Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » mars 19, 2015

BetaNews.Com (16 non lus)

Toshiba Chromebook 2: Best-of-class display [review]

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 11:30pm CET par Joe Wilcox
My family plays musical computers today, as mom receives my wife's Toshiba Chromebook 2—to replace the end-of-life original Microsoft Surface RT. Last week, my beloved took possession of my Google Pixel after I received the newer model, released on March 11.

While writing the above paragraph, my mother phoned to let me know the laptop arrived. "Oh do I like this Toshiba! This can't be a 13-inch screen. It seems so much bigger". The reaction is more than just because of the move from the RTs 11.6-inch panel. Among the Chrome OS category, the Toshiba's screen is exceptionally bright, and crisp, setting it apart from every model other than Google's own.

Screaming Screen

Chromebook critics complain about the need for nearly always-connected Internet, but the category’s shortcoming is something else: Crappy TN screens that are too dim and which viewing angles suck. Among the Chromebooks I have tested or used, either Pixel or the Toshiba are the only models on my current recommended list. Satisfying IPS displays are one major reason.

Qualification: There are two Toshiba models. I reviewed and recommend the costlier $329.99 Chromebook 2, with 1920 x 1080 resolution. The $249.99 configuration is 1368 x 768 and comes with too little memory for the processor class.

Before moving to Surface RT last year, mom used the Samsung Series 5 550, which I purchased for her in June 2012. While matte—versus the Toshiba's reflective—the 550's display is unusually bright: 300-nits compared to about 339-nits, respectively. Most other Chromebooks, even some with IPS screens, are in the 200-to-250-nit range.

You can find cheaper models than the high-end Chromebook 2, or those with more capable microprocessors, but in my evaluation the screen is any laptop's most important feature, which must be balanced against other benefits. As measured in nits, Toshiba Chromebook 2 is brighter than MacBook Pro with Retina Display, which screen likewise diagonally measures 13.3 inches but sells for nearly $1,000 more.

HD resolution isn't necessarily a benefit, however. For my eyes, text is way too small at 1920 x 1080 resolution. I jacked font-size to “Very Large”, which just looked too strange. So I pumped down to 1536 x 864, holding firm at “Medium”. Wide viewing angles, brightness, and rich colors and contrast matter more, and Chromebook 2 delivers them with gusto.

Paltry Performer

My measure of most-important benefit may not be yours. Some buyers prefer raw speed to visuals, and manufacturers like Acer offer more. Today, the company announced the C910 Chromebook with fifth-generation Core i5 processor, for example. The vendor also sells some Core i3 models. But the Acer screens can't compare to the Toshiba's.

Chromebook 2 is not a fast performer. For general writing, even watching movies or editing photos, the laptop feels plenty speedy enough. But there is noticeable hesitation switching tabs when a half-dozen or more are open and occasional scrolling lag is persistent enough to be annoying.

Let me qualify what that means for anyone consuming content, before discussing Toshiba's microprocessor choice. The experience consuming video is excellent—approaching outstanding and easily is as good as or better than 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina. Take your streaming pick: Amazon, Hulu Plus, Netflix, or YouTube. The HD display and Intel chips deliver smooth, vibrant video that is stutter-free. Color, contrast, and detail will satisfy. The built-in Skullcandy speakers are excellent complement.

Where audio stumbles is streaming. Consistently, Google Music crackles, stutters, or breaks up. The usage experience is different from video, where content is typically viewed in a single tab. Like you may do, I stream music in one set-aside tab while working in another. Just a few open tabs—not even a half-dozen—generate this very dissatisfying experience, in my testing.

That is good segue to discuss the 2.58GHz Intel Celeron N2840 processor's performance. Toshiba chose delivering other benefits over raw speed, such as that bright, crisp, satisfying screen, Skullcandy audio, long battery life, and fanless design. The Bay Trail chip is closer in architecture to ARMs, being lower-power consuming and less-heat producing. Chromebook 2 runs remarkably cool, with no fan necessary, and near silently. But these benefits come at the cost of raw processing power, something stuttering scrolling or streaming demonstrates.

Balanced Benefits

For $330, Chromebook 2 offers many other benefits, and I wouldn't call performance a deal breaker so much as an annoyance. I can work easily enough, even with more than a dozen tabs open. That said, the little hiccups disrupt my concentration, which corrupts one of the category's larger benefits: distraction-free computing.

The Chrome OS tabbed browser design keeps the eyes in one plane of the screen and fingers on another across the keyboard. By contrast, OS X and Windows 8.1 are considerably more distracting, particularly as eyes move up and down or across the UI to access applications, Apple's Finder and Dock or Microsoft's titles. Chromebook 2 introduces distraction where it shouldn't be: when lag here or stutter there disrupts workflow, and the user's concentration with it.

