Samsung Galaxy S4 Vs Mini video confirms specs

After Samsung’s mistake in accidentally revealing the Galaxy S4 Mini on one of their websites without a prior announcement, the Korean manufacturer has finally made things official this week. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is on the way this Summer and we already have a great video for you to watch, which compares the Mini with its bigger brother, the S4.

We had actually thought that Samsung would be saving an official announcement, for their planned June 20 event in London. Now that the Galaxy S4 Mini has already been revealed though, does this provide yet more hints that we could be seeing an early Galaxy Note 3 reveal perhaps?

Back to the S4 Mini, as UK network Three has already confirmed that they have plans to offer the device to consumers this Summer. In preparation of this, they have released a promotional video which compares the Mini with the S4, for those who want to see the exact differences in size and design.

The video also gives a low down in spec differences as well, which will be a key area when it comes to decision making time closer to release. The Galaxy S4 Mini features a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, an 8 Megapixel camera, LTE support, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM.

You’ll also want to know that 8GB of storage will be offered, which is expandable with MicroSD card. There’s a 1900mAh battery on board and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS running on top of TouchWiz UI. Like the bigger S4, the Mini version will be available in both Black Mist and White Frost colors – no word on that stylish Blue Arctic model yet.

Some consumers think that the Galaxy S4 is too big for their hands, so does the Mini suit you perfectly at 4.3-inches? Have a look at the video above for a close look and let us know if you have been saving money for this. Look out for a price to be revealed at Samsung’s June 20 Galaxy event in London.

Source: product-reviews.net

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How to Root Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 having XWLSS Android 4.1.2 Jellybean Firmware

Recently galaxy S2 users update their devices with XWLSS jellybean 4.1.2 firmware base. This was an official update that revoke the root access or we can say if your galaxy S2 is currently running on XWLSS firmware then you not have the root access in your S2. Today cause of some special kind of apps or task and to flash custom ROMs rooting access is essentially required.

So friends if your Samsung galaxy S2 I9100 has been running on official XWLSS jellybean 4.2.1 then this guide will help you to gain rooting access in your galaxy s2. We will be using Siyah Kernel to root this firmware. Further the tutorial has described, use it and enjoy the fully powered android.

Be Aware of:- Rooting the android phone will void it’s warranty, which can be regain anytime by downgrading to stock XWLSS jellybean 4.2.1 firmware

 

Tutorial to Root Samsung galaxy S2 I9100 running on XWLSS Official Android 4.1.2 Jellybean Firmware

Step 1. Download some files

• XWLSS Jellybean 4.1.2 rooting package
• Odin 3 v3.07

Step 2. Fill Pre-requisites

• Prepare your phone by using this link- Preparing your Android phone before upgrading / installing firmware
• Make EFS partition and IMEI backup also. Use to learn- Backup /Restore EFS Data Samsung Android devices
• Make your Galaxy S2 fully charged
• Enable USB debugging mode in your phone, use this link to learn- How to Enable USB Debugging mode in all Android Phones

Note:- This installation guide use ODIN utility which work only in Windows OS. If you use Linux OS (such as Ubuntu) or Mac OS then use CrossOver Utility to run ODIN in your OS

Step 3. Follow procedure to flash the root package

1. Extract downloaded root and Odin package separately.
2. Switch off your galaxy S2.
3. Put galaxy S2 in download mode by- press and hold “Volume down” + “MENU” buttons and then simultaneously press the power button until a green robot will appear. Press power button again to confirm.
4. Connect the phone to computer via original USB cable.
5. Launch Odin application as admin.
6. Check that, ID:COM section become blue shaded and “Added” message appears in message box, means that the phone is perfectly detected.
7. Image credit to Androidlegend
8. Now click on “PDA” tab and select a file named “Siyah-s2-v6.0b4.tar” from the folder where you extract rooting package before.
9. Next ensure that “Auto Reboot” and “F.Reset Time” boxes are checked and “Re-partition” box is unchecked.
10. Now just click on “Start” button to begin flashing, and wait till it finished.
11. After completion of flashing your phone automatically reboots and message “PASS” will appear in Odin.

Now just unplug the cable.

Sudden Issue: If you face a problem in the start that- your phone will blocked at the booting stage (or it has an infinite boot loop problem)  then - press the Power button for about ten seconds and in that off state reinsert the battery and follow the whole procedure again.

To check the phone is rooted use this article- 4 ways to identify that your android phone is rooted.

That’ all. You have successfully rooted your Samsung galaxy S2 I9100 running on XWLSS official Android 4.1.2 Jellybean Firmware.

Enjoy and Have fun! :)

Source: androidflip.com

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iPad mini 2 with price targeting Nexus 7 2

Those of our readers that follow Apple know they’re not a company that like to offer the cheapest devices, and in the case of an iPad mini 2 price it has been known for a while that it would most likely be set around the same price point as the original mini iPad.

Looking at Apple’s market share and the changing mobile industry, we could see Apple finally starting to change in 2013/2014 with a new iPad mini 2 in more than one model, or possibly plans to meet other upcoming Android tablets in terms of price.

