it'll last.
The Mobile Development Platform Smartphone will be made available to order directly from Qualcomm next month. Although this is a development-only handset - it's likely we won't have to wait too long until the first consumer-ready Snapdragon 810 smartphones begin to appear. Chances are we could see them as soon as CES in January or MWC in February next year.
Read More ...
Available Tags:Windows Phone , Windows Phone 8 , Windows , Apple , Logitech , Lenovo , Android , Microsoft , Skype , Security , Amazon , Sony ,
No comments:
Post a Comment