Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Xiaomi’s Event Has Just Started, Let’s See What Will Happen [Live Updates]
Xiaomi’s event in Beijing has just started and you can watch the livestream here. In case you’re not up for that considering it’s in Chinese, stay tuned to AndroidHeadlines, we’ll keep you posted in this article LIVE on what’s going on as things unfold. That being said, Xiaomi is expected to announce some hardware at today’s event. The company will unveil at least one smarthphone, though two are a possibility, plus they might announce some additional hardware, like the new Mi Pad for example.
As a reminder, this China-based company has already announced their extremely affordable Redmi 2 handset on January 4, so this won’t be exactly their first smartphone announcement of the year. Many people are expecting Xiaomi to launch the Mi5 today, but the company threw a huge hint that won’t happen via an official teaser. Xiaomi Mi4S, Mi5, Mi5 Plus, Redmi Note 2 and the Leadcore-powered ultra affordable handset have all been mentioned in the last couple of weeks, anything is possible though, let’s see what will happen together. In the meantime, feel free to comment on social networks and share your predictions with us, we’d love to hear from you.
In case you’d like to watch the livestream, visit this link, there’s everything you need to know in there, including a link for the livestream you’ll need. That’s it, this will be a huge day for Xiaomi and its fans, let’s hope the company will awe us with at least one of their products, according to their teasers, something big is coming. Xiaomi intends to ship 100 million devices this year, and in order to do that they really need to go all out this year, let’s see what they have up their sleeve, shall we.
LIVE FEED:
– The event has started, Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s CEO, has stepped on stage and opened the conference. He started by sharing some general numbers about the company and their results in 2014 and then continued by saying that smartphone is the key to connecting all smart devices.
– The company says that they worked hard in order to improve their cloud offering and connect everything through it, as they believe that’s the key to connect all their smart devices.
– Xiaomi has introduced Xiaomi Note which features a 5.7-inch display, weighs 161 grams and is 6.95mm thick.
– Xiaomi Note features a 3,000mAh battery.
– The device’s camera comes with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization).
– Metal frame, 2.5D curved screen and Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 protection are all a part of this device.
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Xiaomi’s Event Will Start Soon, Watch It Live Here
Xiaomi’s event will start soon and some of you may be interested in watching it live, well, you can do that. The event is in Chinese though, so keep that in mind. That being said, this is the first time Xiaomi officially organized a live streaming of one of their launch events. If you’d like to watch it live, tune in today at 2PM (Beijing time, GMT+8), which is equal to 10PM PST, and watch the event unfold. You can check out everything as it unfolds in the video below.
Xiaomi has released a ton of teasers over the last couple of weeks and managed to confuse us by doing so. The company is expected to launch the Redmi Note 2 at the event, but that might not be the only device we’ll see launched though. The Mi4S, Mi5, Mi5 Plus and the Leadcore-powered ultra affordable handset have also been mentioned at one point or another. This China-based company might also announce the new version of their Mi TV and Mi Pad devices. Either way, this will be a really interesting day for this Chinese smartphone manufacturer and we should be in for a treat.
Xiaomi did great in 2014, and I’m sure the company intends to improve upon that this year. They intend to ship out 100 million devices, which is about 40 million more than they shipped in 2014. All sorts of expansions are plans on Xiaomi’s part and they company has already released their mid-range, and yet extremely affordable Redmi 2 handset which is already selling like crazy in China. This is one of the biggest events of the year for Xiaomi, so let’s see what they have to offers. What do you think this Chinese company will announce at today’s event?
Click here to view the embedded video.
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AH Tech Talk: The Obama Administration Wants Hackers To Be Hit With More Prison Time
Yesterday we talked about some of the changes that President Obama and his administration want to see revolving around cyber crimes and cyber attacks. Part of the plan includes setting up a way for businesses and government to gain more protection from cyber attacks with something they’re referring to as “targeted liability protection.” Protecting the businesses and government agencies from crimes related to hacking is a great step forward but the plan wasn’t just about protecting the businesses and the government, it was also about protecting the personal data of citizens from potential cyber threats on those businesses and government agencies, which is why Obama stated that the “targeted liability protection” would only be granted if companies took measures to protect the personal data of their customers.