Original iPad mini at a lower price point – While there is a slight possibility that Apple could release a second iPad mini at the same time as the new iPad mini 2, with a cheaper price point, we personally don’t feel as though this will be the case. We say this because when Apple releases a new iPhone, the previous model is then reduced in price and then becomes their cheaper model, allowing those of you with a limited budget the chance to own an iPhone.

It’s for this reason why we believe the cheaper model iPad mini for 2013 will be the outgoing version, as it will have less-impressive specs than the rumored new model later this year.

Apple iPad mini 2nd generation in 2 models – Okay, let’s say for arguments sake the rumors of two new iPad mini tablets are true, then Apple could target one for their current audience, and the second with slightly upgraded specs, but a cheaper overall design to help keep the price down. Again, we have such a hard time believing this.

We can understand why some people would be confused and believe rumors of an iPad mini 2 Standard and Premium, with the former expected to be around $30 cheaper than the current generation, but it’s highly unlikely to happen, as it would be more cost effective for Apple to just reduce the current-gen model. Apple will find it easier to reduce the price of the model already on the market, as the tooling is already in place.

Nexus 7 2 – The 2nd generation Nexus 7 is expected to be much more advanced, and so will come with some much-improved features, those of which are lacking on the current model. Google and ASUS know they need to deliver something special, as they are not only competing with rival Android tablets, but also the upcoming iPad mini 2 as well.

We’ve already looked at expected Nexus 7 2 specs, as well as a possible sighting during a commercial aired at Google I/O earlier this month, but the biggest change could be the price. Maybe both Apple and Google will implement aggressive pricing for both upcoming models, although we still expect the Nexus 7 sequel to be the cheaper of the two?

However, it’s far easier to presume the Nexus 7 2 price will be a little cheaper than its predecessor, but the iPad mini 2 price is expected to stay the same as the current model, and so would rely on that current model to fill the gap for those with a limited budget, and also being able to compete more with the Nexus 7 2nd-generation rather than two iPad mini 2 models in 2013.

Source: product-reviews

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Google revises Gmail inbox

Google announced on May 29th that "Gmail is getting a brand new inbox on desktop and mobile that puts you back in control using simple, easy organization." That's a bit of an overstatement, but Gmail's new cateogories will make it easier for some users to organize their mail.

Google is introducing a new way of automatically sorting your Gmail messages.

Gmail has long enabled users to organize their mail by using labels. With labels you can organize your messages into categories--work, family, to do, read later, jokes, whatever. Google claims that is better than the very similar idea of folders because you can assign multiple labels to a message.

While not getting rid of labels, starting today, Google is enrolling users into an automatic system that places your mail into categories. These categories will appear as tabs on your main Gmail display. The new categories are: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. You cannot add new categories to these default ones at this time.

The Primary category consists of messages from friends, co-workers, family, and anyone else you connect with on a regular basis. As you'd expect from Social's name, all your social network messages -- Twitter, Google+, Facebook, etc. -- go into it. Messages from companies you buy from, such as Amazon deals and the like, go into Promotions. In the Updates category you should find online statements, and bills. Finally, your mailing list messages will go into Forums.

Don't like the category Gmail picks for a particular correspondent? By moving your messages to the "right" category, Gmail will learn where you want your messages to go.

If you don't care for any if it, Google will let you switch back to your classic Gmail inbox..

This service is being rolled out slowly and it may not be available for you at this time. To see if you can try it out, go to Gmail and open the gear menu, move to the Settings options and select Configure inbox.

The new look Gmail will be available to all desktop, Android and iOS users in the next few weeks.

Source : zdnet

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Facebook Launches Verified Accounts

Did the real Justin Bieber just send you a friend request? Now you can know for sure, thanks to a new Facebook feature: Verified Pages.

Much like verified accounts on Twitter, verified Facebook pages will now display a small blue check mark beside their owner's name on the social network. The check mark will also appear beside the individual’s name in search results, as well as anywhere else on Facebook where it appears.

Just like Twitter’s verified accounts, Facebook's verified status won't be offered to everyone. Verified accounts will be specifically available to public figures with large audiences, namely, celebrities, government officials, popular brands and some journalists.

Verified Facebook Pages and profiles will start rolling out Wednesday.

What do you think about the new feature? Are you happy Facebook is verifying the authenticity of some accounts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Source : mashable

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Qualcomm's BatteryGuru App Improves Android Battery Life

Battery life is always a huge concern with any smartphone. If you’re not careful, especially with Android devices, you can wind up with quite a few applications running in the background, which drains battery.

Several smartphones now come with built-in software to optimize battery life. For those that don’t, Qualcomm released Snapdragon BatteryGuru, an Android application that monitors what’s going on behind the scenes on your phone, and adjusts your phone’s settings to maximize battery life.

The app has received over 100,000 downloads since its debut in beta February of this year, and is officially launching Tuesday.

