Showing posts with label Mobile Devices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mobile Devices. Show all posts

Thursday

YouTube offers thousands of free TV episodes with ads

YouTube on Wednesday began streaming some 4,000 television episodes from shows like "Hell's Kitchen" and "Heartland" to US viewers as the site tries to capture viewers in a fiercely competitive market.

The Google-owned video platform said that popular television shows along with films from major studios will be available, with ads, on YouTube using smart televisions, mobile devices or web browsers.

YouTube was a pioneer in the trend to accessing video on-demand using the internet, starting with clips uploaded and shared by users.

It faces an array of competitors, ranging from streaming television service Netflix based on subscriptions to ad-supported offerings from Peacock, Roku, Tubi and other rivals.

Films and shows will be added weekly, with the line-up of movies to include "Gone in Sixty Seconds" and "Runaway Bride," according to the YouTube team.

YouTube cited Nielsen findings that more than 135 million people in the United States watched YouTube videos using televisions connected to the internet in December of last year.

"YouTube is at the forefront of the consumer shift to (connected TV) viewership as the top ad-supported streaming platform," the video-sharing platform said in a post.

Agence France-Presse

Wednesday

Twitter adds button to share tweets in direct messages


SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Twitter on Tuesday added a button that lets people easily share ‘tweets’ in direct messages.

The move came as an acknowledgement of the appeal of one-to-one connections to users of the popular one-to-many messaging service, and as Twitter worked to ramp use of its platform.

Millions of direct messages are sent daily at Twitter, and the number of tweets shared privately tripled in the second half of last year, according to product manager Somas Thyagaraja.

“With all this interest, we’ve also heard from many of you that it could be easier to share a Tweet using Direct Message,” Thyagaraja said.

“So now — in just a few taps — you can share unique Twitter content from your timeline right into your private conversation.”

Twitter has gradually enhanced its direct messaging option by letting people add animated snippets referred to as GIFs or emotion-capturing symbols called ’emojis,’ as well as the option to send lengthy missives.

The new ‘message’ button was added to Twitter applications tailored for mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software, according to Thyagaraja.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Tuesday

Samsung unveils world's first wireless charger monitor


Your computer monitor may soon be much more than just an afterthought, after Korean electronics giant Samsung made the first monitor that can wirelessly charge a mobile phone.

Samsung Electronics said the SE370, which has 23.6- and 27-inch variants, has an integrated wireless charging function for mobile devices.

“Technology should support, not interfere with, active lifestyles. Our customers increasingly rely on mobile devices to obtain information and interact with others; so by doing away with the clutter on their desks, we are helping them to use their mobile devices in a smarter way,” said Samsung senior vice president for visual display business Seok-gi Kim.

But the wireless charging functionality is "limited" to devices that use the leading Qi wireless charging standard.

Samsung said Qi, developed by the Wireless Power Consortium, is one of the most readily-available global interface standards.

The charger is a circular area integrated in the monitor’s stand.

"Users simply need to place their device on the stand’s charging area to initiate automatic charging, which is confirmed by an LED light," Samsung said.

It added the new monitor eliminates the hassle of having to buy and keep separate charging kits.

Other features include:

- AMD FreeSync technology to synchronize the screen refresh rate with the frame rate of a user’s AMD graphics card, to improve gaming and video playback.
- 4ms response time for clear and smooth tracking
- an economy function that reduces screen brightness for increased energy efficiency.

 — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Saturday

From film to smartphones: Kodak-branded phones, tablets coming in 2015


Kodak, a household name in photography, is coming out with its own range of smartphones and tablets with - you guessed it - image management tools.

The iconic imaging brand announced a partnership with Bullitt Group to build Android-based mobile devices that may debut in 2015.

"Kodak is one of the world's most recognizable brands. It is trusted by consumers as a marque of quality and innovation. We've taken that heritage and used it to inspire a range of beautifully designed devices that will let users take great pictures and edit, share, store and print them in an instant," Oliver Schulte, CEO of Bullitt Mobile, said in a news release (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kodak-and-bullitt-group-partner-for-new-range-of-mobile-devices-debuts-at-ces-286533301.html).

A separate article on tech site The Verge noted UK-based Bullitt builds rugged smartphones for construction firm Caterpillar (http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/26/7450621/kodak-bullitt-smartphone-ces-2015).