Obama also wants to take a heavier stance on other areas of cyber crimes, like botnets, and making overseas sales of personal data from credit cards and bank accounts illegal. All of this boils down to making it more of a serious crime to engage in cyber attacks, and as part of that Obama wants congress to increase the prison sentencing time for hackers. Like any person that commits any crime, a longer prison sentence will likely do little to persuade individuals that are truly committed to their cause not to hack or commit some sort of cyber attack. Increased prison time though if caught could be great to prevent some hackers from engaging in cyber crime activities. Obama will reportedly be publicly announcing other changes he’d like to see made on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act at next week’s State of The Union Address.
Obama clearly feels that criminals who engage in cyber crimes should be just as susceptible to the “full force of American justice” because he feels they do a significant amount of damage. He argues that hackers could potentially be doing more damage than those that are engaged in more conventional crimes, which is more than likely a good reason for wanting to make cyber crimes more serious and worthy of longer prison sentences, as the Obama administration seeks to increase the maximum penalty for cyber crimes from five to ten years. In addition to this, Obama wants congress to broaden the definition of “exceeds authorized access,” so as to potentially make it easier to prosecute hackers that may have otherwise been capable of escaping a penalty due to the current definition. What do you feel about some of these changes being proposed to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act? Do you think this will do much to change things?
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BlackBerry Quick To Officially Deny Samsung Acquisition Rumors
Well folks, a lot can happen in a day. When you woke up this morning Samsung was Samsung and BlackBerry was BlackBerry. Since then, however, a report from Reuters was published that suggested in the future the two companies might be one and the same. To be precise, that BlackBerry might be owned by Samsung. This was because the Reuters report stated that Samsung had offered to buy BlackBerry at a price of $7.5 Billion. Almost immediately, the media went frantic and as soon as reports starting rolling off of the digital presses, BlackBerry saw it’s shares rocket. Which in the grand scale of things, is quite the change from their usual position. It is no secret that BlackBerry have not been doing well and it is also no secret that Samsung have had security at the forefront of their mind recently. This can be best seen in the form of their KNOX suite that they are continuously working on.
Well, following on from this morning’s report, it now seems that BlackBerry have been quick to jump into the conversation and adamantly deny that they have ever been in talks with Samsung. According to their (short) press release, BlackBerry state “(“BlackBerry”) is aware of certain press reports published today with respect to a possible offer by Samsung to purchase BlackBerry. BlackBerry has not engaged in discussions with Samsung with respect to any possible offer to purchase BlackBerry”. Interestingly, the press release ends with “BlackBerry’s policy is not to comment on rumors or speculation, and accordingly it does not intend to comment further”.
When a company states that they do not comment on rumors and speculation and then does so anyway, is normally a sign of how potent the rumors and speculation are. So what do we take from this? Well, there can only be two clear realities. Firstly, Reuters were mistaken in their article and there is no basis to the rumor that Samsung did/will/is offering to buy BlackBerry. Or secondly, Blackberry is trying to dull down the situation to avoid a panic. The first option (Reuters got it wrong), is possible as their source is ‘someone familiar with the matter’, and these often can be inaccurate or false witnesses. That said, the Reuters article did start with a very telling omission “documents seen by Reuters”. If these documents have been seen by Reuters, then it seems difficult for them to be too far off of the truth. Interestingly, Samsung has yet to respond and as such there is no doubt more on this topic will be heard over the next few hours and days. Who do you believe? Let us know.
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Facebook Launches Facebook at Work, Letting Businesses have Their Own Social Network
Over the years we have seen facebook grow into what we all know as the world’s number one social media giant. Facebook has become our way of connecting with our friends and interacting with them on an intuitive site customized to suit our needs. The social media giant is now taking their beloved site and piloting a program dubbed “Facebook at Work.” The new service will offer businesses familiar facebook tools so their employees can use them for collaboration and messaging. This new service breaks the wall that divides home and work by supplying accustomed features that we use daily, into a service that is only for work.
Android Central reached out to facebook for further questions about the piloted service and got this following statement: “Facebook at Work is a separate experience that gives employees the ability to connect and collaborate efficiently using Facebook tools — many that they’re likely already using such as News Feed, Groups, messages and events. Co–workers can stay in touch with each other in the same way they stay in touch with friends and family via Facebook: Facebook at Work offers the familiar look and feel as Facebook and has the same tools.” In addition to explaining the familiarity, the facebook spokesperson said, “Note that Facebook at Work was created completely for use within a company – that means employees’ Facebook at Work info is safe, secure, confidential and completely separate from their personal Facebook profile. The info shared among employees is only accessible to people in the company.”
