IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 7/2/2015

YouTube for Android and iOS now supports 60FPS playback
Google has been on top of the upgrades to YouTube lately, with 60FPS support across YouTube for a little while now, but now the mobile apps have been updated to support high frame rate (HFR).

Both YouTube for Android and YouTube for iOS have been updated with support for 60FPS playback, where you can watch 60FPS videos in their full glory on your mobile handsets, finally.


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Microsoft's latest Windows 10 preview includes the new Edge browser
With the full release of Windows 10 not far away, Microsoft is offering users the chance of testing its new Edge browser in the latest preview of its new desktop operating system, before Windows 10 drops on July 29.

The new Windows 10 preview includes Edge, which has been updated with a new home button, a customizable New Tab page, password autofill, and now the chance to import favorites/bookmarks from alternate browsers, and you can now play music from a minimized tab. Cortana is now capable of providing users with flight or work alerts, and it can also send e-mails without you typing anything.

How does that work? You can just recite the recipient's e-mail address, the subject line and contents in that order. The Windows Photos app is also capable of supporting GIFs and now has an "Open with..." option. Skype Wi-Fi has also been replaced, with Microsoft Wi-Fi taking over, offering you to buy access to hotspots in banks of time using Windows Store's payment methods.

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French official says Assange, Snowden could be allowed in France
French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira said it's not up to her, but she "wouldn't be surprised" if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and former NSA contractor Edward Snowden were offered asylum in France. Ultimately, it'd be up to French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and President Francois Hollande to make a final determination - however, trying to get both men to France would be a rather unique logistical challenge.

"If France decides to offer asylum to Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, I wouldn't be surprised. It's a possibility," Taubira recently told BFMTV.

Snowden is wanted by US authorities for espionage and numerous other charges after leaking NSA documents to the public. Meanwhile, Assange has taken up residence in the Ecuadorian consulate in London, in an effort to avoid extradition to Sweden on alleged sexual assault charges. He's afraid if he's extradited back to Sweden, he'd be sent to the United States.

France is currently upset, and wants to speak with the US ambassador in the country, regarding accusations that the US spied on three different French presidents - with NSA reports indicating monitor conversations starting in 2006 and ending in 2012.


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Star Citizen's Star Marine FPS mode delayed indefinitely
Star Machine, the FPS mode of Star Citizen, was promised in April but has been delayed indefinitely while Cloud Imperium Games sorts out some issues.

Unfortunately, the current state of Star Marine isn't up to the standards that the studio and publisher hoped for - but has abandoned legacy code in favor of the "Generic Instance Manager" (GIM). Less than 20 percent of the overall Star Citizen development team is working on Star Marine, and it's unknown when it'll be completed.

"There are several issues that will need additional time in order to deliver the first iteration of the gameplay we want you to experience," said Star Citizen boss Chris Roberts in a recent "Letter from the Chairman" blog post. "The challenges facing the FPS launch are a mix of technical blockers and gameplay issues. The most significant technical hurdle faced today is the networking backend."


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Apple will now replace your battery once it hits 80% health
Apple may have just unveiled Apple Music, but it also made some changes to the terms of its AppleCare+ extended warranty program.

The company will now replace the battery in any iOS or OS X device you own once the battery reaches 80% health. Before today, Apple would only replace devices under its AppleCare+ plan if the battery was at 50% for iOS devices, and Mac devices were only covered under manufacturing defects, not battery degradation.

This is a great step by Apple, as it gives consumers even more confidence in their products. The new policy is for devices purchased after April 10 of this year.


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Don't expect Edward Snowden to leave Russia anytime soon
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has said multiple times he would like to return home to the United States, but has become comfortable living in Russia. Over the past two years, Snowden has adapted to his temporary home as best as he could, learning to live his life away from political scrutiny and intense media attention.

"Edward and all of us hope that, sooner or later, all absurd charges against him will be lifted and the questions for him put on the legal track, without insults and name-calling. This is when he can return home," said Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden's attorney, in a statement to Interfax.

The idea that Snowden will one day be able to return to his homeland seems like nothing more than a fantasy at this point - it seems highly doubtful the Obama Administration, and other members of the government would be able to leave him alone.

"We hope Edward will be able to return home one day. But for this to happen, the Department of State should abandon attempts to consider the case in a political light and put it into a legal framework. And, certainly, change the insulting rhetoric in relation to Snowden."


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Microsoft unveils the Minecraft in Education initiative
Microsoft hopes teachers use Minecraft to help stimulate students in the classroom, allowing them to think creatively - and have fun while doing it.

After the game originally launched in 2011, some teachers found unique ways to embrace Minecraft. It has been used to help teach students about Japanese-American internment camps, DNA extraction, architecture, all while helping grow leadership and digital citizenship.

"Many of the most fun parts of Minecraft, including the collaborative nature of play, the need to experiment, the open world, the earning of achievements, and the growth of players' in-game characters as well as their personal skill sets, are also key to excellent learning environments," according to a recent blog post on the Minecraft Education website.

Microsoft wants to help connect teachers and educators trying to find ways to implement Minecraft - and technology overall - to help their students learn.

