Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » décembre 16, 2014

BetaNews.Com (20 non lus)

Google increases security for desktop Gmail with Content Security Policy support

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 9:49pm CET par Mark Wilson

Google today revealed a new feature for Gmail that should help to increase inbox security. Newly added support for Content Security Policy (CSP) keeps Gmail extensions in check to ensure that none are malicious or try to interfere with your Gmail session.

It's essentially server-side malware protection for Gmail extensions, and this is just the latest move from Google that aims to increase inbox security. Email security is of interest to everyone online, but it's something that is particularly important to business and enterprise users -- groups Google is keen to keep happy.

Content Security Policy serves as a means of intercepting unsafe code, stopping in its tracks before it has chance to cause any damage or gain access to personal information. Introducing the security feature, Google's Danesh Irani said:

Most popular (and well-behaved) extensions have already been updated to work with the CSP standard, but if you happen to have any trouble with an extension, try installing its latest version from your browser’s web store (for example, the Chrome Web Store for Chrome users).

CSP support has been added to the desktop version of Gmail; Google has not yet indicated if or when the same security feature will be made available to mobile users. Google recently added support for Security Key to Gmail, and has offered HTTPS access for a while now.

Photo credit: Novelo / Shutterstock
Twitter could be on the verge of introducing auto-playing video ads

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 7:20pm CET par Mark Wilson

A little over a year ago, Facebook introduced videos that play automatically. If a report from AdWeek is correct, it looks as though others thought that this was a great idea because Twitter is reportedly considering implementing the same feature. As this is a report that appeared in AdWeek, it should be clear that one of the most likely reasons for introducing the feature would be to increase the visibility of ads.

Just as with Facebook, the concern here is that -- as well as being considered by many as an invasion of, if not privacy, then virtual personal space -- it will lead to an unwanted increase in data usage.

AdWeek cites industry insiders who are quoted as saying: "It's an argument that's happening -- a tug of war". It's likely that Twitter will be very cautious about auto-playing videos. While the site has a need to appeal to advertisers, it has remained popular because of its simplicity. Features such as inline images have been introduced over the years, but Twitter has remained fairly true to its limited-character roots.

Twitter's philosophy has centered around its simple look, and the idea of videos that play automatically when they appear on screen is one that will undoubtedly divide users. At the end of the day, it is likely to be the financial considerations that are the deciding factor. Anything that can be used to grab the attention of a relatively captive audience is going to be embraced by advertisers, and this may be enough to sway Twitter in one direction.

Would autoplay videos be a turn off for you?

Photo credit: woaiss / Shutterstock
Google and Verizon sign patent license agreement -- lawyers probably crying

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 7:02pm CET par Brian Fagioli

There are a lot of lawyers in the world, and in order to support their families, they must work. This means that lawsuits are essential for the overall economy; sad but true. Lately, it seems like a lot of tech companies are suing each other over patents, and quite frankly, it is tiring. I am sure some lawsuits over patents are legit, but many seem to be patent-troll nonsense.

Well, to the possible dismay of the lawyers for Verizon and Google, there may not be any legal disputes over patents between the companies for a while. Why? The two giants have signed a patent license agreement for various products and technologies. Which products and technologies, however, are not yet revealed.

"Verizon has long championed patent reforms and industry actions that promote innovation. We look forward to striking similar deals with other high-tech companies also concerned with the innovation tax that patent trolls often collect", says Verizon General Counsel Randal Milch.

Kirk Dailey, Head of Patent Transactions at Google explains, "this cross license allows both companies to focus on delivering great products and services to consumers around the world. We're pleased to enter into this agreement with an industry leader like Verizon, and we welcome discussions with any company interested in a similar arrangement".

This is great news, as fighting and lawsuits between companies can use up valuable resources that would be better focused on innovation and products. Of course, there are probably some lawyers out there crying at the potential loss of financial gain that such legal battles can produce. No worries though, I am sure there will be plenty of other patent litigation to go around.

Photo Credit: Stephane Bidouze / Shutterstock
Hush smart earbuds promise the perfect night's sleep

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 7:00pm CET par Barclay Ballard

A new Kickstarter project promises a better night’s sleep using smart earbuds and noise-canceling technology.

Hush can provide a silent environment no matter how much noise is taking place around you, by actively recording and playing opposite sound waves in order to cancel out any potential disturbances.

The smart earbuds also offer a range of soothing recordings to help the user get to sleep in whichever way suits them best. The device currently boasts 10 different sounds including white noise and rainfall.