The first Kodak-branded handset is to be launched at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015. Other devices planned for 2015 include a 4G phone, a tablet and a connected camera.

According to the news release, the upcoming Kodak-branded Android devices will target users seeking a high-end but relatively simple experience.

The devices are to be preloaded with image capture, management and sharing features, as well as advanced remote management software to let "family members and friends to provide help and support if needed."

"By giving customers easy access to printing and sharing services while still offering the latest Android OS and features found on high-end smartphones, we will appeal to a large audience of users who value ease of use and stylish design as highly as they value functionality," Schulte said.

For her part, Eileen Murphy, Kodak's vice president for brand licensing, said they are "impressed with Bullitt Group's commitment to delivering a portfolio of products that embrace the quality and innovation that our brand is known for around the world."

Licensing

The Verge said Kodak had licensed its brand and underwent restructuring to escape bankruptcy last September.

It had spun off or shut down its consumer divisions and is focused on commercial printing.

"Kodak can get people interested with its name alone, but it'll have to contribute more than just branding to actually win customers' respect," it said.  — Reuters

Thursday

Upgrading to iOS8: The agony before the ecstasy for iPhone 4S users

 
By now, iPhone users should be scrambling to get a taste of the promised ecstacy iOS 8, the latest operating system for mobile devices, after Apple released it early Wednesday (PHL time).
 
However, before iPhone owners connect to WiFi to download the new OS, they have to be warned: there's a lot of agony to go through.
 
First is the requirement for up to 5 GB space on the iPhone, which required most users to delete cherished photos, videos and other media content, tech site Mashable said.
 
"Apple released the update Wednesday, sending customers in a blind fit of rage upon realizing they'd have to delete apps, photos and music — basically everything they have ever been and ever will be — to make room for the software upgrade," it said.
 
Mashable cited rants on Twitter about the upgrade process, including Digg.com editor Josh Petri, who said: "If you have enough space to update to iOS 8 who are you?" 
 
Petri also noted added Apple apps like "Health" that cannot be deleted.
 
"In order to download IOS 8 you must delete every app in your phone and sacrifice your first born child," tweeted Ryan Schultz.
 
More agony for iPhone 4S users
 
The woes don't end there for users of the iPhone 4S, once the high-end version of the popular smartphone some years back.
 
Ars Technica said the iPhone 4S won't quite get features that need newer hardware, such as AirDrop and TouchID.
 
Worse, it said the 4S uses 2.4GHz-only 802.11n Wi-Fi, has no LTE, and uses an Apple A5 chip that is no match for the 5S' A7 chip, let alone the A8 in the iPhone 6.
 
Even worse, the 3.5-inch screen on the 4S will appear "cramped" with iOS 8, it said.
 
"If you don't mind (or actively prefer) your 4S' screen size, by all means, continue to enjoy it. You'll just have to do more scrolling than you do on and iPhone 5 or an iPhone 6," i said.
 
The benefits
 
All those issues aside, iOS 8 promises new things, including replying to text messages immediately from iOS notifications, and having an easier time sharing to other services.
 
Owners of devices running the new iOS can also use third-party keyboards, Quartz.com said.
 
"And our favorite feature: You can now minimize an email you’re writing by swiping down—to look through other emails, or copy some text—without losing your work," Quartz.com said.
 
Also, iOS 8 should be one more step toward Apple Pay, the new mobile payment system for iOS devices. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Friday

New Trojan targets Android, infects 350K devices


Owners of mobile devices running Google's Android operating system were warned against a new Trojan that launches in the early loading stage and resides in the machine's memory.

Russian anti-virus company Doctor Web said the malignant program is operating on more than 350,000 mobile devices in countries including some in Southeast Asia.

"When the mobile phone is turned on, (a) script loads the code of the Trojan Linux-library imei_chk (Dr.Web Anti-virus detects it as Android.Oldboot.1), which extracts the files libgooglekernel.so (Android.Oldboot.2) and GoogleKernel.apk (Android.Oldboot.1.origin) and places them in /system/lib and /system/app, respectively," the company said in a blog post.

Doctor Web said its statistics show 92 percent of the compromised devices are in China, "which is not surprising, since the Trojan Android.Oldboot is intended for Android-powered devices in China."

It noted part of the Trojan Android.Oldboot is installed as a typical application which functions as a system service and connects to a remote server to await various commands.