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Bethesda hesitant on offers for Fallout or Elder Scrolls movies
It looks like film studios have asked Bethesda about creating movies based off of Elder Scrolls and Fallout, but the gaming studio is more focused on creating great video games. The Bethesda board of directors has two TV and movie industry executives, so there is a "really good window" available - but gamers shouldn't hold their breath.

Bethesda believes video games are the "best form of entertainment in the world," according to Pete Hines, marketing executive at Bethesda, in a statement to GameSpot. "Generally speaking, we view ourselves as a video game company. We make video games. Movies and TV shows are an entirely different thing."

The added insight from CBS President Leslie Moonves, former MGM CEO Harry Loan and other people close to Bethesda has offered unique insight into trying to create something away from games: "We've gotten a lot of very good advice about, 'There's way more things that can go wrong than can go right with this. The concern is always... do you want the world's view of The Elder Scrolls to be what [director Todd Howard] envisions in Skyrim or do you want it to be some other director who decides to make a movie that looks like Cats?"


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Another researcher shares concerns with artificial intelligence
Dr. Stuart Armstrong is a member of the Oxford University Future of Humanity Institute, and the Oxford academic believes humans are risking our own survival depending how artificial intelligence (AI) developments occur in the future.

"Humans steer the future not because we're the strongest or the fastest, but because we're the smartest," Dr. Armstrong recently said. "When machines become smarter than humans, we'll be handing them the steering wheel."

Even though the thought that robots are able to coordinate across the world without human oversight may sound irrational, the idea that humans are creating AI in itself would have seemed impossible not too long ago. If done properly, using artificial general intelligence (AGI) could greatly impact our lives for the good - but no one is really sure what will happen beyond that.

AI developments are advancing, and I don't think we'll have to worry about the robots taking over anytime soon. However, we have to make sure we can keep all robots under control once they've been developed.


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Spotify under fire for 'silly' free streaming model by Rdio executive
Spotify offers a free membership and $9.99 per month subscription to its popular music service, but the No. 1 streaming service is effectively cannibalizing the industry, according to Rdio CEO Anthony Bay.

"The idea that giving it away for free leads more people to buy is flawed. You will convert a large number of people who would normally pay for something to the free service," Bay recently told CNBC.

Rdio has a free offer to stream radio stations, $3.99 stripped down tier, and $9.99 per month unlimited version as it offers radio and streaming stations. Unlike Spotify, music listeners don't control the music they listen to - but can purchase songs if they like it. However, Spotify is willing to be patient and wait for free users to upgrade to the paid subscription:

"What they are all trying for is user acquisition, it's a land grab for users. A lot aren't focused on immediate profitability. That will come after users increase," said Jack Kent, senior mobile analyst at HIS, in a statement to the CNBC.


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21 million people tuned in to watch E3 using Twitch, company says
More than 21 million people used Twitch to livestream events during the E3 gaming expo earlier this month, the company said in a recent blog post. The maximum number of concurrent viewers was 840,000.

It was an impressive event for Twitch, with 11,986,000 hours of E3 content watched during the gaming show. The Microsoft news conference gained the most attention out of all hardware makers, while Electronic Arts drew the most Twitch attention from software makers.

It's getting easier of interested gamers and tech enthusiasts to watch keynotes and press events remotely using Twitch, YouTube, and direct stream links. Considering Amazon's low acquisition costs of Twitch, it absolutely turned out to be the right investment.

"We continue to be both appreciative and awestruck by the support we get from our passionate community," said Marcus Graham, director of programming at Twitch. "We credit them for not bringing their own voice to the mix by co-streaming our broadcasts. When it comes to major trends coming out of E3, the appeal of live social video is definitely one of them."


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Get an iPhone 5 and Contract-Free Wireless Service for 73% Off

We're about to let you in on a secret: it's possible to get a great smartphone and feature-packed service without signing a contract that gives your wireless company legal rights to your firstborn, should you ever choose to cancel early. Another secret? For a limited time, you can get an iPhone 5 and a year of no-strings-attached service for just $299.

Head over to TweakTown Deals to pick up this awesome deal. You'll get a 16GB iPhone 5, a Lightning cable, a wall charger, and a year of contract-free premier service from FreedomPop. That means a year of unlimited talk and text, 500MB LTE data per month, private internet via VPN service, free international calling, data rollover, and more...no early termination fees, no contracts, and no firstborns to sign away. You can even keep using the service after your year ends for just $20.98 per month.

Get the iPhone 5 and a year of premier wireless service for $299 at TweakTown Deals.


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SpaceX will be just fine despite latest Falcon 9 rocket mishap
The SpaceX Falcon 9 exploded a couple minutes after takeoff over the weekend, possibly due to excessive pressure built up in the second stage's liquid oxygen tank. The incident marked the first time in 19 Falcon 9 launches there was a problem, and SpaceX will continue its work to try to get things sorted out.

"The launch failure by itself is not much of an issue," said Bill Ostrove, analyst at Forecast International Aerospace, in a statement to Forbes. "Most people in the industry understand that launching rockets into space is really difficult and occasional failures are just the price of conducting launches. Overall, SpaceX has a pretty strong record of success (about 95%) with the Falcon 9."