However, the team of engineers behind Hush, Daniel "Ewok" Lee, Daniel Synn, and Daniel "Chesong" Lee, are well aware that despite craving a peaceful night’s sleep there are times when you need to be woken up. With that in mind, Hush comes with an accompanying smartphone app, enabling the user to select which notifications are allowed to interrupt their sleep. The alerts and any set alarms will play through the smart earbuds, meaning only the user is disturbed, allowing your partner or roommate to continue sleeping.

The earplugs are capable of playing white noise or any of the other sounds for a full 10 hours before needing to be recharged. The device also comes with a carry case that charges your device automatically and can hold 10 full charges before it needs to be plugged in.

Hush can also play binaural beats, which means that one ear receives noise of a certain pitch, while the other receives a slightly higher sound. Depending on the difference, this can encourage various brain states, making you feel relaxed and calm or alert and awake.

Anyone struggling to get to sleep may want to check out the Hush Kickstarter page, which has already beaten its $100,000 fundraising goal. A pair of the smart earbuds can currently be purchased for $115, and are expected to ship in May 2015.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Microsoft brings Lumia 635 to Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile USA and Sprint

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 6:43pm CET par Brian Fagioli
Windows Phone is a great operating system. If you disagree, you are wrong. Sure, it has frustratingly low app availability, including a lack of Google apps, but the underlying OS is wonderful. Live tiles are useful, and the UI is smart and attractive. Hell, the hardware is wonderful too, and it is often sold at very affordable prices.

Today, Microsoft and Sprint are joining forces to bring the Lumia 635 to Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile USA and Sprint's own network. Believe it or not, this is the first-ever Lumia handset for Boost and Virgin USA -- two of Sprint's sub-carriers.

"Sprint and Microsoft will proudly showcase a renewed partnership with the announcement of Lumia 635 arriving across multiple Sprint brands beginning with Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile on Dec. 23. It will be available on Jan. 16 to Sprint postpaid customers. This is the first Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone to launch on Sprint's network and the first Lumia Windows Phone available to Sprint's prepaid customers", says Sprint.

Matt Rothschild, head of North America sales for Microsoft Mobile Devices explains, "we are pleased to partner with Sprint and offer even more U.S. customers the opportunity to choose Lumia smartphones. The Sprint, Boost and Virgin brands have great synergy with the value represented by the Lumia 635 -- a great, affordable smartphone that delivers uncompromised experiences to help people do more".

There is actually something to that -- both Sprint and Windows Phone represent affordability -- it is not just corporate speak. This is a smart partnership for Microsoft, as the carrier does represent the Windows Phone philosophy. A $99 off-contract phone is a great thing for consumers.

Microsoft lists the following specs:
- Main camera: 5.0MP
- Windows Phone 8.1
- Display size: 4.5 inch
- Display resolution: FWVGA (854 x 480)
- Processor name: Snapdragon 400
- Battery capacity: 1830mAh
- RAM: 512 MB
- Mass memory3: 8 GB
- Maximum memory card size: 128 GB
- Expandable memory card type: MicroSD
The 635 launches on December 23 for Boost and Virgin USA for an off-contract price of $99. Sprint on-contract availability will be on January 16, but pricing is unknown. Will you buy the Lumia 635? Tell me in the comments.
Apple, Amazon, HP, Verizon and others back Microsoft's fight against US government

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 6:09pm CET par Mark Wilson

Microsoft is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the US government, and the fight has led to an unlikely alliance between several rival companies. Microsoft was handed a government order requesting access to emails stored at a datacenter in Ireland. The company has been battling the order for several months, and now Apple, Amazon, Verizon, and HP are among the big names lending their support to the fight.

It's not just technology firms who are putting their names forward in support of the challenge of the search warrant. Several global media outlets, including the Guardian, the Washington Post, and CNN as well as numerous trade associations and advocacy organizations have signaled their support for Microsoft.

Microsoft has already appealed against the government order -- and lost -- but it is hoped that the latest move, which sees supporters all filing legal briefs backing Microsoft, will be more successful. The full list of those supporting Microsoft is wide and varied, bringing together technology firms and the likes of the Open Rights Group and the American Civil Liberties Union, representing an almost unprecedented level of cooperation between those who are usually stark rivals.

The level of interest that this case has generated is also quite unprecedented. In a post on the Official Microsoft Blog, the company says:

Seldom has a case below the Supreme Court attracted the breadth and depth of legal involvement we're seeing today. Today’s ten briefs are signed by 28 leading technology and media companies, 35 leading computer scientists, and 23 trade associations and advocacy organizations that together represent millions of members on both sides of the Atlantic.