Since we're on the topic, a reminder about overall Chromebook category benefits:
- Easy setup
- Guest-user account
- Fast crash recovery
- Instant-on capability
- Security architecture
- High-value for low-cost
- Simplicity and usability
- Hands-free IT management
- Frequent updates delivered easily
- Seamless sync with devices running Chrome
Now to others specific to Toshiba's laptop:

Design. Appearance matters, or people wouldn't spend so much for things that look good. The contours make the laptop feel thinner than it actually is while improving the overall sense of quality and refinement. But appearances are deceiving. This is no aluminum MacBook Pro but plastic shell. That said, the screen's quality and vibrancy gives greater illusion that this laptop is premium priced.

Chromebook 2 pleases the eyes, but perhaps not the fingers. The surface feels gritty, and that's a deliberate manufacturer's choice, which I find displeasing. Additionally, the impression extends to the lettering and numbering on the keys, which I can feel.

Keyboard and Touchpad. Typing is silky smooth and the trackpad really responsive. Chromebooks are writing workhorses, and the Toshiba is no exception. If not for laggy responsiveness related to the microprocessor, the trackpad would be best of class.

Battery life. Toshiba claims 9-hour battery life. I more consistently see 6 to 7 hours, which should be enough for a normal road warrior's work day. Many Acer Chromebooks last longer, and Toshiba claims 11.5 hours for the 720p 13-inch model—and that's one reason to consider the less-costly configuration. The 1080p IPS display hogs power, and it's one reason Acer and many other Chromebook manufacturers offer lesser screens; priority is placed on battery life as a primary benefit.

Connectivity. Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi AC are standard, as they should be for a computer designed to be nearly-constantly connected to the Internet. Ports for USB 2, USB 3, and HDMI, as well as SD Card slot, are provided.

Storage. The SSD is a bit puny, at 16GB but enough when matched with Google Drive—and 100GB free online storage is available for up to 2 years. The Chrome OS file system treats Drive just like internal storage to the end user, which is a major benefit.

The configuration I reviewed, purchased from Amazon, comes with 4GB RAM. The $250 Toshiba Chromebook 2 packs only half the memory, which I regard as inadequate. No laptop in the category should have any less than 4GB.

Photo Credits: Joe Wilcox
Where did you lose your smartphone? Android Wear can now tell you

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 8:37pm CET par Mark Wilson

Android Device Manger is Google's approach to helping people track down lost smartphones and tablets. Now the feature is rolling out to Android Wear so if you should lose your phone, you can find it with your watch.

At the moment the Android Wear version of the feature is pretty basic; you can use your watch to call your phone. This is great if you have mislaid it nearby, dropped it down the back of the sofa or buried it under some books, but not so helpful if you've left it on the train -- don’t expect to be able to home in on your phone using GPS at this stage.

If you're a fan of voice activation, all you need to do is speak the words "Ok, Google. Start. Find my phone" into your wrist. Should you prefer to go down the touch route, just select the "Find my phone" option from the Start menu.

Google says that Android Device Manager has already helped more than 30 million people find their lost devices, and the spread of the feature to Android Wear will see this number continue to rise. As this is something that is automatically rolling out to all Android Wear devices, you don’t need to do anything other than sit back and wait for it to arrive on your wrist.
Acer C910 commercial Chromebook gets 5th Gen Intel Core i5 -- is now world's fastest

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 6:11pm CET par Brian Fagioli

When it comes to computing, I am rather platform agnostic. Quite frankly, I can jump between multiple operating systems to achieve my goals. While Windows is my go-to for heavy lifting, I often use Chromebooks too for lighter work, such as writing and web surfing.

Earlier this year, Acer announced the Chromebook C910 -- a commercial grade laptop running Google's Chrome OS. The 15.6 inch screen met the needs for many, since Chromebooks often have smaller displays. Today, Acer announces that the C910 is getting a refresh, with an optional 5th generation Intel Core i5 processor. With this CPU, the manufacturer claims that it is the world's fastest commercial Chromebook.

"The Acer C910 Chromebook C910-54M1 has a 5th Generation Intel Core i5-5200U processor, 4GB of DDR low voltage memory, 32GB SSD storage and a 15.6-inch Full HD display. It will be offered in the U.S. beginning in April at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $499.99. Exact specifications, prices and availability of other models will vary by region", says Acer.

The manufacturer further explains, "the new heightened performance of the Acer C910 Chromebook is the ideal complement to the other advanced capabilities of the device. Most unique is the Acer C910's 15.6-inch display -- the industry’s first of that size -- which helps increase productivity by giving customers more real estate to view multiple tabs and apps. It's also ideal for shared environments such as classrooms, labs or conference rooms. The crisp and vibrant display comes with either a full HD IPS (1920x1080 resolution) display with wide viewing angles or an HD (1366x768 resolution) display that helps meet the limited budgets of schools".

At $499, this is wonderful value. Consider this, it is half the cost of the top-of-the-line Chromebook Pixel 2, while having the same CPU and a larger screen. True, the second-gen Pixel is lighter, has better quality screen (that is touchable), USB Type-C and more RAM, but for many people, the lesser features and specs on the Acer should be fine.