Unfortunately, SpaceX does have a few things it needs to work out - the company has suffered two commercial cargo failures in less than one year, and the most recent launch failure means there will be a delay for an investigation.

NASA currently doesn't have a shuttle system, and the US government is cautious over a fickle political relationship with Russia - so turning to the private sector has been an effective method to launch supplies and satellites into space.

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Acer announces its new 34-inch curved ultrawide monitor with FreeSync
There aren't many extravagant FreeSync monitors, but that's all about to change with the new Acer XR341CK, a 34-inch curved ultrawide monitor with support for AMD's FreeSync technology.

The 34-inch curved ultrawide display features a native resolution of 3440x1440, 60Hz refresh rate backed up by AMD's FreeSync technology, an IPS panel, impressive viewing angles, 300 nits of brightness, and a response time of 4ms. Acer promises 100% sRGB for photographers and video producers, but it should be the gamers who are the most interested in this display.

Acer is also including height and tilt adjustment, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, miniDisplayPort, a USB 3.0 hub, and 7W speakers with DTS Sound which should have people without desktop speakers happy. Acer is hoping to have the XR341CK on US shelves in late July for $1099. We've reached out to Acer for a review sample, with one hitting our desks late next month, so expect a review from us shortly after.


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Saygus V SQUARED smartphone has up to 464GB of on-board storage
While most companies are still offering flagship smartphones with only 16G or 32GB of on-board storage by default, it looks like that is all set to change with the new Saygus V SQUARED smartphone.

Saygus has taken to Indiegogo to fund its new venture, requiring $1 million to get the V SQUARED into consumers' hands, where it has met that funding goal. What makes the V SQUARED so special is that it has 64GB of on-board storage in its stock form, featuring not one but two microSD card slots that support 200GB each, bringing the total on-board storage on the V SQUARED to a huge 464GB.

The Saygus V SQUARED also features a 21-megapixel rear-facing 4K-capable camera, 13-megapixel selfie shooter up front, and is completely waterproof to boot. Saygus will release the V SQUARED smartphone later this year, with a price tag of $650.

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LG G4 vs. Samsung Galaxy S6 edge - The Battle of Android

Introduction

After around one month using the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge as my daily smartphone, I've recently started playing with the LG G4 and now I think I'm torn. Both smartphones are the top of their class, being the best handsets the respective companies have released yet.

But one of the roads that Samsung took with the new Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is that it removed two of the biggest things that set them apart from Apple and the iPhone: a removeable battery, and the microSD card slot. These two omissions have really hurt Samsung in the eyes of consumers, but luckily LG didn't cut anything from the G4.

LG and Samsung are the two biggest Android smartphone manufacturers in the world, with the G4 being LG's biggest launch of 2015. Samsung will have another launch later in the year with the Galaxy Note 5, which is rumored to be accompanied by the Galaxy Note 5 edge.

One of the biggest things that sets the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 apart is their connectivity. Analogix was brought in to provide their next-gen SlimPort 4K connector in the G4, and it really is next-gen when compared to the 'what the hell was Samsung thinking' approach to connectivity on the S6. The S6 is not capable of outputting its captured 4K content onto a TV, where the G4 can do it with a single SlimPort cable. More on that later in the article.

A Quick Comparison Between G4 and S6 edge

We'll talk about this more, but here's a quick recap of what you'll find in the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S6 edge:

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge

Display: 5.1-inch Super AMOLED

Resolution: 2560x1440 (577PPI)

Processor: Samsung Exynos 7420 (8-core processor)

RAM: 3GB

Cameras: 16-megapixel rear/5-megapixel front

Software: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

Battery: 2550mAh non-removeable

Connectivity: USB micro-B compatible

LG G4

Display: 5.5-inch IPS LCD

Resolution: 2560x1440 (538PPI)

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (6-core processor)

RAM: 3GB

Cameras: 16-megapixel rear/8-megapixel front

Software: Android 5.1 Lollipop

Battery: 3000mAh removeable

Connectivity: USB micro-B compatible with SlimPort TV out

Display Wars

LG has used a 5.5-inch display in the G4 with a resolution of 2560x1440, the same resolution used in the Galaxy S6 edge, except Samsung has used a 5.1-inch dual-edge display. LG's 1440p panel has a pixel density of 538PPI, while the Galaxy S6 edge sports a 577PPI display, edging out the LG display.

But this is where the two smartphones differ: LG has used the same 5.5-inch size from its G3 in the G4, while Samsung continues to use a 5.1-inch display for its Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. This is a very personal preference, as I really enjoy the size of the S6 edge's display. It's not too big, and it's not too small - it really is, just right. The G4 is bigger, but it honestly doesn't feel anywhere near as big as the iPhone 6 Plus, which feels gigantic in my hands.

Both displays are stellar, with 1440p really shining on either panel. Colors pop, text is beautifully clear, and everything just looks perfect. Watching 1080p or 1440p videos on YouTube has never been better, as Samsung and LG have put their best displays possible into these handsets.
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