IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 4/2/2015

Court grants RadioShack, Sprint co-branding of retail stores
RadioShack can co-brand most of the company's remaining stores with Sprint after winning court approval. There are 1,740 remaining RadioShack stores, able to survive after RadioShack filed for bankruptcy earlier in the year.

As part of the agreement, Sprint will provide a dedicated "store within a store" of the retail locations, as the company tries to solidify its No. 3 position in the wireless market.

US Bankruptcy Judge Brendan Shannon understands there are more than 7,000 jobs on the line and millions in investments at risk. Judge Shannon's recent decision could preserve those jobs and business agreements, which faced four days of court battle.

Second creditors are asking for lawsuit protection since they are secured creditors - so the ongoing court drama following RadioShack's demise seems far from over.


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Sony unveils limited edition Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 console
Batman fans are going to go bananas for the new limited edition Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 bundle, which sees Sony's console featuring custom artwork for the Batman: Arkham series.

The new bundle will feature an MSRP of $449.99, and will include a limited edition Steel Grey PS4 system chassis with a "custom Batman: Arkham Knight faceplate, a matching DualShock 4 wireless controller in Steel Grey and the explosive finale to the award-winning Arkham trilogy, Batman: Arkham Knight".

There's a second bundle that will include "Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 Bundle available for $399.99 (MSRP), which includes a PS4 system and DualShock 4 controller in Jet Black and Batman: Arkham Knight".

All owners of Batman: Arkham Knight on the PS4 will get access to the bonus content before any other platform, as well as additional in-game missions and custom skins for both Batman, and the Batmobile.


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No selfie sticks at Coachella or Lollapalooza for you
Want to take your selfie stick before a concert or major event? You may want to think again... Two major concerts in the United States have banned selfie sticks, including the Coachella festival in April and Lollapalooza in late July-early August.

Ironically, the Coachella "Rules and Policies" says attendees are not welcome to bring "no selfie sticks/narcissistics" welcome inside.

There are more concerts, conferences, and other gatherings with large populations where selfie sticks are banned. It seems most likely they are not allowed because they are an obstruction and occasionally pose safety problems. Anyone attending tech conferences should check the rules before potentially being turned away at the gate.


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Virtual reality looks appealing, but supporters must solve problems
Virtual reality (VR) has great potential for consumers, especially those interested in gaming and watching movies, but there are still numerous problems. VR is poised to continue getting better due to increased investment, growing interest among developers and consumers, and because of improving processors.

Hardware manufacturers are getting better at reducing physical sickness - and software is developing. However, many wonder how often they will use their VR headsets if there is a shortage of apps. Hardware is largely designed for PCs with higher-end GPUs, so console gamers are waiting for a wider selection of products to drool over.

Facebook plans to begin implementing VR functionality into its social networking site, so viewers will be able to interact with videos. Designers want to make VR even more immersive, and will try to make sure viewers are able to utilize their hands and bodies in virtual environments.


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MMO shooter 'Survarium' from ex-STALKER developers launches on April 2
STALKER holds a special place in most gamers' hearts, with some of the developers who worked on the open-world first-person shooter now teasing their next game: Survarium.

Survarium has been announced for a release of April 2, just hours away from now. Survarium will launch with North American-based game servers, as well as "exclusive starter packs that will go on sale for a limited time" reports Polygon. Survarium is a free-to-play MMO shooter set in a post-apocalyptic eastern Europe, from developers Vostok Games.


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Hyundai wants to put self-driving cars on the roads from 2020
Hyundai joins the list of automakers looking to create self-driving vehicles in the near future, hoping to put a vehicle on the road starting from 2020. Company officials publicly announced the plans during a public demonstration in Songdo, South Korea, saying its self-driving efforts will start "in phases."

Hyundai already has a "traffic jam assist system" that is able to detect and track other vehicles and the surrounding environment. It's a piece of the puzzle for Hyundai as the company looks for new opportunities to improve driver safety.

Google, Apple, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and other companies all have current autonomous vehicle plans in place.

It could take early-to-mid-2020s before self-driving vehicles become more common place, due to low driver trust and various regulation problems.


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Swedish ferry operator Stena Line testing methanol ship
Stena Line, a Swedish ferry operator, is running one of its fleet using methanol, after converting to the more environmentally friendly fuel.

The dual fuel technology uses methanol for the main fuel, but has traditional marine gas oil if needed. The Remontova shipyard in Poland is where the Stena Germanica ferry was converted, with a complete cost of 22 million euros.

"Stena Line is steering a sustainable and particularly environmentally friendly course," said Dr. Dirk Claus, managing director of Seehafen Kiel GmbH & Co., in a press statement. "We are proud that the route between Kiel and Gothenburg was chosen and that we are part of this outstanding pilot project."

The shipping industry, which always wants to find cheaper fuel solutions, and methanol continues to prove it has great potential. Using methanol helps reduce sulphur particles by 99 percent, and is significantly more cost-efficient for support.