One of the reasons this has become so high profile -- aside from the fact that Microsoft is involved -- is that, as Microsoft puts it, the case centers around a policy issue that is "fundamental to the future of global technology".

If the US government proved successful in its bid to gain access to Microsoft's datacenter, the implications would be colossal -- and this is precisely why Microsoft is digging in its heels:

We believe that when one government wants to obtain email that is stored in another country, it needs to do so in a manner that respects existing domestic and international laws. In contrast, the US Government's unilateral use of a search warrant to reach email in another country puts both fundamental privacy rights and cordial international relations at risk. And as today’s briefs demonstrate, the impacts of this step are far-reaching.

Photo credit: Junial Enterprises / Shutterstock
Interested in encrypting your data? Here's what you need to know [infographic]

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 5:15pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

There is more than one way to keep your data safe from prying eyes, but the practice that is most recommended is still the use of encryption. It will ensure that only you will be able to access personal information, requiring a decryption key to unlock your data. Proving just how effective it can be, the US government basically wants both Apple and Google to allow it to bypass the encryption in the latest versions of their mobile operating systems, namely iOS 8 and Android 5.0 Lollipop, respectively, because currently it is unable to directly access that data.

However, there are quite a few things that you should also know about encryption before you decide to go down this road. To learn more about what encryption entails, you can check out the following infographic, called "Protected: A Beginner's Guide To Encryption".

This infographic briefly details the basics of encryption, starting with the encryption key, what encryption software you can use on your PCs and Macs, how to encrypt data stored on cloud storage services, and how to encrypt your emails.

As with cloud-based accounts, the more complex the encryption key, the better your chances of keeping your data private. A strong encryption key will be much, much more difficult to crack than, let's say, "password1234" -- it will not help keep your data safe for long, even if you are using the best encryption around.

Similarly, if you do not use safe browsing habits your data may still be at risk, no matter if it is encrypted. You must also make sure that your devices are protected against unauthorized access when you are not using them -- that means locking them while you are away, using difficult to guess passwords and so on.

Image Credit: VERSUSstudio / Shutterstock
Gigabyte Aorus X7 Pro v3: A fast, stylish entertainment notebook [Review]

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 4:05pm CET par James Morris
When we took our first look at the original Aorus X7, we were decidedly impressed at how much Gigabyte had managed to fit into a notebook just over 2cm thick.

The Aorus X7 Pro v3 improves the specs further, promising even more performance in an incredibly portable package for a notebook aimed primarily at entertainment.

CPU

The processor has been upgraded slightly compared to the original Aorus X7, with a 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 rather than 2.4GHz. This is the 4870HQ from the latest Haswell generation, which is a quad-core processor with the ability to raise one core to 3.7GHz, or all four to 3.5GHz. So the CPU can adjust itself as required, with the standard frequency a very small part of the story.

As usual, Hyper-Threading means it presents itself as eight virtual cores, so the processor has plenty of potential whether running a single task or multiple tasks in parallel. Gigabyte has partnered the 4870HQ with a generous 16GB of DDR3 SDRAM, although the maximum for this notebook is 32GB, so there’s room to upgrade if you need an even greater level of performance.

Storage

The internal storage allocation is potentially enormous with up to four storage devices possible inside this incredibly thin chassis.

Our system included two 256GB LiteOn LMT-256L9M mSATA solid state disks in RAID 0 configuration, giving a healthy half a terabyte of extremely fast storage for lightning quick boot and application loading times, and plenty of capacity for software. But it’s also possible to specify a third mSATA drive, with capacities of up to 512GB apiece, as well as a fourth conventional SATA hard disk up to 2TB. The one thing you don’t get, due to the thinness of this chassis, is an optical drive, which might be a drawback if you want to load games from DVD.

Screen

The immense graphical capability wouldn’t be much use if the screen wasn’t up to scratch. Fortunately, the Aorus’s 17.3in Full HD display uses IPS technology, which is decidedly superior to standard TFTs, and offers rich colors as well as excellent viewing angles.

With the matte finish of the screen, there’s little problem from reflections. Although an increasing number of notebooks now offer Retina-style displays with resolutions well beyond Full HD, we’re still not convinced by the utility of this on a 17in panel just yet, because a lot of Windows software is still not compatible, rendering interface elements illegibly small. However, the Aorus should be able to drive an external 4K screen with considerable aplomb.

Usability

Gigabyte also places a considerable focus on the Acoustic+ audio capabilities of the Aorus X7 Pro V3, and the level and quality available from the dual subwoofers is well beyond most notebooks, so you may not have to rely on your headphones with this system.