As said by facebooks spokesperson, employees are given a separate facebook experience using the same tools used on their personal facebook. Since the service is being used within a business, work information is kept confidential and safe. The piloted program has only been launched for a limited number of companies and there isn’t any word on an expanded test run. Whenever facebook does get their service fully established, they will have to compete with other tech companies that have took to using social media as a ways of communicating within a business. Such competitors include Slack, Microsoft’s Yammer and Google Apps for Business. Do you think facebook has what it takes to enter your company?
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Google Opens Talks With Volkswagen And Other Automakers On Partnerships For Self Driving Cars
A couple of days ago we talked about GM showing potential interest in working with Google on developing technology for the self-driving car. Google has been working on the self-driving car project all their lonesome for years now, but there was also mention that they were going to be talking about the self-driving car project at this year’s Detroit Auto Show happening this week, and that they would be discussing their plans for the future of the project which would include them reaching out to automakers for partnerships in bringing the self-driving car to market sooner.
Today Google has officially and openly mentioned that they’re interested in working with automakers and have set a goal to make the self-driving car a market reality by the year 2020. We already knew that they would most likely be talking to GM (General Motors) as this was discussed by GM themselves two days ago. The head of the self-driving car project, Chris Urmson has also stated that they’ve begun talks with additional automakers Ford, Toyota, Daimler and Volkswagen for potential partnerships. Whether or not Google could end up working with all of these companies is uncertain, and if they do end up with multiple partnerships it stands to reason that we could end up with multiple offerings for the self-driving car.
Google and the automakers they’ve spoken with won’t be the only ones working on self-driving vehicles, but Google’s vision is certainly getting the most attention it would seem. Google also apparently had a reason for talking with the automakers they mentioned today, as Urmson stated that “We’d be remiss not to talk to … the biggest auto manufacturers. They’ve got a lot to offer.” Google may have plans to end up building their own autonomous vehicle, but in the end they may find that it could be a better solution to handle the systems portion of such a venture, while the automakers actually build the vehicles. Chris Urmson also mentioned that the prototypes that Google has currently come up with are not necessarily the end result or final design of what the self-driving cars they have a part in will look like when they’re production ready and available to the consumers, so those of you out there that absolutely hate the look of the prototype now, you may end up with something more eye pleasing down the road.
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Google Update PC Drive With Bandwidth Control Feature And Better Syncing Information
Google Drive is one of the Google services which is always growing in popularity and usability. With the continued rise in devices like Chromebooks, online storage becomes even more essential and who better to turn than to Google. Not to mention, if you had purchased a Chromebook recently, you might have managed to get hold of that free 1TB Google Drive storage, which is a great deal. Well, either way, if you use Google Drive then today it seems Google have begun rolling out a new update to make your Drive experience a little more functional and easier. In particular. this latest update comes with two really neat features.
The first feature worth noting, is that Drive has changed the way the status menu is displayed. As such now, when you are uploading files (syncing) to the cloud all files will display a check mark next to them so you know what is up and what is not like in the example image shown below. Not to mention the files will display the syncing information to make sure you are aware of its status easily. To add to this, if you intend to share one of the files you are syncing, Google have improved the way this can be done by offering the ability to share a file just by hovering over it. Following on from this, the second feature coming to Drive is the ability to control the bandwidth being used by Drive. This will be a very welcomed solution to those users who often upload massive files which drain heavily on their bandwidth. With the new control, you will be able to lower the amount of bandwidth being used by Drive and therefore allowing the bandwidth to be freed up so you can continue with whatever else you are doing at the same time.
As always with these updates, they are rolling out in a staged progression so although it was announced and the roll-out started today, you should not necessarily expect it today. Either way, though the roll-out is occurring and will land for your Drive soon. What do you think of the changes? Let us know.