Schools in particular -- the focused market for this machine -- should definitely take notice. The amount of power is exceptional for the price and Acer has much experience in the Chromebook market. The promised durability should help protect it from the behaviors of careless students.

The company explains, "the Acer C910 Chromebook was designed with extra durability features to handle extra-punishing environments such as schools. The Acer C910 has a reinforced cover that withstands up to 60kg of force, while the corners can tolerate up to 45cm drops without damage. Plus, the Chromebook was designed to endure more twisting and stress, further bolstered by a sleek and comfortable design that ensures a secure grip".

Keep in mind, however, while the company claims this to be the world's fastest commercial Chromebook, it is not the fastest overall. This title would be awarded to the Core i7 Pixel 2.
Updated System Center add-on improves server-less software deployment

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 5:01pm CET par Ian Barker

Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) has become one of the leading products form managing large groups of computers, whether or not they're running Windows.

In order to improve its usefulness still further, add-on provider Adaptiva is launching the latest version of its flagship SCCM solution. OneSite 4.5 is focused on enhancing visibility and security while optimizing the speed at which enterprises can perform server-less software deployments.

Adaptiva's award-winning solution lets large enterprises manage clients worldwide at lower cost and with less IT staff effort, by removing the need for a global server infrastructure. Since 2011, Adaptiva has been the solution provider of choice for many Fortune 500 companies who rely on OneSite for seamless SCCM operations from a single site with zero impact to their business WAN traffic.

"It is a testament to the OneSite platform that many of the world's largest financial institutions, manufacturing leaders and healthcare providers rely on our technology to perform massive system updates and their input is deeply reflected in our new software," says Deepak Kumar, CTO and founder of Adaptiva. "The emphasis on visibility, security and global scalability in version 4.5 gives Adaptiva customers a distinct advantage, and we will continue to deliver innovations of this caliber".

New features in OneSite 4.5 include an update manager that makes it simple for customers to seamlessly update directly from the OneSite software they're currently running to a newer one through the automated generation of a single customized smart patch. There's also integrated security which gives customers the ability to use network access accounts for an extra layer of protection.

For multinational companies where computers travel around the globe, OneSite automatically senses where they are and intelligently retrieves SCCM content accordingly. For example if a user travels between London to New York, their system always gets content locally.

For admins there's a WAN Performance Visualizer to generate customizable network load in a test/proof-of-concept environment to verify that an application won't impact WAN traffic or decrease responsiveness. The latest OneSite also has enhanced predictive bandwidth harvesting to forecast usage and maintain responsiveness.

More information on OneSite 4.5 is available on the Adaptiva website.

Photo Credit: nmedia/Shutterstock
I'm fine with Windows 8.1, do I need Windows 10?

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 4:42pm CET par Alan Buckingham

To be clear, right from the start, I write this from a Chromebook. It's my production system, though it has its limitations. Certain tasks send me scurrying to my home office in a frantic search for a Windows PC. Microsoft's operating system certainly still has its raison d'être -- both Photoshop and Plex server are among those in my household, though other minor needs exist.

Windows 10 is the belle of the ball right now with the tech press falling all over itself to run stories about the latest build, even non-stories are apparently in fashion, just as long as you can work the proper keywords into the headline. But the question remains, who needs it?

There are multiple answers to that. Business? Unlikely. Those will be pushed and shoved to move off of Windows 7 or (god forbid) Windows XP.

But my query to myself and to you, the reader, is -- do I need Windows 10? I've thus far resisted installing it, though many I know have rushed to each build. I understand -- we need to know what's there and what to alert the general public about.

Microsoft seems to have made a conscious attempt to distance itself from version 8.x by skipping a number. It's a nice try, but we all know the truth. Many thought version 8 was crap. Many didn't understand it. I get that, it wasn't user-friendly.

Life moves on and you need to adapt. Windows 8.x works fine when you learn the ropes, but Microsoft would prefer you move yet again, this time to Windows 10 -- that bright and shiny new operating system the company is using to make you forget the past. It has a Start menu (albeit a bit different) and everything. What more could you possibly want?

Here's the thing -- Windows 8.1 works just fine for me. Granted I don't use it much, but when I need to then I have no problems. I know where things are and I know how to access what I need. Yes, it's a learning curve, but it isn't as steep as people make it out to be.

This all circles back to my real question. Do I need Windows 10? Microsoft wants me to think so -- the company is rushing new builds out the door, even working on a new browser for its latest flagship OS.

But me? I'm not sold. Will I upgrade? Maybe. I likely should have it for my job, but do I need it in day-to-day life? No, I don't think I do. I can work with version 8.1, it's fine until something requires my migration to another platform.