The app learns your personal phone behaviors, and then devises ways to optimize battery performance based on those behaviors.

For instance, leaving on the Wi-Fi can drain battery power, as your phone is constantly searching for a Wi-Fi network for connection. BatteryGuru learns your most frequently used Wi-Fi hotspots, and then enables Wi-Fi when you’re around.

Android apps often refresh more than necessary, which adversely effects battery life. BatteryGuru pays attention to app usage patterns, then refreshes your apps based on those patterns. This ensures apps are updated when you need them to be — but aren’t draining battery when you don’t want them to.

Lots of little tweaks ultimately leave you with a little more juice at the end of the day.

You can download BatteryGuru for free now from Google Play for the majority of Snapdragon-powered devices, including smartphones created by Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG and Sony.

Source : mashable

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iPhone 6 release date and everything we know so far

You can guarantee that right now, somewhere, there is an Apple employee walking round with some form of new iPhone in their pocket. Be it a development unit or the real thing, the next iPhone is coming.

So what do we know so far about Apple's new device? Will it be an iPhone 5S, the iPhone 6, or an entirely new handset altogether? Apple secrets are hard to come by, but those few gems we have, open the door on what's next in store from the manufacturer.

iPhone 5S or iPhone 6

Traditionally Apple launches an internal hardware update to its flagship phone each year, with new-look hardware design every other year. Right now we are due an iPhone 5S. Taking that approach means we should be getting new insides, but not new outsides in 2013.

Rumours suggest we might skip tradition in 2013 and go straight for the iPhone 6, although these are mostly guesswork. Stuff magazine in the UK recently published a picture from a Vodafone stock inventory console in store that suggested the phone would be called the iPhone 6, however Pocket-lint has since confirmed via sources within Vodafone that this was just batch numbering: the sixth shipment of iPhones that month.

Meanwhile Apple developer logs have given repeated reference to the iPhone 6. Just as the iPhone 5 before it appeared as the 5.1 and 5.2 in app logs, "iPhone 6.1" and "iOS 7" have also made an appearance.

Of course the smart money (there is no smart money really with Apple when it comes to rumours) is that Apple will stick with tradition and launch the iPhone 5S.

New iPhone release date

September. Well that's if we follow previous launch schedules from the past couple of years. Apple used to launch the new iPhone in June at its WWDC developer conference, but has shifted away from that as it looks to capitalise on people's urge to buy a new phone for Christmas. A September launch date also fits in nicely with iPhone 4S users who didn't upgrade to the iPhone 5 in 2012.

But it's not just about guess work or looking at what has gone before, there are plenty of sites claiming to have the inside scoop on when the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 release date actually is.

iMore, Digitimes and others all claim the next iPhone will be revealed in August or September.
Of course an iPhone release date could happen at WWDC in June, in line with a shiny new OS - iOS 7 - because software enhancements in the operating system need new hardware to show them off, but in reality we just don't know. If the iPhone 5S is announced at WWDC then it is likely to be in the shops by the end of July. If it doesn't get announced, then September is looking very likely.

iOS 7: the new iPhone software

Things are a lot more concrete here, as we have proof, based on visitor traffic to Pocket-lint that Apple is already testing iOS 7 - a new version of the company's mobile operating system.

But don't just take our word for it. TechCrunch has also reported that Onswipe, a New York-based company that helps web publishers customise their websites for the tablet interface, has found large droves of users using iPhone's with iOS 7 installed. The users were based mainly in San Francisco and Apple's home town of Cupertino.

We also know, following Scott Forstall's departure in 2012, that the design of the newest version of Apple's operating system has been overseen by Jonathan Ive.

As new senior vice-president of industrial design, Ive has allegedly been implementing drastic and sweeping design changes to the operating system. It is now "black, white and flat all over" and should be the most stripped back and simplified iOS yet.

According to reports, there is no new learning curve and several core fundamentals of iOS will remain the same, including the Lock and Home screens. Several of Apple's native apps will get new icons and redesigned tool bars, tab bars and other features in the update.

Ive dislikes something called skeuomorphism, or mimicking real life objects in digital design. iOS does a lot of this, using paper textures for iBooks or a leather effect for the calendar. Expect the majority of this to go with iOS 7.

Rumours also point to Flickr and Vimeo being heavily integrated into the operating system. 
We expect iOS 7 to launch in tandem with the new iPhone, as is the tradition with Apple.

New iPhone specs

What's the point of launching a new phone if you don't spruce up the features inside? Apple tends to launch updated internals, with a new-look phone coming every other year.

Right now we know very little, but the usual buzzwords still keep popping up in the rumour mill.

Wireless charging
Current rumours suggest possible wireless charging integration with the phone, to match the Nokia range of Lumia devices, the Nexus 4 and the iPhone's current biggest challenger, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Apple hasn't offered wireless charging before although you can get it via bolt-on cases from companies like Powermat. If Apple is really is keen to let people ditch the cable altogether, which it has done in previous years with syncing, then now might be the time to make that happen.