Considering the hugely heavy gaming laptops available from the likes of Alienware, the 3kg weight of the Aorus seems decidedly miserly, although it’s not exactly in ultraportable territory. The durable aluminum chassis is completely black, with some subtle angles rather than just being a rectangular slab. The end result is stylish, albeit more understated than an Alienware notebook, and the width of the 17in form factor has been used to supply an extra row of programmable macro keys down the left-hand-side of the keyboard as well as a full numeric keypad on the right.

The keyboard action is shallow but offers enough response to be comfortable. The glossy trackpad isn’t the most enjoyable we have used and has a little too much friction, a matte finish would’ve been better as it’s easier to slide your finger over.

Connectivity

The 17in chassis affords plenty of room for ports. The left-hand side is home to LAN, full-sized HDMI, VGA, USB 3.0, and discrete microphone and headphone minijacks. On the right you will find: a mini DisplayPort, a second full-sized HDMI covered with a rubber stopper (presumably so you use the mini DisplayPort instead), two more USB 3.0 ports, and a SD card slot. There are also a couple of USB 2.0 ports on the rear, alongside the power connection. Networking is well served, with a KillerLAN chipset providing the Gigabit wired LAN alongside the 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Performance

The Core i7 processor also incorporates the (currently) fastest version of Intel’s integrated graphics chip, the Iris Pro 5200, which comes with its own 128MB allocation of eDRAM. The Iris Pro 5200 sports 40 execution units, twice as many as the latest Haswell generation of the 4000 series. However, it will only come into play when the notebook isn’t doing anything particularly strenuous with 3D graphics, as otherwise the real stars of the show will take the lead role. These are two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M chips in SLI mode. Each GPU on its own sports 1,280 CUDA cores running at between 924 and 1,038MHz, and 3GB of GDDR5 memory. Together they promise top-of-the-line portable 3D performance.

Unsurprisingly, thanks to the fast CPU and powerful graphics chips, the Aorus X7 Pro v3 provides supreme performance in almost every area. The Maxon Cinebench rendering scores of 6.78 in R11.5 and 613 in R15 are some of the best we have seen, and the OpenGL result of 66.3 in R11.5 is close to the best, whilst the result of 141.63 in R15 is far ahead of anything we have tested before. In PC Mark 8’s Home test the Aorus achieved 4,661, with 4,890 in the Work test, both of which are the best we have seen.

Of course, gaming is where this notebook is mostly focused, and here it reigns supreme. The Futuremark 3DMark11 score of 14,565 is almost twice that of the original Aorus X7, and the highest we have ever seen by some margin. The 3DMark Firestrike 1.1 result of 10,652 is around 2.5 times as fast as the original Aorus, and again streets ahead of anything we have tested before. So this really is a gaming powerhouse, despite its skinny appearance.

There had to be a compromise somewhere, though, and unsurprisingly it comes with battery life. The Aorus lasted just 100 minutes of PC Mark 8’s Home test, whilst maintaining a score of 3,549. It also endured just 87 minutes of the more grueling Battery Eater Pro, which makes more extensive use of CPU and graphics. Neither are terrible for a 17in gaming laptop, but they are noticeably behind the first Aorus we looked at, and mean you can only realistically use this laptop for a couple of hours away from the power socket, and much less when gaming.

Verdict

The Gigabyte Aorus X7 v3 doesn’t quite live up to the portability it promises when it comes to battery life, but it does still pack a huge amount of performance into a decidedly slim chassis, particularly where 3D graphics are concerned. The screen is an improvement on the first model, too, and there’s a reasonable quantity of super-fast storage. Even the $2599 price isn’t outrageous, considering the specification. If you’re after a fast, stylish entertainment notebook, the Gigabyte Aorus X7 v3 is an enticing bit of kit.
Pros
- Unparalleled 3D graphics performance
- Excellent application performance
- Thin and portable for a 17.3in notebook
- Fast storage
Cons
- Poor battery life
- No optical drive
Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Avast wants beta testers for its business security software

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 2:59pm CET par Ian Barker

Avast has long been a favorite with home PC users thanks to its free antivirus offering, and protects 175 million computers worldwide. It also launched a free mobile product in 2011 and now protects around 50 million smartphones too.

In 2015 it's looking to move into the business market and is seeking beta testers to help perfect its product before launch.

Avast For Business will offer free business-grade security from the cloud for any number of devices. It's designed to protect devices in the background without being intrusive and will protect both Windows and Mac devices. There's a Secureline option as well to protect business users when they're on public Wi-Fi connections. Cloud-based controls allow system admins to upgrade and add new features to protected systems.