"Reflashing a device with modified firmware that contains the routines required for the Trojan’s operation is the most likely way this threat is introduced," it said.

Doctor Web warned this malware is dangerous as even if some elements of Android.Oldboot are removed, the component imei_chk will still reside in the protected memory area and will re-install the malware after a reboot.

To prevent infection, Doctor Web advised users against buying devices "of unknown origin" and using OS images from unreliable sources. — VC, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Apple working on fix for ‘white screen of death’ in iOS


If Microsoft's Windows has its so-called Blue Screen of Death to indicate a fatal error, Apple has something similar for its mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod.

The White (or Black) Screen of Death has been a nagging problem for users of Apple devices who upgraded to iOS 7, tech site Mashable said—and Apple is working on a fix.

"We have a fix in an upcoming software update for a bug that can occasionally cause a home screen crash," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told Mashable.


Apple's fix may be included in iOS 7.1, which is in its fourth beta. Mashable said iOS 7.1 may also "bring some minor UI and design changes."

Mashable noted the “white/black screen of death” abruptly causes a soft reboot of the iPhone.

It said complaints started to surface as early as September last year on Apple's discussion forums.

Citing various accounts, it said the color of the boot-up screen would depend on the color of the iPhone's face.

"A white iPhone face produces a white boot up screen with a black Apple logo, while a device with a black face produces a black screen with a white Apple logo," it said.

Citing some users' complaints, Mashable said the bug may activate once iPhone’s battery level dips to 30 percent. — VC, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Sunday

Mobile device users warned vs new dialer malware


Users of mobile phones were warned this week against a new family of malware that can defraud victims via premium rate SMS billing, without any action from the user.

Security vendor Lookout said the new malware, dubbed Mouabad, can also give third parties control over infected mobile devices.

"For the first time (as far as Lookout has seen), remote attackers can now make phone calls (possibly to premium-rate numbers) without user intervention. This represents a significant jump in functionality compared to more common premium-rate fraud that relies on SMS functionality," it said.

Lookout said the new variant, dubbed Mouabad.p, is "particularly sneaky and effective" in trying to avoid detection.

It said the new malware waits to make its calls until after the screen turns off and the lock screen activates.

The new malware can also end the calls it is making when it detects a user interacting with the device, such as unlocking it.

But for now, the malware can still be detected via call logs, which it cannot modify.

On the other hand, it lets remote attackers send SMS messages and control settings on premium SMS billing.

But Lookout noted the risk of infection from this new malware is low, at least for now.

Mouabad.p works only on devices running Android versions older than 3.1, it added.

It added its detection volumes of Mouabad.p are low and restricted primarily to Chinese-speaking regions.

"Since premium-rate SMS and telephone calls rely on country specific phone numbers Mouabad.p will not function outside of targeted countries so there is no incentive for the attackers controlling it to allow it to spread outside these regions," it added. — LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Friday

Mozilla gets aggressive in updating Firefox OS


Mozilla is adopting a more aggressive schedule in updating its "Firefox OS" operating system for mobile devices, aiming to release updates on a quarterly basis.

Alex Keybi, Mozilla's manager of release management, said this even as the company released Firefox OS 1.1, its first update to the operating system.

"Now that we have our (Firefox OS) v1.0 behind us and we’re moving forward with even more partners, we’re going to do our best to bring Firefox OS back into our heartbeat and will make quarterly feature releases available to partners along with six-weekly security updates for the previous two feature releases. As far as I know, that’s the most aggressive mobile OS release strategy out there (and may still require some tweaking)," he said in a blog post.



He noted Mozilla also continues to continue working on its Firefox browser for Mac, Linux, and Windows; Firefox for Android; and Firefox ESR.

All these products share a single platform, Gecko, and release to hundreds of millions of users almost exactly every six weeks, he noted.

"Like a well-practiced choir, we synchronize our technical and organizational heartbeat around releases. This heartbeat enables us to push a unified vision across the entire web, keep our users regularly delighted with new (many times cross-platform) functionality, and prevent any one product from lagging behind in security updates," he added.

But in the case of Firefox OS, he said Mozilla also had to juggle the timelines and requirements of all of the OEMs, carriers, and chipset manufacturers it partnered with.