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Some Micromax Devices Silently Installing Apps Without Users Knowledge Or Consent
If there’s one thing that consumers don’t particularly care for, it’s the manufacturers of their devices basically trying to force the usage of apps and services on their devices. Consumers likely take the situation a little more seriously when OEM’s make the attempt to install apps or software onto those devices without the user knowing. There were multiple reported cases of this issue happening from various OEM’s last year including both Sony and Xiaomi, and now it appears that Micromax is following the lead and installing apps onto users devices without their knowledge of the act. While the OEM’s will mention this is something that users can choose to opt out of after the app is installed and that it is only meant to capture anonymous data in the first place, silently installing apps onto devices under the radar is worse than loading them onto the devices as bloatware before a user sets up the device.
XDA points out that users in India of certain Micromax devices have been reporting the issue at hand, and that uninstalling the applications doesn’t seem to help as they seem to re-install after a short period. Ethics aside, cyber security in this day and age is a major issue, and the act of installing apps on users devices without consent brushes up against the boundaries of this topic and crosses the line. Users should be able to check the permissions of the apps being installed, and first and foremost they should have the choice to install an app. According to XDA, the apps are also being installed over mobile networks, so mobile data charges immediately become a concern, and storage space is another problem that can arise as Micromax devices tend not to have too much internal storage.
XDA has the full breakdown of evidence shedding light on the app installs happening without people’s knowledge, but the gist of it is that Micromax opted to use a third party OTA check service application on the device instead of the stock Google one, which when broken down had references to the website of the company who created it (a Chinese company called Adups) with a feature list dedicated to “boosting revenue” and including features like app pushing services, device data mining, unique package checking and mobile advertising. While all of this is certainly a little disheartening to hear, there is a temporary solution which includes rooting your phone, setting up the Android Debug Bridge, (ADB) and disabling the software update application so you don’t get any more unwanted installs of apps that you won’t know about. Head on over to XDA to find the process for getting those three steps completed if you’re using a Micromax device and are worried about this issue.
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Project Ara Team Further Explain How The Ara Manager Will Control Modules
Project Area is quickly becoming one of this years awaited devices. The year might have only just begun but Ara has been on the table for some time and hype around the idea of a Google inspired modular smartphone is growing. To start the year off with a bang and continue the heightened level of anticipation, Google were today holding their Developer Conference which was highly focused on Ara and the next generation of MDK which developers will use to create the module based apps and modules for the alluring plug-and-play smartphone.
This morning we have already reported on the news of the second-generation prototype which Google unveiled today. ‘Spiral 2’ as it is being known. Well, another integral aspect of Ara (beyond the actual smartphone aka endoskeleton) is the actual modules. It has been common knowledge (or at least commonly assumed) that some form of app will provide the basis for control over the modules in use and how they communicate and today Google have also explained this factor in a little more detail.
The Ara Manager app will be what controls the modules once they are inserted into the device. As these are hardware based they do need a more physical aspect of control compared to what we usually use for software based apps currently. In short, uninstall won’t do. Well, as we heard this morning, Ara will use an electrical current to actually stop the modules from activating. These charges will be activated using the Ara Manager. What is most interesting about today’s update is the use of the technology to control multiple modules. For instance, the benefit of Ara is that you can install multiple modules of the same module. For instance, duplicate (but from different manufacturers) cameras, processors and so on. In spite of these modules being hardware based, Google have announced that the App Manager will be able to control and provide the user with the means to switch between the two same-like modules. In addition, to offering switchable access to modules, the Ara Manager will also provide users with handy diagnostic information like what modules are performing not so well, status information and potential issues (and possible fixes) All-in-all, the Ara Manager will effectively control everything that is going on hardware wise and provide the user with clear information on all the bits. So, now we are starting to hear more about Ara, are you getting even more excited? Let us know.
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Daily Motion Games Launches Livestreaming Service With Compatible Android App
Game streaming is big business these days, but it’s also a great form of entertainment for viewers, as well as a general helpful tool for those just wanting to share their gaming experiences with others. While the main draw from game streaming centers around entertainment for the viewer and revenue for the streamer looking to provide that entertainment, you can find streamers sharing helpful hints and tips as well as walkthroughs on your favorite games too. When it comes to streaming games online, Twitch has more commonly been known as the service to use, but another company called Daily Motion is out to compete with Twitch for the streaming spotlight, or at least gain a sizable piece of the pie, with their newly offered service called Daily Motion Games.