Testers get early access to pre-release versions of the Avast for Business product and will be able to make suggestions for improvements and additional features. They'll also be rewarded for their efforts with three months of the product's Premium service for free when it’s launched in 2015.

For more information and to sign up to take part in the beta program you can visit the Avast website.

Image Credit: soliman design / Shutterstock
Microsoft introduces beta Gestures app for Lumia Windows Phones

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 2:49pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Windows Phone started off as an easy to use smartphone operating system without many bells and whistles. Over the years, it has picked up more and more advanced features, reaching the point where it can now hold its own in a comparison against main rivals, Android and iOS. And Microsoft keeps adding to the list.

One area where Windows Phones have struggled -- against Android rivals -- is gesture-based features, like the ability to answer a call by holding the phone to the ear. (You can find that on some old Android devices, like Samsung Galaxy S3.) It is not a major feature by any means, but it is nice to have. Well, Microsoft is trying to catch up by introducing a new app, called Gestures, which enables (more) gesture-based features.

The option to offer gesture-based features has always been available on Windows Phones, as the hardware makes this possible -- it is not all that different to other smartphones that have gesture-based features, after all. Microsoft and its partners just chose to focus on other areas of the user experience.

However, some Windows Phones have offered gesture-based features out-of-the-box. For instance, a Nokia Lumia 920 will silence the ringer when it is turned face down. Microsoft is not the first to bring such features to the platform, but it is the first to offer a more rounded set. (That said, not all Windows Phones are created equal -- some, like Lumia 530, Lumia 630 and Lumia 635 -- do not support all the gestures the app offers.)

Gestures, which is currently undergoing beta testing, gives users the option to enable four gesture-based features (users can individually select which ones to enable). We might even see more being added as the app's development continues.

Right now, it can silence incoming calls when the user places the Windows Phone face down on a surface, answer incoming calls when the user raises the Windows Phone to the ear, enable speaker mode when the user places the Windows Phone face up on a surface while in a call (and revert to normal mode when the user raises the Windows Phone to the ear), and mute the microphone when the user places the Windows Phone face down on a surface while in a call.

I would love to see the use of gestures extending to other parts of the user experience, not just phone calls. For instance, turning on quiet hours by placing the Windows Phone face down would be nice to have.

Gestures is available to download from Windows Phone Store.
Microsoft opens up improved Sway Preview to everyone -- no more waiting list!

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 2:16pm CET par Mark Wilson

It has been a few weeks since Microsoft introduced us to the latest addition to the Office family -- Sway. In fact, as Microsoft points out, the preview was unveiled 10 weeks ago. While the initial preview required anyone interested to join a waiting list, now it's possible to get in on the action straight away; and it seems there has already been great interest in the product.

Microsoft says that there have been 175,000 requests to access the Sway Preview, and the Sway.com website has received over one million visitors. Now anyone with a Microsoft account is able to try out the data collection and presentation tool and check out a batch of new features.

The new Microsoft remains all ears, and there have already been a number of changes to Sway in response to feedback from people who got into the preview early on. Undo and redo might seem like obvious tools to include, but Microsoft explains that feedback from users led to them being introduced faster because of the importance people placed on them. Many of the other changes are focused on text editing.

It's now possible to edit text directly on a Sway canvas, and bullets and numbering are now also included. We've already been told that Sway is a way to "reimagine how your ideas come to life" and it's likely that this will involve several changes of mind when putting together a canvas. Updates have made it easier to re-order a section using drag and drop. Other new features include PDF import, an improved color picker and wider availability of the iPhone version of Sway.

If you're interested in checking out the tool for yourself, sign up for the Sway Preview for instant access.
Skype offers free calls from India to US and Canada until March

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 1:29pm CET par Mark Wilson

Microsoft has an end-of-year present for Skype users in India. Starting now and running until the beginning of March, calls from India to the US and Canada are completely free of charge. Interestingly, this includes calls placed to mobiles as well as to landlines.

Unusually for such an offer, there's no commitment, no free trial and, seemingly, no catch -- just free calls for the next three months. The news comes just after Microsoft unveiled details of its Skype Translator preview, and is just in time for the holiday season when the number of phone calls placed tends to skyrocket.

Over on the Skype website, Microsoft gives some details about the offer, and there are very few limitations. Calls can be up to four hours long -- after this time you can simply hang up and redial if you still need to chat -- and business use, such as in call centers, is prohibited. These points aside, this is a pretty clear cut offer which will be well-received.

Microsoft explains:

From December 16, 2014 (00:01 IST) to March 1, 2015 (00:01 IST) (the Offer Period) use Skype to make free calls from India to landlines and mobiles in the U.S. and Canada (excluding special, premium service and non-geographic numbers).