Image Credit: Creativa Images / Shutterstock
Create fun animated videos with Plotagon

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 4:19pm CET par Mike Williams

Animation is difficult. 3D animation is horribly difficult. But Plotagon offers an interesting shortcut, an easy way to build your own 3D animated movies, without requiring any technical knowledge or artistic ability at all.

There’s a catch, of course -- two, really -- but this free Windows, OS X and iOS app still has plenty of entertainment potential.

Plotagon keeps things simple by only allowing you to build movies from its own 3D libraries and canned actions. You’ll choose a scene -- a classroom, an office water cooler -- then add two characters from a list, enter some dialog, customize this with an action or emotion (afraid, bored, facepalm), perhaps add an animated action on its own (handshake, kiss, slap), then share the results on Facebook or YouTube.

This is limiting in all kinds of ways. In particular, you start with only two scenes and four characters, and you can’t make them do very much. Set up a scene and you’re always asked to choose two digital actors, for instance. You can’t have three, or four; you can’t have one of the starting characters leave part way through, or another one arrive.

You can buy more characters and scenes at the built-in Store, though (typically $0.99 each), and there are some free items to choose from. As we write, free scenes include "Airport Check-in", "Security check", "Airplane" and "Airport control tower", which you might be able to link in a story, and they’re all yours for a click of the Download button.

It’s also possible to customize a character’s hair, clothes, maybe add glasses or a beard, great if you’d like your actors to look like friends or family.

The end result isn’t going to win any Oscars, but just making animated characters speak your dialog presents some fun possibilities. Plotagon could have some educational value, too, as an entertaining way to help your kids construct their own stories. Worth a try.
13 instances of adware detected in Google Play store

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 3:49pm CET par Ian Barker

Despite the recent announcement by Google that it has introduced a vetting process on the Play store it seems that there are still rogue apps to be found.

Mobile security company Lookout has uncovered 13 apps with adware. Worse still these display malware-like characteristics that make them hard to remove. The company has alerted Google to the apps and they've already been removed from the store.

Two families of adware called HideIcon and NotFunny were hidden within the apps which between them have been downloaded thousands of times.

HideIcon, as its name suggests, hides its icon to make it harder to remove and then targets the user with aggressive ads. It came in an app pretending to be a card game, complete with playing instructions.

NotFunny was hidden in a number of downloads including wallpaper apps and a free Christmas ringtone app. It has two parts, a dropper and payload, once the dropper is installed with the app it prompts the user to download the payload. This drops an icon pretending to be Facebook on the device then hides itself once installation is complete. Like HideIcon it then pushes aggressive advertising and disrupts the user experience.

You can read more on the Lookout blog. Meanwhile the company is reminding users that apps with hidden icons can be uninstalled from Android's application manager under the Settings menu or from the Play Store app.

Photo Credit: Stephen Finn/Shutterstock
Windows 10 won't be the operating system I was hoping for

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 3:13pm CET par Wayne Williams

It could be argued that with Windows 10 still a work in progress it’s too early to express disappointment and dissatisfaction with Microsoft’s forthcoming operating system. But with a summer launch announced, the truth is we’re probably not likely to see too many major changes in the coming months. What’s on show in Build 10041 is probably quite close to what we’ll get in the finished thing, albeit with some spit and polish.

When Microsoft announced it would be listening to users and implementing changes based on feedback, I was excited. Sure, a camel is a horse created by a committee, too many cooks spoil the broth and all that, but at least it meant that the sort of blatant usability problems Microsoft managed to somehow miss in Windows 8 wouldn’t occur in Windows 10. However, as time has ticked past I've started to doubt that Microsoft is listening as closely to Windows Insiders as it claims to be.

Remember when then-Windows division CFO Tami Reller said of the demand for a Start button, "We've really tried to understand what people are really asking for when they're asking for that", and the end result was the introduction of a Start button in Windows 8.1 that was not -- in the slightest -- like anything anyone had asked for? Windows 10 seems a bit like that.

In Build 9841 we actually had a decent Start menu. I liked it. I found it to be the perfect blend of old (Start menu) and new (Start screen). We still have that menu, right? Well yes and no. With the original version, the tiled area on the right expanded or contracted as you added or removed tiles. So if you like apps, it would spread right across the desktop. If you hate tiles, just unpinning them all would give you a standard old school Start menu. Not now. Unpin every app and you end up with a giant blank space on the right. The original Start menu could be resized by clicking and dragging on the top edge. Now you have the choice between large and full screen, and that’s it.

I can’t imagine Windows testers shouted for that change. That’s pure Microsoft just not wanting to let go of the Start screen concept.

It’s possible in a future build Microsoft might add more customization options to the Start menu. I hope it does, but I suspect it won’t.

And changing the subject, but what the hell are those icons all about? Did a child wander in and draw them for Microsoft? It certainly looks that way. Now it appears this is an area where Microsoft is listening as a choice of different icons are being shown to panelists in the Feedback Lab, so there’s every chance the current ones won’t make the cut. Unless the panelists say they prefer the horrible icons... but provided they have eyes there's little chance of that.