They just recently launched their Android compatible app and the Daily Motion Games service today which means you can view live game streams right from smartphone or tablet, categorized in currently live streaming game channels, or you can view the games tab itself and see all the games that get streamed from various different channels, with listings on how many streamers there are for that particular game. Streams happen right from withing the app natively so you don’t have to worry about exiting into YouTube or another video player, which makes things simple.
The app also provides you with the ability to switch between different video qualities which could be very useful if you’re moving in and out of 4G data. If however you’re connected to WiFi when you want to watch a live stream you can always keep the streaming quality at its highest available. You’ll be able to view streams through the dedicated Android app, but you can access the service through their website and on the PS4 too. It may not be as large at Twitch, but it can’t hurt to have options in the event you want to start streaming yourself or want to view streams of specific games. You can grab the Daily Motion Games app from the Play Store and the app is free of charge.
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Reuters Reporting that Samsung Has Proposed an Acquisition of BlackBerry
When I first heard this news, my immediate thought was “Tizenberry”. But after thinking about Samsung possibly buying BlackBerry, I’m thinking Samsung wants the Canadian phone maker to improve KNOX. As most of you know, Samsung KNOX is their enterprise security suite of tools. Which is what BlackBerry is known for. And would definitely be a big help with KNOX. But before we get into that, let’s take a step back and talk about this report.
This afternoon, Reuters reported that Samsung was looking to purchase BlackBerry. And they have put in a bid of about $7.5 billion to buy the company. After that report went out, BlackBerry’s stock started to skyrocket – image of that is down below. Which is crazy, but that is also normal when acquisition talks happen. Either they shoot up – in this case – or they shoot down, like when Softbank announced they were no longer going to be trying to merge with T-Mobile USA last year.
BlackBerry has been trying to make a comeback for quite some time now. But the last time they were really relevant was in 2010, if not earlier. They’ve struggled trying to compete with the likes of the iPhone, Windows Phone and Android. And have now instead turned their attention to software. Bringing BBM to both Android and iOS. BlackBerry brought back the BlackBerry Classic and announced the BlackBerry Passport in 2014. Both of which didn’t do so well for the Waterloo native. And it looks like BlackBerry – formerly RIM – is going to go the same way as Nokia. And get bought up by a larger tech company. Nokia was bought by Microsoft, and it looks like BlackBerry is going to Samsung in Korea.
Reuters stated that representatives from both Samsung and BlackBerry met last week about making a deal. Wonder if they met at CES? We know Samsung was there, and I’m sure BlackBerry was there in some capacity. If this deal does go official, it’ll be interesting to see what Samsung plans to do with BlackBerry. There’s a lot of things there that BlackBerry fans will love, like the full keyboard and the Enterprise security that BlackBerry is so well known for. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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More Project Ara Details Revealed About The Spiral 2 Modular Smartphone
If you have been following any news over the last year, then you would have heard of Google’s Project Ara. For those who missed it, in short Ara is a modular smartphone which allows plug and play of modules (features). Well, the more recent news was that Google would be holding a developer conference on January 14th to further update the developing community (and the rest of us) on the progress of Ara. Well, if you have not checked the calendar yet, it is January 14th and that means it is Ara day. At the conference, it was expected the Project Ara team would unveil their next generation prototype in the form of Spiral 2 and that is exactly what has happened today.
Google has in fact officially unveiled the latest Project Ara prototype and with it, announced a few more details. One of those details is that Spiral 2 officially includes support for 3G calling over networks. 4G LTE is planned but won’t be included until later. Not to mention Google also confirmed that Spiral 2 offers the ability to hotswap modules. It was also revealed that modules will be activated and deactivated using electromagnetic charges and as such users won’t have to pull out the modules to deactivate them. In terms of the other features, we were made privy to, Spiral 2 will come with a display with a 1280 x 720 resolution. Inside the device will come with a 5MP camera, WiFi. Not to mention more confirmation (as we have already heard) that Ara will be compatible with multiple different processors from the likes of Rockchip, Nvidia and Marvell. Spiral 2 will also come with sensors for light and proximity. There will also be a dedicated block (module) which will be used as the USB charger port.
In terms of what is next, Spiral 2 is reported to be launching in the second quarter of this year. This will be followed by a market pilot (which we heard earlier will take place in Puerto Rico) and followed again by the official launch. As you would expect, exact dates were not provided. Interestingly, it was also noted that Spiral 3 (the next gen) will also come with the ability to hot swap batteries while the device is still switched on.