To take advantage of the offer there's no need to do anything special -- just fire up Skype and start dialing!

Photo credit: Ollyy / Shutterstock
AOC's new computer screens can reduce eye fatigue and retinal stress

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 12:56pm CET par Wayne Williams

If you sit in front of a computer screen all day, as so many of us do, there’s the risk of developing eye fatigue and headaches. Taking regular breaks can help, but you have to remember to do so.

Monitor-maker AOC says it has found a way to reduce the risks of spending so much time in front of computer screens and is debuting two new displays which offer Anti-Blue Light and Flicker FREE technology that it claims can combat eye-related issues such as retinal stress and macular degeneration.

According to studies, regular exposure to the blue light of display devices causes retinal stress, leading to age-related macular degeneration, or ARMD. AOC says its Anti-Blue Light technology, which is based on a special LED technology which shifts the wavelength peak from harmful 450 nm to a safer 460 nm, reduces harmful blue light by over 90 percent without affecting color fidelity. In addition, the Flicker FREE technology helps reduce eye fatigue.

This technology is included in two models, the 22 inch E2276VWM6 and the 24 inch E2476VWM6. The two screens offer 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, vibrant, bright colors and an HDMI connector with MHL 2.0 (Mobile High-Definition Link) functionality, so Android smartphones and tablets can be mirrored directly onto the larger screens. Both models have short pixel response times of 1 ms and 2 ms.

The E2276VWM6 and E2476VWM6 with Anti-blue Light and Flicker FREE are available in UK stores now for £109 and £129 respectively.
Samsung and Nokia are 2014's biggest smartphone losers

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 12:11pm CET par David Curry

Samsung, the largest smartphone supplier, has had a surprising year and reported losing over 20 million sales, compared to 2013.

Samsung sold 7 million less units in Q3 and 23 million less overall in 2014, compared to the previous year. The Galaxy S5 has been a huge letdown for Samsung, selling less than 20 million units in 2014, a number Apple’s iPhone 6 has already surpassed.

Samsung has reportedly reformed the mobile division, to create more competitive products to excite customers in 2015. The competition on Android is fierce, with top-tier smartphones like the Moto X and HTC One M8, so it might take more than a piece of metal for Samsung to win back customers.

Lower-cost feature phone sales were also down for Samsung with fierce competition, such as Xiomi and Micromax entering India and China. Even in its home nation of South Korea, Samsung lost to LG and Apple for most of the year in sales.

Nokia had troubles in 2014 as well, losing 20 million customers in 2014. Microsoft’s $7.2 billion (£4.9 billion) acquisition has still not shown any change in fortune, even after CEO Satya Nadella sacked 18,000 workers from the hardware division.

This year’s big winner is Xiaomi, the Chinese based manufacturer sold 15.7 million smartphones in Q3 2014, compared to 3.6 million in 2013. Xiaomi has become the largest smartphone maker in China and the expansion to India and Singapore has shown excellent sales results.

Huawei and Lenovo, the two other mobile giants in China, seen growth in the mobile market, although considerably less than Xiaomi.

Apple also had a sales increase in Q3 2014, selling 8 million more units than last quarter. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have worked wonders with South-East Asian audiences, and even in Europe, Apple is seeing growth.

Google’s Android OS now holds 83 percent of the overall mobile market, iOS sits comfortably in second with 12.7 percent and Windows Phone has dropped to 3.6 percent in 2014. BlackBerry has been wiped off the records with under one percent share.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Compress CBR/CBZ comic files by 50 percent or more

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 11:24am CET par Mike Williams

Digital comics often come in the form of comic book archives, typically JPGs stored in a single archive file (cbz = zip, cbr = rar, and so on).

You might think these simple compressed formats would already produce the smallest possible files, but no -- the free CbxConverter can resample images and convert them to WebP, shrinking the archives even further.

The program is barely a 1MB download, and doesn’t require installation -- just unzip it and go.

CbxConverter’s core operations seem simple, at least initially. Drag and drop your source files, click the "Start…" button, and wait. The main program window keeps you up-to-date with progress, and any converted files are saved in an "out" folder (there’s no option to overwrite the originals).

The default JPG > WebP conversion delivered reasonable results in our eight test comics, which fell to a fraction less than half their original size, without a significant reduction in quality.

If you choose to resample the image then there’s scope to achieve much more. We set the resize/ resample option to 50 percent and our file sizes dropped by 83.3 percent.