The whole new Settings menus just feel a bit simplistic to me, but I guess I’ll get used to them, and I’m not a fan of some of the design choices, but there’s still time for those to be changed. Or again, I’ll get used to them.

Now don’t get me wrong -- I don’t hate Windows 10, far from it. I think it’s a good operating system, and while I doubt I’ll be using Cortana on a desktop PC, and virtual desktops are similarly of little use to me on my three monitor set up, I appreciate their inclusion. I just would have liked to have seen more advanced customization options and some more ground breaking features. Microsoft skipped a whole version number to distance Windows 10 from its predecessor, but the changes I’m seeing -- on the surface at least -- don’t really justify that. Yes, the whole scaling architecture and universal apps approach means Windows 10 has life away from the PC, which is good -- for Microsoft -- and unlike in Windows 8, the tech giant hasn’t thrown its existing user base under the bus in a rush to get to the "future". But if the upgrade price wasn’t free, free, free, I’m not convinced Windows 10 would be enticing enough to make Windows 7 users switch in great numbers, which is what Microsoft desperately needs them to do.
Amazon increases the reach of Prime Now, adding more cities

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 2:32pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Amazon Prime members benefit in many ways -- there's the Netflix-like video streaming service, complete with original content, the Kindle lending library, and music streaming. But perhaps the best of all dates back to the roots of the program. Amazon Prime was created to bring free two-day shipping to loyal customers. It's an incentive to buy from there and not stray to other sites.

Since then we've seen crazy things like drone delivery, but also more realistic options like Prime Now. A service that can deliver your package in just hours? Sign me up, right? Well, not so fast, as it's limited to certain areas of the US. That's expanding though, and does so again today.

Amazon is announcing implementation in the cities of Baltimore and Miami. The retailer has been testing it and slowly rolling things out, attempting to expand its reach wherever it can.

"Customers in Manhattan and Brooklyn love Prime Now -- it means you can skip a trip to the store and get the items you need delivered right to your door in under an hour,” says Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations. "Since launching, we’ve seen high demand on everything from essentials like water and paper towels to more surprising deliveries like getting a customer a hard-to-find, top-selling toy in 23 minutes -- we are excited to continue delivering to customers in record-breaking time".

I ironically live in one of those new markets -- well, not in, but close enough that I think I qualify -- and ordered something yesterday. Now I can't wait for my next purchase. Well, done Amazon, you have me excited to hand you money.

Image Credit: Minerva Studio / Shutterstock
Net Neutrality, Apple, and the future of TV

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 2:12pm CET par Robert X. Cringely

I’ve been hesitant to comment on the FCC’s proposed Net Neutrality rules until I could read them. You’ll recall the actual rules weren’t released at the time of the vote a couple weeks ago, just characterized this way and that for the press pending the eventual release of the actual order. Well it finally published the rules last week and I’ve since made my way through all 400+ pages (no executive summary commenting for me). And while there are no big surprises -- much less smoking guns -- in the FCC report, I think that taken along with this week’s Wall Street Journal story about an Apple over-the-top (OTT) video service the trend is clear that the days of traditional cable TV are numbered.

What booms through the FCC document is how much it’s written in response to the Commission’s loss last year in Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC. Most of the more than 1,000 footnotes in the order refer to the legal defeat and place the FCC’s current position in that legal context. FCC lawyers have this time really done their homework, suggesting that it will be difficult for cable interests to win like they did last year.

Just to review, last year’s version of net neutrality from Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler wasn’t especially neutral at all, proposing a two-tiered system that would have allowed ISPs to sell fast-lane service to OTT video streamers like Netflix. But that still wasn’t good enough for Verizon, which sued for even more. A key component of Verizon’s argument in 2014 was that the Commission had no legal basis for regulating fast-lanes at all with the Internet defined as an information service. If the FCC wanted to regulate fast lanes, Verizon argued, it’d have to claim the Internet was a telecommunication service regulated under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. One can only guess Verizon lawyers felt the FCC would be reluctant to open up the legal can of worms of Title II regulation, which might have had the FCC approving your ISP bill and maybe throwing-in a fee or two.

But the Verizon lawyers, like pretty much everyone else, didn’t include in their reckoning the influence of HBO’s John Oliver. Just as Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC was winding its way through the courts, Oliver’s Last Week Tonight program did a 13-minute segment explaining Net Neutrality and the FCC’s then-proposed two-tier system (referred to as "Cable Company Fuckery" -- is fuckery even a word? My word processing program says it isn’t). Oliver ended with a stirring call for viewers to send comments to the FCC and, lo, four million HBO subscribers and video pirates did just that.

So the FCC, having lost in both the law courts and the court of public opinion, embraced a version of Title II Internet regulation in the current order. It did just as Verizon had suggested, but of course Verizon wasn’t really suggesting anything of the sort and was just using Title II as a weapon.