NFC
After years of not having NFC, is 2013 the year Apple will finally add it? The company has done a lot to try to avoid adding the technology, and the infrastructure on the high-street still isn't really there yet either. At the moment it's a catch-22 situation. The high street won't add it until Apple does, and Apple won't until the high street does.

If Apple does finally add NFC capability to the iPhone, expect everywhere to let you touch and pay within the next year.

Bigger screen
For many the iPhone 5 screen is plenty big enough, but looking at the competition it is still too small. Nokia, LG, HTC, Samsung all have smartphones with screen sizes that dwarf the iPhone 5. That's led some to report that the iPhone 5S will launch with a 4.8-inch screen.

Talk so far has been of the iPhone Math, which may eventually turn out to be the iPhone 6. A bigger screen would make sense, especially given that Apple made some concessions in the display department with the iPhone 5. Going for a 4.8-inch screen would match the rest of the Android competition.

Better screen
Apple's new iPhone 5S or whatever the next iPhone is called, might end up with a screen boasting double the pixels of the current-generation iPhone 5. That would mean 1.5 million pixels in just 4-inches of display, which should make for the sharpest smartphone screen on the market.

On top of the resolution bump, rumours also point to an iPad mini-style ultra-narrow screen bezel, which might mean the iPhone 5S is actually getting a hardware redesign after all. The rumours are coming from Chinese website WeiPhone.com.

Fingerprint scanner
One for the crazy talk, but hey you never know. Michael Barrett, PayPal's chief information officer, recently said in a keynote speech: "There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year. Not just one, multiple." That's led some to believe that he was talking about the next iPhone.

More storage
Is 64GB enough storage these days? Maybe Apple will double down and offer a 128GB version with the next iPhone.

More colours

Rumours have persisted that the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will come in various colours (as seen above via modding service Mendmyi). BGR reports that the "SIM trays, which have been pictured before in leaked low-resolution images, are thinner than the trays from the current-generation iPhone 5. One tray also appears to be golden or beige in colour, which could support earlier rumors suggesting that the iPhone 5S will be available in several new colours."

Better speakers
The next-generation iPhone will also include a redesigned ear speaker bracket, according to BGR, and a new loud-speaker bracket. Presumably this will enhance sound in every direction. 

Better 4G LTE
At the moment the iPhone 5 doesn't support Vodafone or O2's 4G signal in the UK. You can bet that it will, come a new launch. That's not confirmed of course, but it would seem strange to leave out support for the two UK networks. Vodafone has previously said that it would be delaying the launch of its 4G network in the UK until the autumn, perhaps just in time for the launch of the 4G ready iPhone 6?

New iPhone 6 cases

New iPhone cases, normally a sure sign something is coming soonish, haven't turned up yet, and therefore don't let us see if the Chinese case makers believe the next iPhone will feature a different design from what we have now with the iPhone 5. Once these start to appear, we should know or at least guess, what the new iPhone will look like.  

New iPhone rumours

What we can guarantee is that we will see plenty of rumours before the official launch of the next iPhone, whether it is called the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or even iPhone 7 (to match with iOS 7). Some will be bogus, some will be on the money, and will we try to make sure we do our best to filter through the lot.  

Heard or seen a good rumour? Let us know in the comments below. 

Source: pocket-lint.com

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YouTube adds slow-mo to video editing options (Video)

YouTube announced on Tuesday that it has added slow-mo to its growing portfolio of automated editing options.

Those who love to add effects or enhancements under the YouTube Editor can now enjoy slow motion as one of the platform's basic editing options for professional and amateur videographers. Such a feature could be especially useful for anyone editing a music video or short film, as it provides an effective way to set the tone and create mood.

"To create a slomo video, visit the Enhancements tool or the YouTube Editor and apply it to one of your existing videos," wrote Google on the YouTube Creator blog. "You’ll get a smooth, slomo video that makes it look like it was filmed with a high-speed camera."

YouTube offers a variety of quirky and handy editing tools, such as splicing, stabilization, and speed adjustments, which are more than beneficial to users without a fancy camera or expensive editing software.

Check out YouTube's provided example below of Times Square slowed to 1/8th of its original speed.

Source: pocket-lint.com

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Samsung to Unveil New Galaxy and ATIV Devices on June 20

Samsung has just announced an event called the "Samsung Premiere 2013," held on June 20, 2013 in London.

Absolutely no details were given about the event except three cryptic, black and white images (below) and two words: "Galaxy and ATIV." This suggests that the company plans to launch new Galaxy (meaning: Android) devices, as well as Windows devices which fall under Samsung's ATIV brand.

The event will start at 2PM ET on June 20, and will be livestreamed at Samsung's YouTube channel.

What kind of devices would you like to see from Samsung on June 20? More smartphones, or tablets? Are you more excited about the company's Galaxy or ATIV lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Source : mashable

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WordPress Is Now 10 Years Old

Ten years ago today, the first public release of WordPress became available. Initially started as a fork of the little-known blogging platform b2/Cafelog, WordPress has grown to be the largest CMS in the world, powering an astounding 18% of the web.