Once you get past the core conversions, CbxConverter’s interface becomes annoying. Even a basic task like clearing the source file list isn’t straightforward. There’s no "Clear" toolbar button, no menu option, you can’t select them and press Del -- the option you need is available on a right-click menu only.

CbxConverter carries out its main function well enough, though, and if you need to batch process a group of comics -- and your comic reader can handle WebP files -- then it just might be good enough.
Uber's tone-deaf surge pricing is its undoing

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 10:43am CET par Ed Oswald

As downtown Sydney was in full panic Monday during a hostage crisis at a local cafe, Uber sat at the ready to get people out of town. There was only one problem: the ride would cost you $100 or more, four times the service’s normal rate.

The reasoning? Surge pricing.

Uber’s oft-maligned pricing strategy is an effort to entice drivers to areas where there is higher than normal demand. Problem is a human being is not behind the adjustments in price: instead it is left up to a computer algorithm. Not exactly the best way to figure out a fair price.

Monday’s actions by Uber created yet another public relations black eye for the company which has struggled to gain any positive press recently. It also put Uber in an awkward position: having to defend its business practices amid a high profile crisis that made headlines worldwide.

Uber did respond quickly following a Mashable report highlighting the company’s ride prices in downtown Sydney during the crisis. For a brief time, rides out of Sydney’s Central Business District were free of charge, and Uber also promised refunds for those that paid the company’s surge prices. The sting remains though. Critics on social media blasted the company, and wondered why Uber didn’t step in before media pressure forced its hand.

Monday’s events clearly lay bare a critical flaw in how Uber does business. By leaving the surge pricing to computers that obviously have no clue what is causing the spikes in demand, Uber’s customers are subject to pricing that in the least looks tone deaf, and at worst is outright price gouging.

This issue has gained the attention of at least one state attorney general. Uber settled with the state of New York in July of this year, and agreed to limit its surge pricing to only the highest rate it has charged on any trip in the past sixty days. This policy was later adopted by the company nationwide.

It is not clear whether a similar policy was put in place in its overseas operations, however.

Given Uber’s fights with local transportation agencies over its legality to operate, events like this give those agencies even more ammunition against it. While these agencies do by default give certain taxi providers a monopoly on the market, they also exert tight controls over pricing.

These agencies strictly forbid any kind of surge pricing in most cases akin to what Uber does. Why should Uber be allowed to operate on a different set of rules? Yes it is a luxury service, but does that give it the right to charge three, four or more times its normal rates at the times where the public needs it the most?

No doubt in the coming days and weeks Uber will be forced to revisit its pricing strategies, and we can only hope that the next time the company is far more proactive in preventing a public relations nightmare than what it has on its hands now.
Spanish publishers demand the return of Google News

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 9:51am CET par David Curry

Google removed its news aggregation service from Spain a few days ago, but the Spanish Newspaper Publishers’ Association (AEDE) is already asking the government to bring it back.

AEDE claims the removal of Google News will be bad business for the publishing industry overall and will have more of a negative effect on smaller internet-based publications.

The request does not mean a change in the law, meaning if Google were to bring its news service back, it would still need to pay the charges to publishers for distribution, something Google is surely keen to avoid.

AEDE is willing to negotiate terms with Google, but it is unlikely the search giant will even come to the table. Google has a track record of getting its way or simply ignoring the issue.

Google News has quickly become the defining goal for many publications. Hitting the number one spot often draws in hundreds of thousands of unique viewers to the site.

In the past few years, Google has worked on its news algorithm, to ensure only the best articles get to the top. Google has also added tags like "Trending on Google+", "In Depth", "Opinion", "Live Updating" and "Wikipedia" to refine the service.

Google does not actively pick-and-choose what articles hit the top spot, it is all done through algorithm and automation. It makes hitting the top spot a lot more random as the reaching the spot is based on a plethora of factors, including audience size and time of day.

Spain is the only country currently enforcing this tax on news, meaning Google News should continue to operate as normal outside of Spain.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
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View, organize and manage your media with Diffractor

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 9:17am CET par Mike Williams

$Diffractor$

Most PC users need a good media manager, something to bring order to the mass of photos, videos and music cluttering their system.

There’s plenty of competition around, but if your needs are relatively straightforward then Diffractor could be a contender.

The program installs quickly and easily, no adware or other complications. On launch it indexes your system, reasonably quickly in our experience, before displaying an Overview screen with various folders. Double-clicking these will filter your media by folder, file type, year, and a range of tags: Album, Artist, Camera, Exposure, Rating and more.