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ASUS make GTX 980 Gold Edition official, fastest GTX 980 in the world
We heard the rumors, but ASUS has just made its new GTX 980 20th Anniversary Gold Edition official: the world's fastest GeForce GTX 980 video card. The company has used its impressive DirectCU cooler with 0dB-fan technology that allows for games like League of Legends and StarCraft to be played in total silence.

The all-important fact here is that it has a Boost Clock of 1431MHz, which is 215MHz above the reference Boost, providing an additional 15% performance. 4GB of GDDR5 is splashed on top, with three DisplayPort outputs, one HDMI and one dual-link DVI. One of the more unique parts of the VGA card is that it has a beautiful gold and black cooler, which is going to look incredible in gamers' PCs.

ASUS has told us that the GTX 980 20th Anniversary Gold Edition is a "short run, exclusive limited edition card", with its clock speeds beating even the best GTX 980s on the market from EVGA and its Kingpin GTX 980 and GALAX HOF 980 cards. We have reached out to our contact at ASUS to try and secure a sample, so check back for a review here at TweakTown soon.

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LG asks to "save the date" for April 28, G4 unveiling?
It looks like LG will unveil its new Snapdragon 808-powered G4 smartphone on April 28, as it is asking various media outlets to "save the date" for a press night in New York, London and Paris on April 28, and in Seoul, Singapore and Instanbul on April 29.

The email that LG sent out includes an image that has them teasing "See the Great. Feel the Great" while using the G logo from its series of flagship handsets. All of this is printed onto a leather backing, which teases that the G4 could feature leather in way one or another.

We don't know much about the G4 apart from the rumors we recently posted, which see it featuring a Snapdragon 808 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 5.5-inch QHD 2560x1440 display.


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NVIDIA acquires Valve, announces Half-Life 3 release for 2016
NVIDIA has announced that it has acquired Valve for an undisclosed sum of money, securing the rights behind the digital distribution platform Steam, as well as original IP like Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and Left 4 Dead.

NVIDIA has announced that Half-life 3 will be released on the 3rd of March 2016, or 3/3/16. It will be released onto the Steam VR-powered HTC Vive headset, as well as the Oculus Rift. It'll be released onto Windows and Steam OS, with full support for DirectX 12. We are going to see full PhysX built into it with a next-generation physics engine within the Source 2 engine.

Of course, this is only an April Fools Day fun post, but if I could make Half-Life 3 be announced, I would. I'm swimming in my own tears here.


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See the Grand Theft Auto 5 PC trailer with 60fps later this week
Rockstar Games promises a new game trailer for Grand Theft Auto 5, so PC gamers can enjoy the 60 frames per second (FPS) video. It will be available starting on April 14 for the PC.

GTA 5 runs at 1080, 30 fps for both the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One game consoles.

Rockstar Games is apologetic to PC gamers, as there have been multiple GTA 5 delays. It has been delayed three times alone in 2015, but those who pre-order seem excited. The console versions of the game sold 45 million units worldwide, after being released September 2013.


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US military wants dormant drones that can launch from ocean bottom
Drones could one day be launched from the bottom of the ocean, remotely activated for operation even after being in hibernation for years. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) expects to help the US military launch faster surveillance or attack missions anywhere in the world.

The drones wouldn't require fuel, as they would be powered with energy generated by ocean currents. Ocean drones would be difficult to manufacture, however, because researchers would need to figure out how to activate the drone, how to help the drone breach the surface, and making sure the drone is protected in salt water for large periods.

"Today, the US Navy puts capability on the ocean floor using very capable but fairly expensive submarine platforms," said Steven Walker, DARPA deputy director, when speaking about the program. "What we'd like to do in this program is preposition capability on the ocean floor and have it be available to be triggered [in] real time, when you need it."


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Alcatel Onetouch Watch pre-orders now open, Apr. 30 launch date
Alcatel is honoring its effort to announce a product at CES and make sure it gets to consumers quickly, as the Onetouch Watch is now available for pre-order. The wearable officially goes on sale April 30, and will be available for just $149.99.

The device, supported by Google Android and Apple iOS, will allow for users to track their steps, calories, sleep metrics, and heart rate tracking. Some basic phone functions will also be included when the watch is paired to a smartphone.

There seems to be optimism among wearable manufacturers for the upcoming Apple Watch launch. It will help draw attention to smartwatches, with plenty of competing products available. Alcatel hopes to cater to interested consumers with a cheaper product than the Apple Watch.


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Gartner: Mobile app usage mellowing, as adoption matures
The current marketplace for mobile apps is maturing and usage is mellowing, according to a survey from the Gartner research group.

Users are integrating apps more deeply into their lives, but it's now becoming more difficult for app providers to try to stay one step ahead. App creators must focus on development, marketing and branding as even more apps seem to hit the market for smartphone and tablet users.