 A separate article on The Next Web said the three-month feature release cycle could be a "real game-changer," though it will be "no easy feat." — VC, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Thursday

Mobile Devices & Proof of Car Insurance


Today, the government, at both the federal and state level, seems to be promoting an Eco-friendly and paperless environment. As such, states like Alaska now authorized the use of the “E-card” a term coined for the demonstration of proof of auto insurance on a digital device such as a Smartphone or tablet.

Alaska, the most recent state to join the “E-card” authorization regulation puts the law into effect on July 1st. According to the legislative sponsors, the purpose in this law is to push for a paperless environment, simplify routine traffic stops and create an easier insurance verification processes.





Traditional Car Insurance Validation Takes Too Long

Traditionally, validating insurance takes several hours at the courthouse, whereas the use of “E–cards” takes just a few minutes to validate. The use of the digital cards is also legal in other states like, North Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota and a few others. In total, about half the nation now accepts this form of proof of car insurance, a real milestone as of its inception just two years ago.

Because this is a more efficient way of showing verifiable insurance, there are proposals to pass the “E–card” verification process in other states as well. These proposals are almost guaranteed to pass and to be confirmed by state governors.

Consumers looking for car insurance quotes should make sure that any insurance carrier they consider carries this new feature, as it is much more convenient than carrying a little piece of paper in the glove apartment.

Indications of Modernization

This new adoption is more than just a convenient method of proving that you have auto insurance. It is a sign that government laws are changing and modernizing. It means legislators are making room for consumer electronics, and businesses that conduct transactions over the Internet.

Other New Laws

Besides proof of insurance over mobile devices, there are other laws that will make buying car insurance online more practical. These will allow providers to send insurance quotes and other insurance related information, such as renewal forms, over the Internet to customers. These laws are now active in Kansas, Idaho, Kentucky, and Minnesota. Legislators from other states are also reviewing this future possibility in Florida, Missouri, California, Pennsylvania and Texas.

What Does This Mean for You?

Of course, this means more convenience for insurance providers, customers and government agencies; it saves time for everyone. However, the electronic delivery of insurance documents also means you have more choices and more flexibility when it comes to car insurance quotes or policies. Policyholders and auto insurance directives believe that these laws are a step in the right direction; a foot forward towards 21st-century modernization. These regulations will make car insurance comparison shopping easier, and help consumers find cheap car insurance rates that fully cover their needs.

Other laws are also soon to go into effect; these will allow for car insurance providers to place policy information online so policyholders can easily access it over the Internet. Such laws already exist in Arizona, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Alaska. Governors in other states are also considering such legislation. The benefit in doing this is to allow auto insurance companies to be more competitive, but also for consumers to look for these types of features in their new online insurance policy options.

source: insurancequotesfast.com

Nokia to launch large-screen smartphones next month -sources


Nokia plans to unveil new, large-screen mobile handsets next month to revamp its Lumia smartphone lineup and challenge rival Samsung's dominance in increasingly popular phablet devices, sources said.

Nokia has developed more than one new mobile device and is due to announce them at an event in New York in late September, said the sources familiar with the plan.

The sources would not elaborate on details such as specifications and price but said the new models will include a phablet, a common name for smartphones with screens over 5 inches. Technology blogs have also said that Nokia plans to launch a tablet device.

Nokia officials were not immediately available for comment.

The move comes as the Finnish mobile phone company, which has fallen behind Samsung and Apple in smartphones, has stepped up its pace of product launches in the past year in a bid to stem a decline in sales.

Market leader Samsung has led the way in phablets, proving wrong early critics who said they were too clunky. Apple is the top seller of tablet devices.

Analysts expect demand for large screens to grow further as more consumers watch videos and look at photographs on their smartphones.

A phablet would be the latest addition to Nokia's range of Lumia smartphones which use Microsoft's Windows Phone software.

In July, it announced the Lumia 1020, which comes with a 41-megapixel camera. Gaining share in smartphones is considered particularly crucial in the long run as more consumers want to use social media and video services from their phones.

Some analysts, however, have raised doubts over whether Nokia's recent efforts will help turn its business around.

The company has bet its future in smartphones on Windows Phone software, but Windows' share in the market is still at 3 percent, while Google's Android operating system and Apple's iOS together control over 90 percent.

While Nokia shipped 7.4 million Lumia smartphones in the second quarter, up 32 percent from the first quarter, Bernstein Research analyst Pierre Ferragu said it appeared much of the growth came from cheaper models.