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Sony Xperia Z3V Receives Software Update
Verizon’s version of the Sony Xperia Z3 has received a convenient software update, bringing many goodies to Xperia users everywhere. The improvements include Lifelog improvements, like guides on how to use high accuracy mode, some NFC performance improvements, and simplified email notification settings access. Google Play movies now has HD video playback, and font size and layout has been tweaked for the better. Data usage will be restricted for you by reducing notifications during calls and optimizing oversized email retransmit. HTML links are also displayed now without a clickable link.
Source: Verizon
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VLC’s video player officially coming to Android TV
VLC’s extremely popular video player application is officially coming to Android TV. Video enthusiasts should be pretty happy to hear this, since VLC supports just about any type of format or codec you can throw at it.
They’ve released a preview of the app, which you can find below. If you need help sideloading the application, check out our guide here.
source: GigaOM
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HTC road map details Lollipop update schedule for multiple devices
HTC’s flagship One devices have already started seeing the Lollipop update, but the company has been quiet about getting their other devices caught up. Thanks to a leaked update road map, though, we’ve got a better idea about when specific phones should be seeing the 5.0 upgrade.
The plastic HTC One E8 is next up to bat slated for a second quarter update, and the Desire EYE, One EYE, and Butterfly Fly are expecting the update between April and June.
The third quarter of this year should be busy for HTC, with the HTC One Max, One M7 Dual Sim, Desire 816, Desire 820u, One M8 Mini, and the Chinese One E8 and One M8 EYE all seeing 5.0 updates.
On top of the Android 5.0 updates, the company is expected to launch Sense 7 with its new flagship that’s due for an announcement in just a few months.
source: HTCViet
via: Phone Arena
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T-Mobile will carry the YotaPhone 2 this year
We know that one US carrier plans on selling the YotaPhone 2, but up until now, we didn’t have any specific information about which carrier that would be. The latest rumors point to T-Mobile picking up the device sometime in the spring, likely around March to April. That makes sense, considering T-Mobile tends to be the carrier that takes chances on devices that the other three major carriers won’t sell.
There’s still a good chance that a Canadian carrier will sell the device as well, but no concrete information has come up yet. Keep an ear out for it over the next few months.
source: Android Authority
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Google partners with automobile suppliers to prepare for self-driving cars
Google has reportedly been in talks with several major automobile manufacturers in an effort to get their self-driving cars ready for sale by 2020. Some of these manufacturers and suppliers include major players in the space such as Ford, Toyota, and General Motors.
Chris Urmson, director of the self-driving project, cleverly noted that Google likely wouldn’t be able to manufacturer a vehicle better than automobile makers can, so it makes more sense to work with, rather than against, established companies. GM has gone on record saying they would be open to the idea of working with Google, too. Despite getting these partnerships ready, Google still may decide to just create the automated systems instead of manufacturing the entire vehicle.
With these partnerships, Google hopes it can have the cars ready for production within the next five years, assuming no legal regulations create obstacles. The search giant has been working on these vehicles and systems since 2012.
Early prototypes of Google’s self-driving cars apparently look very much like concept designs, but Urmson said the designs of the vehicles will change gradually over time, much like how the cars we use today have.
source: Reuters
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Update to Google Maps Android app allows you to share directions [APK Download]
Google Maps was updated today to version 9.3. You won’t find too many new things, but one notable is the ability to share your directions with others. Just search for a place or address, then select the type of navigation, followed by your route selection. Then hit the three dot menu at the top right, and you will see the Share Directions option.
Tapping on Share Directions will open the normal Android Share Menu, allowing you to share the complete text and Google Maps link to apps such as Gmail, Hangouts, Facebook, or whatever shows up in your Share Menu.
The update won’t hit all devices for several days so we have the APK download link, as well as the Google Play link after the break.
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VLC releases preview app for Android TV, download it right here [VIDEO]
VLC is taking their knowledge and expertise of handling the world’s many video formats on over to Android TV. It’s probably the most logical move for VLC given the platform is made primarily for doing just that — watching videos — and the app is now readily available in preview version for all to download and enjoy.