Nearly 70 million websites run WordPress and it's hard to understate the impact that the software has had on the world of digital publishing. Hundreds of high-profile websites, including blogs from CNN, The New York Times and Reuters, all use WordPress. Mashable isn't a pure WordPress site anymore, but we do use it as a place to enter content. Since 2004, I personally have published millions of words using WordPress, most of those on Mashable.

WordPress was started by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little and the open-source software has grown to include thousands of contributors. Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com and one of the biggest stewards in the development of the platform as a whole, announced last week that it had raised $50 million in a secondary stock transaction.

WordPress started as an easy, free way for users to publish their own content. If you had a web host that supported PHP and MySQL and you knew how to use FTP, getting WordPress installed took, famously, under five minutes. Today, most web hosts have one-click install buttons so that users don't even have to bother with FTP. Hosted offerings from WordPress.com and others are also abundantly available.

Moreover, WordPress is no longer just about blogging or personal publishing. As recently as 2010, I was reticent to call WordPress a true CMS but that's clearly no longer true. Full web applications are run on WordPress. Shopping cart systems, Twitter analytics services and even robust WordPress site management solutions can all be built on WordPress.

Plus, the larger ecosystem around WordPress — including plugins, themes, specialized hosting providers and custom solutions builders — is mammoth and still growing. Mullenweg told me earlier this year that his goal for WordPress is for it to be the "platform or operating system" for the web. That goal is coming closer to fruition with every passing month.

What's interesting is that, as WordPress has become more powerful, it has created room for more writing-focused platforms such as Medium, Svbtle and Ghost.

To celebrate 10 years of WordPress, the WordPress community is having special Meetup events across the globe. There is also a special microsite dedicated to tweets, photos and memories associated with WordPress.

We've updated our gallery, below, of how WordPress has evolved over the years and you can look back at nearly each and every version of WordPress from 0.7.1 to the latest 3.6 betas.

Share your WordPress memories in the comments.

Source : mashable

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iPhone 5 camera vs Galaxy S4, Nokia Lumia 920

For those that value camera quality inside smartphones when purchasing for the first time, you will appreciate a new study that has been published online, comparing the cameras inside the iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and also Nokia’s popular Lumia 920 smartphone as well.

DxO Labs are camera specialists based in France and the team recently conducted a test to see which out of the popular smartphones on the market has the best camera. Examining parameters such as exposure, contrast, color, autofocus, texture, noise, artifacts and finally flash, the company has concluded that the Samsung Galaxy S4 currently offers a better camera quality compared to the iPhone 5 and Lumia 920, as highlighted by CNET.

When tested in the fields above, the Galaxy S4 produced a score of 79 out of 100, while the iPhone 5 could only manage a 74 in the process. Nokia includes a 8.7 megapixel PureView camera with the Lumia 920, but Dx0 Labs has only given the device a camera score of 64 out of 100, with “disappointing autofocus accuracy” and “poor sharpness and texture” the reasons for the low score.

It’s worth pointing out that the Galaxy S4 was not the overall winner in terms of which phone had the best camera on the market period. That award went to the Nokia 808 PureView, which managed a fantastic score of 81 out of 100, thanks to an amazing flash and DSC-like camera features.

If you plan to take their report seriously, then it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S4 has the better camera compared to the iPhone 5. However, Apple may be looking to change all that by improving the camera inside the iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S – whichever comes first.

Take a look at the analysis for yourself and let us know what you think of the results. How impressed are you with the Samsung Galaxy S4 camera? Are you also disappointed with how the Nokia Lumia 920 camera performed?

Source: http://www.product-reviews.net

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Apple plans to add Samsung Galaxy S4 to second patent lawsuit

Ahead of its second patent trial, Apple has added it plans to add Samsung's Galaxy S4 to its line-up of allegedly patent-infringing products.

According to a court filing with the U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, Apple will aim to substitute one allegedly patent-infringing device for Samsung's latest and greatest.

In a footnote to the court document, filed on Monday with the court, the iPhone and iPad maker said that based on its analysis, "Apple has concluded that [the Galaxy S4] is an infringing device," and intends to "move for leave to add the Galaxy S4 as an infringing product."

But if the motion is granted by the court, Apple will comply with a previous order by Judge Lucy Koh to limit the number of allegedly infringing devices — and therefore overall claims — by taking one of the allegedly infringing devices off the list, knocking the number of "accused products" back down to 22 devices.

The Galaxy S4 is currently considered the latest "threat" to Apple's iPhone 5. Before, it was the Galaxy S3, which Apple went for in its previous trial. Now that the Galaxy S3 is put on the backburner to give its successor a chance at success, Apple is refocusing its crosshairs on the seemingly more recent and prominent product.

Samsung, meanwhile, has its own list of Apple products that allegedly infringe its patents, including a product from almost every product line Apple has, save for the Mac. 

The second lawsuit is set to kick off in early February 2014.