The new rule specifically prohibits paid fast lanes and may well undermine a number of ISP deals last year with Netflix in which the streamer agreed to pay special fees for uninhibited access to users. It’s important to note that these Netflix deals may still continue if the payments are viewed primarily as being for co-location of video servers, not peering. The distinction here between co-location and peering is important. Co-location charges are legal under the new order while peering charges are not.

In my view what we have at work here are conflicting business models and visions of the future of TV. It has been clear for a long time that cable TV service as we’ve known it since the Cable Act of 1992 is changing. Back in 1992 Internet service hardly mattered while today cable ISPs make more money from Internet than they do from TV. Last year’s proposed two-tier service seemed to support the idea that cable ISPs could eventually replace subscriber channel package fees with OTT peering charges. Let a thousand OTT networks bloom as cable companies eventually became schleppers of bits, maybe dropping their own video services entirely, opting for less revenue but more profit thanks to OTT peering fees. But this wasn’t enough for Verizon, which pushed even harder -- too hard in fact.

In the long run I think the future will be the same. Eventually the cable ISPs will become mainly ISPs and some version of OTT co-location will become a major profit center. This is the business loophole that will eventually -- and properly -- emerge. Ironically it argues against the current trend of massive video data centers since the video servers will be geographically dispersed to cable head-ends. But it makes great sense from a network management standpoint since it means only one copy of every TV show need be sent over the Internet backbone to each cable system, not one copy per viewer.

Now to Apple’s video ambitions. Dish and Sony are already rolling-out OTT video services with no doubt many more to follow. Nobody is yet offering all the right pieces but it will eventually happen. Apple’s entry into the OTT streaming business, first with HBO Now and shortly with many more networks and channels, is significant not only because it validates the whole OTT market segment, but because Apple has so much darned money -- more than $180 billion in cash.

Having so much cash means that Apple can afford to wreak a lot of havoc in television with very little risk to its core business. It can take OTT further because making money with such a relatively small business isn’t that important. It can easily do radical things like (this is just an idea, not a prediction) buying-up the services of every member of the Writers Guild of America, inserting Apple deeply and inextricably into the Hollywood creative process. Apple can do pretty much whatever it pleases and there’s not much any other company can really do about it, which is why we’ll over the next couple years see dramatic changes throughout cable TV.

And while the current FCC Net Neutrality actions probably help Apple (and Netflix, and most likely you and me, too), these changes have been coming for a long time.
Seagate Personal Cloud: Home media storage done right [Review]

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 1:56pm CET par Wayne Williams

The average family has multiple devices capable of taking photos and videos. Seagate Personal Cloud from Ebuyer provides a central repository for all of this media, and can automatically back up content from your computers, smartphones and tablets.

You can access movies, music, photos and files from any supported device on your network, and stream media directly to Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, and some Smart TVs. You can also access your files remotely over the internet, and sync content with cloud storage services.

Seagate Personal Cloud is a stylish black slab with "Seagate" picked out in silver on the right hand side. The dimensions are 119 x 235.15 x 48mm (L, W, H). The model I tested had 3TB of storage, but it’s also available in 4TB, 5TB, 6TB and 8TB capacities, which should be more than enough for most people’s needs. Like the Seagate Wireless I reviewed previously, the only paperwork you get in the box is a folded quick start guide. There is a PDF manual you can download if you require additional documentation though.

There are two USB ports for backing up an externally attached drive -- a USB 2.0 port on the back, and a USB 3.0 port on the right-hand side.

All you need to do to get started is connect the storage device to your router using the supplied Ethernet cable, and then attach the power. The device will configure itself, which takes around 8 to 10 minutes, after which time the blinking light on the front of the box will stabilize and the device will be ready to use.

Access Personal Cloud through Windows Explorer or Mac Finder, go into the Public folder and you’ll find subfolders for music, photos and videos. There’s also an internet shortcut. Open this to launch the Seagate Personal Cloud Setup Wizard.

Agree to the terms and conditions, and it will check for a firmware update and download and install anything it finds. A firmware update takes quite some time to complete and the device will restart twice.

When it’s done, restart the wizard and enter your details, including email address, password and time zone. You can optionally register your product with Seagate. You’ll receive a confirmation code that you need to complete setup.

The web interface displays a selection of icons -- Device Manager, Download Manager, Backup Manager, App Manager, Sdrive and Seagate Media.

Device Manager provides an overview, showing disk space usage, the number of users connected and the health of the device. You can add family and friends to your personal cloud. These can be local users (on the same network) or a remote user. You can also access the Settings here.

Download Manager is used to download large torrent, PDF, or binary files from your computer or the Internet.

Backup Manager lets you backup files on your computers and mobile devices. You’ll need to download and install the free Seagate Dashboard on to your PC or Mac and the Seagate Backup app on your Android or iOS devices.