Head off to the Pictures folder and what looks like a simple image viewer appears. Folders and thumbnails are in a pane on the right; a preview window on the left; double-clicking something displays it full-screen (or plays music or videos), Esc returns to the normal view for more browsing.

A Search bar works much like Explorer. You can click it to view your viewing history, or start typing to display anything with matching file or folder names, even metadata.

Right-clicking an image preview displays its Properties dialog, where you can enter or edit metadata, straighten and crop the image, or adjust vibrance, darks / midtones / lights, brightness, contrast and saturation.

Right-clicking a thumbnail reveals various batch processing tools. You're able to run limited conversions, add or remove metadata, rename, rotate, resize, move, copy or print all your selected photos in a single operation, as well as sending them by email or uploading them to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr.

Diffractor is location-aware, too. You’re able to sort your media display by location, and it'll organize photos into countries as recorded by their location data. They don't have any? Not a problem, a Google Maps-powered Locate function makes it easy to add your chosen location to any set of photos.

While this sounds great, the experience isn't always so impressive. There's only a very basic zoom tool. You can't select images by clicking and dragging with the mouse. Some batch processing commands are surprisingly limited (the "Convert" function doesn't offer a choice of destination formats, just JPEG for pictures, and MP4/ H264/ AAC for video). And there are minimal configuration options.

Still, Diffractor’s Search system works well, tagging is quick and easy, and some features -- like the Location tool -- might make it worth installing, all on their own. If your media management needs are simple and you’re not currently using anything else, then give it a try.
HBO GO lands on Amazon Fire TV set-top box

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 6:00am CET par Alan Buckingham

HBO is one of the most popular premium networks on TV, with shows like Game of Thrones and others. The channel has also launched an online and mobile app called HBO GO. This brings the content to your computer, phone or tablet.

Now the network has arrived on Amazon Fire TV, the tiny set-top box that launched earlier this year. It's a strong competitor to Roku and Apple TV. While arguably less capable than the former, it is also stronger than the latter in its offerings.

"Since launch we’ve increased the number of services available on Amazon Fire TV by more than 4x", says Peter Larsen, Vice President Amazon Devices. "We’re thrilled to add HBO GO, the most requested service, to Fire TV in time for the holidays. HBO has produced some of the most groundbreaking and award-winning TV shows and movies, and we are excited to bring this amazing content to our customers, all of which is accessible via voice search on your Fire TV remote".

Amazon claims it now has more than 700 apps and games available on its platform. And the addition of HBO GO brings approximately 1,700 titles along for the ride. You can browse the store to grab the app. For now, you'll still need to verify a cable or satellite subscription, but that's scheduled to change next year. Oh, and it's currently on sale for $79, a $20 price cut. The deal will last through December 28th.
Netflix for Android phones gains Social Recommendation and Android Wear support

Publié: décembre 16, 2014, 2:40am CET par Brian Fagioli

Netflix streaming selection leaves a lot to be desired. With that said, the monthly streaming plan is still one of the best deals in entertainment. Hell, the paltry $8.99 is almost nothing in 2014 dollars -- I spend more at Starbucks in one day on soy chai lattes. What really makes the service attractive, however, is its ubiquity; it can be found on most streaming boxes, game consoles and mobile devices.

Sadly, Netflix sort of dissed Android users earlier this year. How, you ask? Well, it delivered new social features for iOS and game consoles, but left users of Google's mobile OS in the cold. Today, Netflix issues a minor mea culpa, and delivers those features to Android too. But wait, that's not all -- Netflix takes things a step further and introduces Android Wear support! In other words, users of Google's smartwatch platform are getting yet another cool feature to justify their purchase.

"In September, we announced our new Social Recommendation feature for the Netflix website, iPad, iPhone, PS3, Xbox, and many set-top boxes and smart TVs. Today, we're announcing the same feature has been added to the Netflix app for Android phones. Now you can easily, and privately, recommend the shows you love to the people you care about, right from your Android phone", says Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation, Netflix.

Johnson explains, "we've also added a couple of new exciting features specifically for Android users. First, we're taking full advantage of the rich Android push notification capabilities to add images and action buttons that let you to watch, get more info, or thank your friend for a recommendation. Second, for Android smartwatch users, we've created an Android Wear integration that alerts you when you've received a recommendation, and lets you watch, thank, play, or get more details on the show".

As an Android Wear owner myself, this feature excites me -- there is a lack of apps for the platform, but it is growing every day. Netflix is a pretty big player, and its support for Android Wear lends increased credence. Overall, the sharing and recommendation is appreciated, as I often don't know what to watch on the streaming service, and there are many hidden gems.

What Netflix movie or TV shows do you recommend? Tell me in the comments.