"It's not that smartphone users have lost interest in apps, users remain excited about what apps can do for them in their daily lives, including for work and nonwork app scenarios," said Brian Blau, research director at Gartner. "However, app users need to be convinced about the value of the app. Their willingness for new app experiences is open-ended, but their plan is to keep their same patterns of use. Users will try new apps, but they need to be convinced of an app's value before they adopt them and change use patterns over the long term."

Mobile users seem satisfied with the current level of app interest, and that shouldn't change any time soon. However, engagement with apps could be closer to the plateau, so app developers will have to find new methods to keep people engaged.


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Free-speech group says China has weaponized its 'Great Firewall'
The GreatFire free-speech group says the Chinese government is using its incredible Internet infrastructure to launch cyberattacks. Many national governments are modernizing their cyberattack capabilities, and China is notorious for targeting political opponents.

GreatFire itself suffered a major distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, and now GitHub and other companies are facing sophisticated cyberattacks. Not surprisingly, the Chinese government didn't respond to GreatFire accusations, though officials previously accused the group of being "anti-China."

If true, this is a new strategy from the Chinese government, which has been long suspected of organized cyberespionage. "The last couple months, we've seen a real sea change in Chinese Internet policy, where they've become more assertive about blocking Western sites and pushing back on their citizens' ability to access information from outside the country," said James Lewis, senior fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.


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SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Review - Add Storage to your iOS Device

If you are an avid user of devices on the Apple iOS platform, then you know storage space comes at a premium. For those that travel and take images or videos, then you certainly know how fast you can fill your device. Thankfully, we now have our first iOS compatible flash solution with the SanDisk iXpand.

The iXpand flash drive from SanDisk sports several capacity options ranging from 16GB to 128GB. The sample we are looking at today happens to be in the middle of the pack at 64GB. Features of this flash solution include a USB 2.0 connection on one end followed by the Apple Lightning connector to allow connectivity on both PCs and your iOS enabled device.

To transfer files between devices, SanDisk has setup the iXpand with an app, which upon connecting to your iOS device, will pop up and ask you to install. Additional features include AES 128-bit encryption capabilities, along with the ability to play audio and video straight from the drive.

MSRP of the SanDisk iXpand 64GB iOS drive is listed at $109.99 with a two-year warranty.

Packaging for the SanDisk iXpand allows you to see the flash drive through the center of the box. To the right, we have the capacity listed with compatibility at the top.

The back of the packaging gives some use scenarios for the drive.

Here we have our first look at the iXpand. Its size is roughly three fourths the width of an iPhone 5s and about half as tall. The standard USB connection is housed under a plastic cover, while the lightning connector sits on the front of the drive.

As we mentioned in our opening notes, the iXpand allows you to encrypt your device with AES 128-bit security. This is available via software included on the device.

When we first plugged the iXpand into our iPhone, we were greeted by the above message.

We were then redirected to the app store allowing us to download the required application.

When first opening the application, there is an overlay showing where all your information will appear. This helps to enable a quick learning curve for the application so you can be up and running in no time.

One of the unique features of the iXpand app is the ability to allow the iOS device to automatically sync your camera roll to the drive when connected.

In the menu system for the drive, you can look at information about your iXpand drive and iOS storage. Down at the bottom, we have a battery life indicator for the drive.

The SanDisk iXpand is factory formatted with the FAT32 file system. While this means great compatibility between Windows and OS X PCs, it also limits the file size you can transfer to the device.

Above, we have the results of our testing in Windows 8.1. Since this solution is USB 2.0 compliant only, the performance does suffer quite a bit compared to other solutions.

Moving over to OS X 10.10, we found slightly better performance, but still quite terrible for this day and age. Read and write both were able to reach 15 MB/s.

The iXpand is certainly a unique device allowing easy transfer of data between iOS devices and Mac or Windows PCs, but it did come as a surprise to me that SanDisk would only enable this solution with USB 2.0 connectivity. This means for those that want to use the streaming functionality of the device, a 3GB movie will take nearly four minutes to transfer to the device, and if you decide to load up the flash drive to its full capacity, in our case 64GB, that would take you nearly 70 minutes.

With that said, and with the performance of the device out of the way, perhaps the saving grace of this drive is the iOS app. The iXpand Sync app is possibly one of the best utilities I have seen. SanDisk has designed it to be very straight forward and easy to use, and the added functionality of camera roll sync and its streaming capabilities only add to the overall package.

Moving on, the build quality of the drive is superb. It's not often we get flash drives encased in aluminium and the iXpand is one. The Lightning connector is held tight against the body of the drive to keep it out of the way during PC use. Then again, we have another downfall of this solution, in the size of the drive. Being about twice as wide as typical flash solutions, the iXpand has a tendency to block adjacent ports, or cause you to have to unplug surrounding devices so you can use it.

PRICING: You can find the SanDisk iXpand 64GB Flash Drive For iPhones, iPads & Computers (USB 2.0)-SDIX-064G-G57 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The SanDisk iXpand 64GB Flash Drive retails for $99.99 at Amazon.
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