Source : zdnet

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Yahoo's Hulu Bid Is Between $600M to $800M: Report

Yahoo has bid between $600 million to $800 million for premium video-streaming service Hulu, according to sources.

The wide range is due to the fact that Yahoo has tabled several different offers that vary depending on certain factors, including the length of licensing rights for content, as well as the control that Hulu's current owners — Comcast, Disney and News Corp. — will maintain over their content, All Things D reported Sunday.

Company sources also told the site that Yahoo is considering buying a mobile company and a communications company, each for a price of around $150 million to $200 million.

Yahoo is among a long list of businesses that want to acquire a stake in Hulu. They include: The Chernin Group (in partnership with Providence Equity), Guggenheim Digital, DirecTV and Time Warner Cable, as well as private equity firm KKR and talent agency William Morris Endeavor (in partnership with Silver Lake).

The bid for Hulu is Yahoo's latest effort to build up its video offerings. In April, the Internet giant announced that it struck a deal to exclusively stream Saturday Night Live content.

Just last week, Yahoo spent $1.1 billion to acquire blogging tool Tumblr, and bought gaming platform startup PlayerScale days later.

Reports that Yahoo put in a bid for Hulu surfaced several days ago.

When reached via email, Hulu declined to comment. Yahoo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What do you think of Yahoo's Hulu bid? Is the service worth upwards of $800 million? Discuss in the comments, below. 

Source: mashable

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Samsung confirms the Galaxy S4 mini at their own Samsung apps website

Samsung confirms the Galaxy S4 mini at their own Samsung apps website. The Galaxy S4 mini is the little version of the Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 mini features a 1.6 GHz dual-core CPU, a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Display with qHD resolution (540×960, 256 ppi), 1 GB (3G), 2 GB (LTE) RAM, 32 GB Memory, Android 4.2, 8 megapixel camera and a 2,100 mAh battery.

We expect Samsung to use their own Touch-Wiz UX interface and Android 4.2.2. The Galaxy S4 mini is expected around the summer months in 2 colours black and white.

Source: sammobile.com

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Here Comes The Smallest Android Stick (Video)

The device comes in the size of a USB drive but functions like a mini-PC.   

Friday, May 24, 2013:  Over the years we've become accustomed to the trend of Android powered USB sticks that act as a plug-n-play device, which can be mounted on a TV, which converts a normal TV into Android running desktop. These USB sticks are generally larger is size than the original USB drives but today we have come across one of the smallest in the market.

It is a little hard to differentiate between a USB drive and mini-PC but with SmartCandy all that can be forgotten.  

SmartCandy is the latest Android TV stick that looks like a USB drive in terms of size and weight but is a mini-PC in terms of functionality.

SmartCandy was spotted at a recent trade show. In terms of the hardware, the stick packs a 1.6 GHz ARM processor coupled with 1 GB RAM. It runs Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean version. The stick also has a microSD slot.

However, unlike other USB sticks, SmartCandy does not offer in-built Wi-Fi or USB port but the company is giving an external adapter for Wi-Fi and USB. The stick also comes with an option of dock with Ethernet and 3 USB ports. Pricing details have not been mentioned but we assume this will be priced under $100 like all the other sticks.

Other than the above mentioned device, the company also has a model that packs a Telechips processor with 512 MB RAM, and 4 GB storage. This is how the smallest mini-pc looks like. 

Source: efytimes.com

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Rumor: Apple Testing 1.5-inch OLED Displays for iWatch

Japanese blog Macotakara is reporting on two articles in Monday's edition of Taiwanese newspaper Economic Times, which focus on Apple's rumored iWatch device. The first report claims that Apple has begun sampling 1.5-inch OLED displays from RITEK subsidiary RiT Display. The second claims that Foxconn has already received orders for the gadget.

The report surrounding RiT Display follows one that surfaced in December claiming that Intel has gotten involved with the project. The company supposedly wanted a 1.8-inch screen for its wearable iDevice, but that size proved to be too large on one's arm, so Apple went with the 1.5-inch model instead. RITEK's joint venture RitFast will supposedly furnish the touch sensor technology.

As for the second report from Economic Times, it talks about the smart watch industry as a whole, but mentions Foxconn's part in the iWatch timeline. The order volume is only around 1,000 units, so there's a good chance that the iWatch will be introduced during WWDC next month, and developers will receive the 1,000 units. Feedback from these developers will likely shape the final product to be released later this year.

Macrumors points out that talk of an Apple smart watch began to escalate after the December report.

The New York Times said Apple was experimenting with curved glass designs while Bloomberg stated that Apple has 100 product designers working on the device. Rumors peaked in February and March with talk that the gadget would make an appearance this year. Little has been said about the device since.

"This can be a $6 billion opportunity for Apple, with plenty of opportunity for upside if they create something totally new like they did with the iPod -- something consumers didn’t even know they needed," said Citigroup Inc. analyst Oliver Chen, who covers luxury-goods retailers. He also said that the global watch industry as a whole will generate more than $60 billion in sales in 2013 alone.