Gigaom even provided a quick video run through of the application, testing out some videos and even audio files, all running without a hitch. Because the application is still very early (it can’t access network attached storage drives yet) and the Nexus Player isn’t readily available in France, VLC developer Geoffrey Métais is looking for feedback from those willing to provide it, reporting back any bugs or issues that may arise. Time to bust out your anime collection (MKVs), VLC is ready for ‘em.
Download: VLC for Android TV (preview)
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Project Ara team shares more details about Spiral 2 modular smartphone
During the second developer conference for Project Ara that is underway, we already learned that the team has dubbed the second iteration of the modular smartphone as “Spiral 2″ and plans to use Puerto Rico as a test market later this year. We now know a little bit more about what has changed in the Spiral 2 compared to previous versions of the device.
Probably the biggest change that has been made in response to developer feedback is to move the electro-permanent magnets from the modules to the chassis, or endoskeleton, of the device itself. According to the ATAP team, developers indicated the magnets were consuming as much as 40% of the useable space on their modules.
Another change that was made was to place the 3G antenna in its own module. Down the road this will make it easier for consumer to select the kind of antenna they want to include when 4G antenna modules hit production.
Some of the other hardware included in the Spiral 2 includes a 1280 x 720 resolution display, a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module, a Receiver module with light and proximity sensors, a 5 MP camera module, the 3G antenna module previously mentioned, a Band 5 antenna module, and a processor module. Currently the processor module can include either an NVIDIA Tegra K1 or a Marvell PXA1928 chip.
Looking ahead to the Sprial 3, which is the device expected to be used for market testing in Puerto Rico, Google anticipates having a 4G LTE module available, inductive connections for modules, and a Rockchip AP reference design. If sales commence, even on a test basis, Google also anticipates having a marketplace setup and available for buyers to purchase modules from.
One other bit of news that surfaced is that Google has determined they will not be able to utilize 3D printing of the modules, at least not for the next iteration or two of Project Ara devices. This will likely result in some limitations to the level of customization available for buyers. Google sounds like they are still planning to implement 3D printing at some point though.
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Last Chance Deal: Limefuel LP200X 20,000mAh Battery Pack for $35
Our best deal of the last quarter is about to come to an end, sadly. The Limefuel LP200X 20,000mAh battery pack will leave the Deals shop in a few hours (midnight Pacific), taking its minimal $35 price tag with it. Regularly priced at $85 through places like Amazon, you are saving 58% on one of the best rated battery packs out there.
As a recap, the Limefuel LP200X packs in 20,000mAh of juice (good enough for a handful of full phone charges), has a digital display, built-in flashlight, two USB ports for multi-device charging, Grade A battery cells, and a compact design.
Again, only a couple of hours left on this deal.
Last Chance Deal: Limefuel LP200X 20,000mAh Battery Pack for $35 is a post from: Droid Life
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Deal: Limefuel LP200X 20,000mAh Dual USB Battery Pack for $34.99
Deal: Limefuel Lite 15,000mAh Dual USB Power Pack for $34.99
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Google Maps 9.3 lets you easily share directions with anyone still using a dumb phone
Google Maps is seeing an update in the Google Play Store to version 9.3 and aside from under-the-hood improvements, now allows users to share directions to any given location via Android’s share menu. This could come in handy in the event you’re talking with someone who doesn’t have a smartphone and/or Google Maps installed on their device (perhaps an older feature phone?), allowing you to quickly and easily provide them with directions via text. No mess, no fuss.
You can either wait for the update to rollout to your device in the coming days, or if you simply must have sharable directions right now, you can download and install via the link below. Cheers.
Download: Google Maps 9.3
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[Deal Alert] Sennheiser MM30G Earbuds With Android Controls Are $25 On Amazon ($50 Off) - A Great Upgrade Over Freebie Headphones
Ah, the good old days, when every phone, MP3 player, Walkman, and toaster included a pair of pack-in earbuds. These days you're lucky if you get a damn power adapter (just ask the folks over at Nintendo). If you're still using the ancient headphones that came as a freebie in you Nexus One or a long-forgotten iPod, then take a gander at this Sennheiser set over on Amazon. The MM30G, complete with in-line music controls and a mic, is $50 off of the retail price for a cool $24.99.
[Deal Alert] Sennheiser MM30G Earbuds With Android Controls Are $25 On Amazon ($50 Off) - A Great Upgrade Over Freebie Headphones was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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