App Manager shows the apps you have installed, and lets you install additional ones, such as BitTorrent Sync and WordPress.

Sdrive offers secure access to documents, photos, videos and music stored on Personal Cloud. All data is encrypted before it leaves the device, and only the Sdrive app can decrypt the files.

Finally, Seagate Media is an app for iOS, Android (Google Play and Amazon Appstore) and Windows Phone that is used to view media and also stream it to connected devices, like Chromecast and Roku. I like the app (the same one is used for the Seagate Wireless storage device), but it can’t handle every type of media file you might choose to store on Personal Cloud. If a file is unrecognized you’ll be prompted to choose a different app to display or play the file.

I had been using Western Digital’s My Cloud for storing and accessing media previously, but I much prefer Seagate Personal Cloud. If you have a lot of photos and videos that you want easy access to from anywhere, then it’s a superb solution.

The 3TB version of Seagate Personal Cloud costs £143.49 from Ebuyer with free delivery. Other capacities are also available.
OnePlus One pricing goes up in Europe -- blame the weak Euro

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 1:44pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Now is not a great time to be a technology enthusiast in Europe. As you may know, local prices of anything from smartphones to motherboards are set in accordance to the USD. And it has appreciated considerably in relation to the Euro, which is now in the proverbial toilet. Put two and two together and have inevitable price hikes -- vendors don't want to sell at a loss, after all.

The extent of the damage to the vendors' bottom line depends on how much they're willing or can afford to lose. For a smartphone maker like OnePlus, which doesn't have high margins, the answer is not a lot, as it just announced it will soon command higher prices for its One "flagship killer" on the old continent.

OnePlus says that because of the low EUR to USD exchange rate (now at just 1.06, compared to over 1.35 a year ago) its "razor-thin margins began to turn into 0 margins". Now, the company claims that it's selling One smartphones in Europe at a loss.

So, instead of continuing to sell One at €269 (for the 16 GB model) and €299 (for the 64 GB model) its smartphone will be available to those in Europe for €299 and €349, respectively. Naturally, these prices do not include VAT, which, within the EU at least, is anywhere between 18 percent to 27 percent of the cost of the device, depending on which member state it is shipped to.

If you are interested in buying One you have until next Tuesday to take advantage of the current pricing. OnePlus says that the prices of accessories will not change, presumably because the company sells them with comfortable-enough margins.

One highlights include: 5.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1080 by 1920; 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801; 3 GB of RAM; 3,100 mAh battery; 13 MP camera with f/2.0 aperture; 4K, 1080p, and 720p at 120 FPS video recording; 5 MP wide-angle front-facing camera; NFC; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.1; GPS; 4G LTE; CyanogenMod 11S (based on Android 4.4 KitKat -- an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop is in the cards for late-March), and physical dimensions of 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm and weight of 162 grams.
Google Maps for iOS adds full-screen maps, color-coded transit links

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 1:35pm CET par Nick Peers

Google has released Google Maps for iOS 4.4, a new version of its map app for iPhone and iPad users.

The new build promises one-tap access to a full-screen map, the ability to view transit colors when viewing public transport directions and the ability to filter search results for Zagat-rated restaurants.

The main new feature in version 4.4 is the ability to view a map shorn of all distractions, including boxes, buttons and pins. Users should simply tap an empty spot on the map once to see what gets hidden -- tap again to hide more. Once all extra detail has been hidden, tap again to bring it back.

Users also gain more clear instructions when asking for directions using supported public transport links -- now separate transit lines are color-coded to match the colors used by the transport authority in question.

Users can now quickly get directions to a place by saying or typing "directions to" before entering the desired destination.

One final tweak allows users in applicable locations to filter search results so only restaurants rated by the Zagat website are shown.

The update is rounded off by the usual bug fixes. Google Maps for iOS 4.4.0 is available now for iPads, iPhones and iPod touches running iOS 7.0 or later.
Opera acquires VPN firm SurfEasy to boost browsing security

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 1:07pm CET par Mark Wilson

Opera Software, the company behind the web browser of much the same name, has acquired SurfEasy, a provider of VPN security. SurfEasy's software bolsters the security of internet users by adding a layer of encryption that helps to protect privacy.

More than this, the software also makes it possible to bypass some online restrictions and to access sites that are region locked. Few details have been revealed yet, but it's possible we could see VPN features integrated into future versions of the desktop and mobile Opera browser.

SurfEasy's aim for the last four years has been to place internet users back in control of their privacy and online freedom. With increased prevalence of spyware, coupled with the surveillance activities of the NSA and GCHQ, security and privacy have been thrust into the public consciousness in recent years.

SurfEasy founder and CEO Chris Houston said:

Over the past few years the dialogue and awareness around online privacy issues has increased dramatically. We are all now very aware just how vulnerable our data is to hacking, monitoring and censorship, regardless of the network or device you’re using to access the web.