Sources claim that the iWatch will handle some of the tasks currently performed by the iPad and iPhone including identifying incoming calls, making calls, and checking map coordinates. Health-related services may include a pedometer and a sensor for measuring the wearer's heart rate. The gadget will supposedly work on any device via a Bluetooth connection, but an iPhone or iPad would certainly be ideal.

"There’s no doubt the wrist is a valuable piece of convenient, glanceable real estate for viewing essential information," said Scott Wilson, a watch designer who produced a number of watchbands for the sixth-generation iPod Nano. "It’d be great to see information like, 'Where are we meeting for lunch?'"

Source: tomsguide.com

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Google kills downloads on Google Code 'due to misuse'

To keep its Google Code developer community "safe and secure", Google will prevent developers publishing downloads on the service and is pushing the functionality to Google Drive instead.

Google Code offers developers a collaborative space to host open source projects that come with member controls, Subversion/Mercurial/Git repository, issue tracker, wiki pages and a downloads service.

The last feature, which allows projects to make their files available for public download, will be wound down due to misuse, Google announced this week.

"Unfortunately, downloads have become a source of abuse with a significant increase in incidents recently. Due to this increasing misuse of the service and a desire to keep our community safe and secure, we are deprecating downloads," Google Project Hosting said.

New projects will not be able to publish downloads, while the feature will disabled from 14 January 2014 for existing projects, Google says on its FAQ.

Google does not say exactly what that misuse seen on Google Code is and, while user reports of malware abuse on the service have picked up since December last year, there are only around 200 reports to date.

One user on 17 April reported receiving an SMS disguised as a free giveaway from Kentucky Fried Chicken which included a link to a malicious file hosted on Google Code. The malware distributor had four projects on Google Code hosting similar malware yet had no source code on the site.

ESET malware researcher Sébastien Duquette has posted 36 malware reports since December and security vendor Blue Coat warned last week that malware was once again being distributed on Google Code.

The move to Google Drive means developers will lose useful features that were available on downloads, such as project labels and download counts for downloads.

And Google did have another option, according to Chris Larson, a Blue Coat researcher who pointed out that Google could use its recently acquired VirusTotal service to scan for "obvious malware" on Google Code. "After all, these aren't exotic zero-day malware samples. What's up, Google?

Source : zdnet

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Password Protection Act Bars Employers From Demanding Login Info

What kind of experience do you have in the field? Who are your references? What's your Facebook password?

If the Password Protection Act becomes law, it would make it a crime for employers to ask that third question.

The PPA was introduced in the House of Representatives Wednesday by Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). It would make it illegal for employers demand current or prospective employees hand over access to their social media accounts.

"People have an expectation of privacy when using social media like Facebook and Twitter. They have an expectation that their right to free speech and religion will be respected when they use social media outlets," said Perlmutter in a statement on the bill.

"Without this protection, employers essentially can act as imposters and assume the identity of an employee and continually access, monitor and even manipulate an employee's personal social activities and opinions."

Several other lawmakers at the national level and multiple states have passed have introduced similar legislation following an Associated Press story exposed the practice last year. The AP story shocked readers, but it's not clear how often employers were actually requesting employees give them access to their Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest accounts.

Has your employer asked for your social media or email login? Should there be a law against the practice? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Source : mashable

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Apple's Smart Watch May Not Launch Until Late 2014, Use Biometrics and iPod Nano Technology

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information about Apple's product plans, issued a new research report this week outlining his expectations for Apple's rumored smart watch device, informally dubbed "iWatch". Despite some expectations that the device could launch later this year, Kuo believes that both hardware and software issues will result in the iWatch making its debut in the second half of 2014.

Apple may not have adequate resources to develop an iWatch version of iOS because it may require big changes to iPhone and iPad iOS this year. In addition, wearable device components aren’t mature. For these reasons, we think mass production of the iWatch is more likely to begin in 2H14, not 2H13 as the market speculates.

On the hardware front, Kuo projects that the iWatch will use a 1.5-2.0 inch display and unsurprisingly believes that Apple will draw on the iPod nano when it comes to components, particularly with respect to the main processor and the touch technology.

Currently, the iPod nano uses the same GF2 touch technology as used by the iPad mini. Since the size and computing ability requirements of the iWatch are similar to those of the iPod nano, we think iWatch will use iPod nano’s GF2 touch technology and AP [application processor].

Further, Kuo believes that biometrics will be a key feature for the iWatch, allowing for increased security and opening the door to broader health-related applications. The biometric support should also aid in building out the cross-device integration many expect to see from the iWatch.

Rumors regarding Apple's smart watch project have been relatively quiet over the past few months, although a report from earlier this week claimed that Apple is testing 1.5-inch OLED displays for the device, with Foxconn said to be gearing up for a trial run of 1,000 devices. 

Source: macrumors.com

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Samsung Galaxy S4 sales record sends message to rivals

We knew that the Samsung Galaxy S4 would end up being one of the most popular smartphones of 2013, but Samsung has this week given us an indication just how well Galaxy S4 sales are going. In less than a month after first going on sale, the Korean electronics giant has announced that a record has been broken, with the Galaxy S4 now becoming the fastest selling Galaxy S device ever.