Ferragu questioned whether Nokia's focus on high-end models, such as the Lumia 925, 928 and 1020, will pay off, forecasting a weak third quarter.

"This is a risky bet, as high-end smartphones are slowing overall, competition is intense, and ... Windows has had limited traction in the high end," he said in a research note on Tuesday. "Nokia appears to be heading for a disastrous September quarter."  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Tuesday

BlackBerry Z10 to Go On Sale with AT&T March 22


AT&T Inc  will start selling the highly anticipated BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen smartphone in the United States on March 22, the company said on Monday, sending BlackBerry shares more than 10% higher.

BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion, is hoping the new devices, already on sale in Canada, Britain and more than 20 other countries, will help it win back market share in the United States, which was once a stronghold for the smartphone industry pioneer.

The U.S. launch of the new devices has been delayed due to a longer carrier-testing phase in the country. AT&T said pre-sales of the devices will begin on Tuesday, March 12.

BlackBerry says sales of its new smartphone have been outpacing its expectations so far, but investors are keen to see how it fares in the United States. The company has lost U.S. market share rapidly to Apple Inc's iPhone and a slew of devices powered by Google's Android operating system.

As expected, AT&T said it would sell the devices for $199.99 with a two-year contract. T-Mobile USA said on Friday it planned to start selling the BlackBerry Z10 to its business customers in the United States on Monday.

Verizon Inc , the biggest U.S. wireless carrier, has yet to say when it will start selling the Z10. The Z10 and the soon to be launched Q10, which will come with BlackBerry's traditional physical keyboard, are powered by the new BlackBerry 10, or BB10 operating system.

"We believe the Street is pricing in such a weak fiscal 2014 that BB10 does not need to be an outstanding success to surprise,'' Scotiabank analyst Gus Papageorgiou said in a note to clients on Monday.

Papageorgiou, who has a ``sector outperform'' rating on the stock, said he expects the company sold about 1 million BlackBerry 10 devices in the quarter ended March 2.

"Gross margins should begin to move higher as more Z10s enter the mix,'' he said. ``Next quarter will be the true test as BB10 launches in the U.S.''

BlackBerry shares were up more than 10 percent at $14.37 in mid-morning Nasdaq trading on Monday, while its Toronto-listed stock rose by a similar margin to C$14.78.

source: foxbusiness.com

Wednesday

YouTube rolls out new version of iPhone app

SAN FRANCISCO —Google Inc is releasing a new version of its YouTube video app for iPhones that will for the first time feature advertising but won’t have the benefit of being pre-loaded on Apple Inc’s popular smartphones.

The new YouTube app will be available for download at Apple’s App Store beginning on Tuesday, Google said in a blog on the company website on Tuesday.

Web-connected smartphones are increasingly important to YouTube’s business. One billion of YouTube’s daily video views now occur on mobile devices, said Google. Earlier this year YouTube said it was streaming 4 billion videos every day.

The new YouTube app for the iPhone will feature thousands of additional videos, according to the blog post, as well as improved features for finding videos and sharing videos on social networks.

Unlike the previous version of the YouTube iPhone app, the new version will feature online advertising, a Google spokesman said.

Online ads generate the bulk of Google’s revenue, the world’s No. 1 web search engine, and YouTube already offers ads on its mobile website and on the version of the app for Android smartphones.

Apple said last month that its license to include the YouTube app in the iOS operating system used by the iPhone and iPad had ended.

The relationship between Google and Apple has frayed over the years, as the shift from PCs to mobile devices has increased the competition between the two companies. Earlier this year, Apple said it would dump Google’s mapping software from its mobile devices.

Apple is holding a press event in San Francisco on Wednesday where many expect the company to unveil a new version of its iPhone.

YouTube has been among a handful of apps that came pre-loaded onto the screens of Apple’s mobile devices since the original iPhone was introduced in 2007.

The pre-installed YouTube app—which was actually built by Apple using YouTube standards—was not as full-featured as YouTube’s own website, but it was popular.

According to data measurement firm Nielsen, YouTube was the third most popular iPhone app by users, including both pre-installed apps and downloaded apps, in the U.S. in June.

Google said it was working on a version of the YouTube app specially-designed for iPads, which should be available in the coming months.

source: japantoday.com