Opera CEO Lars Boilesen says that SurfEasy is a neat fit with the Opera philosophy. "Opera has evolved beyond our browser roots and this step will add a critical building block towards a broader portfolio of applications".
Microsoft launches Lumia 430 for $70 -- the cheapest Windows smartphone yet

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 10:44am CET par Manish Singh

It’s been a while since Microsoft launched a flagship smartphone. The company is seemingly more focused towards making cheap smartphones and pushing these low-end devices to emerging markets. In the latest attempt, the company today launches the Lumia 430. Priced at $70 USD before taxes, the Lumia 430 is the "most affordable" Windows Phone smartphone to-date.

But surprisingly, the hardware offered by this dirt cheap smartphone isn’t as bad as one would expect. The Lumia 430 sports a 4-inch display with WVGA screen resolution. Inside the smartphone there's a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor coupled with 1GB of RAM and 8GB internal storage which could be expanded up to 128 gigs using a microSD card. The device is powered by a 1,500mAh battery, which is rather small, but the company promises up to 8.4 hours of talk time on a single charge or up to 19 days of life in standby mode.

Other features of the Lumia 430 includes a 2-megapixel camera at the rear, and a 0.3-megapixel snapper upfront. Sure it won’t let you take great pictures, but at the $70 price tag, you can’t ask for more. The dual-SIM capable Lumia 430, supports WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G, and USB 2.0 connectivity options. To sweeten the deal even further, Microsoft is giving away 15 gigs of additional storage on OneDrive when you sign up for the cloud storage service. You can then snag an additional 200GB using these workarounds.

But should you purchase it? Maybe. However, if you can shell out a few more bucks you are better off with the Lumia 532. It is also a dual-SIM phone and comes with a slightly faster processor, and better camera sensors while maintaining a sub-$100 price tag before taxes. Additionally, you should also check out the new LTE-capable Moto E which packs in a better processor, more connectivity options and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

As for the availability of the Lumia 430, Microsoft says that it’s planning to launch the smartphone in April in Asia-Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus regions.
Should you root your Android device? The case for and against

Publié: mars 19, 2015, 10:15am CET par Barclay Ballard

Most consumers are pretty happy with the Android experience that they receive, but for some the opportunity to customize and tweak their smartphone is too good to pass up. However, to experience a truly customizable device, Android users will need to root their phone -- which does come with some potential risks.

In order to decide whether or not it’s really worth rooting your phone, you’ll need to know the advantages and possible drawbacks.

The benefits of rooting

One of the main reasons to root your Android phone is that it gives you access to apps that are not available through the Google Play Store. Due to the higher level of permission granted to a rooted device, these apps can often enable you to perform useful tweaks that would otherwise be impossible.

You may want to configure CPU or GPU frequencies to underclock or overclock your device, utilize the full potential of ad blocking software, or download Titanium Backup to safeguard your information, and for all of these features you’ll need a rooted device.

I’m sure many Android users have grown frustrated with the sheer number of pre-installed apps included on new smartphones, the majority of which are unwanted and remain unused. However, by rooting your device, you can easily remove this so-called "bloatware". Pre-installed software isn’t just annoying either, it can take up valuable storage space and drain your phone’s battery, so usually you’ll be better off without it.

Perhaps the biggest customization that you can apply to your phone is flashing a custom ROM. While technically, you do not need root access in order to achieve this, you will need to unlock your bootloader -- something that is required in order to root.

A custom ROM is essentially a custom version of the Android operating system. They often provide additional features and a modified layout compared to stock Android. You may want to check out custom ROMs for a number of reasons, such as trying the next Android release before it is officially pushed to your phone, or to use a ROM built by the Android community such as CyanogenMod.

Whatever your reasons for deciding to root your device, it is really the only way to make your smartphone truly yours.

The downside

A quick Google search of rooting your smartphone will reveal that the process is not always completely straightforward. The number of posts referring to people "bricking" their phones during the root process is, of course, a little off-putting.

Aside from completely ruining your smartphone, rooting can also leave you open to more security risks. With root access enabled, you run the possibility of exposing system files to malicious applications. So if you are going to root your phone, it’s probably best to have some form of mobile anti-virus installed.

In the vast majority of cases, rooting will also void your device’s warranty, so the manufacturers will be unwilling to repair it should something go wrong. Some smartphone vendors, such as Samsung, can even track if a user modifies the phone’s firmware, so even if you unroot it, the manufacturer will still know about your tampering.

Potential rooters should also be aware that the process varies not only by manufacturer, but also by device. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to rooting, so it’s important to make sure that the instructions you’re following are precisely the right ones for your particular smartphone.

Of course, the decision of whether or not to root your Android device will largely depend on the user. Crucially, unless you’ve got a clear reason to root, such as an app or ROM you want to install, there’s probably no reason to take the risk.

On the other hand, if you have a decent level of computer know-how, then rooting shouldn’t be too much of a challenge and will let you customize your smartphone to your heart’s content.

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