In a press release this week, Samsung has revealed that the Galaxy S4 has now passed 10 million units sold, in under a month since the device first went on sale commercially on April 27. To put this into context, the Galaxy S3 previously managed to shift 10 million units in 50 days and that was considered a massive success in its own right.

Samsung has added that Galaxy S4 units are currently selling at a rate of 4 units per second – staggering when you think about it. The question that is on our minds, is how are other Android manufacturers going to compete with this with their respective releases?

Also take into account that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected this year as well, which could even come close to matching this record given the high demand for the device already. To coincide with the sales record, Samsung has also announced that four new Galaxy S4 colors will arrive in time for Summer.

We’re pleased to say that one of them will be the Blue Arctic model, which was initially exclusive to the Japanese market. The other three colors will be Galaxy S4 in Red Aurora, Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn – hopefully Samsung will be showing off these new colors soon, especially the Red model which sounds the most desirable out of the four for us.

Going back to 10 million units sold though – are Samsung now becoming kings of the mobile industry? Four Galaxy S4 units sold every second, give us your thoughts on that statistic below.

Source: product-reviews.net

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HP Thinks Giant Tablets Are a Good Idea

Windows 8 has officially created a new category: the monster tablet. Last fall's Sony Tap 20 could have been dismissed as a one-off aberration, but others have since launched giant screens equipped with batteries, including HP, who just unveiled the Rove 20.

Why Rove? Because it can do exactly that — the 20-inch display is fully portable with almost 4 hours of battery life. Although its mobility, along with the 10-finger multi-touch display, technically makes it a tablet, it's really better thought of as an all-in-one PC that you can move from room to room when you need to.

Much like the Tap 20 and Lenovo's IdeaCenter Horizon, the Rove has a special hinge that lets you use it in many different ways. Stood up at a high angle, it's great as a normal all-in-one or even an "easel" for a painting app. At a low angle, it's more suited for drafting. The hinge is made so you can easily adjust the angle with one hand.

It really shines when it's laid flat, though, since it becomes a virtual game board for any number of gaming apps. Many come pre-installed, including Monopoly, Fingertaps Jigsaw Wars and Musical Instruments, and Disney Fairies.

The in-plane switching (IPS) LCD will help with off-angle viewing from various players during gameplay. And if the accelerometer does anything weird, HP wisely provides a manual rotation button that puts you back in control of the screen.

The Rove 20 won't be available until July, partly because it's waiting on Intel's latest Core processors, the fourth-generation "Haswell" chips. Those are expected to officially arrive in the next month. The Rove will use as lower-power chip meant for Ultrabooks and hybrids along with Intel's integrated HD graphics.

The Rove packs 1TB of storage as well as an 8GB solid-state drive for faster response time. It's also includes the latest and greatest Wi-Fi (802.11ac) and WiDi for use as a wireless display from another device such as a phone or tablet.

Price isn't final yet, but HP says it'll be in the neighborhood of $1,000.

How do you like the Rove 20 and the new breed of Windows 8 supertablets/mobile all-in-ones? Let us know in the comments.

Source : mashable

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99.9% Of New Mobile Malware Targets Android Phones

Android, the world's most popular smartphone operating system, has malware issues. We knew that already. But a new report suggests these issues are only destined to worsen.

In fact, 99.9% of new mobile malware detected in the first quarter of 2013 is designed to hit Android phones, according to a new report released by online security firm Kaspersky Lab.

The vast majority of those are trojan viruses, a type of virus that, as Mashable reported, is used in many instances (to target Tibetan activists, for example.) SMS trojans, which steal money by sending unauthorized texts to premium rate numbers, are the most common, with 63% of total infections.

Kaspersky researchers reported a boom in all mobile malware, too. In the first three months of 2013 alone, the firm detected as many as half the total number of new malware detected in the entire year of 2012.

Outside of the mobile world, the report has some other interesting numbers. Using malicious links comprise 91% of total threats, making it by far the hackers' preferred method of infecting victims.

Such attacks, in their spear phishing email form, caused the recent seemingly endless series of Twitter hacks.

Wondering where all the malware lives? The top three host countries include the United States (25%), Russia (19%), and the Netherlands (14%).

For more information, you can read the full report here.

Source : mashable

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Xbox One specs Vs Sony PS4 gives lowdown

Earlier on we spoke about some of the initial confusion surrounding Microsoft’s new Xbox One console. Now though, we focus on the hardware side of things and the specs that will power the console under the hood and will look to directly compete with Sony’s PS4 in an epic tussle.

While Sony has yet to reveal storage capacity options for their PS4, we can confirm to you that the Xbox One is going to release with one main storage option, that being a 500GB HDD. That is a substantial amount of memory for gamers to use for their media needs, so there will definitely be no dangers or risks that we witnessed with the old 20GB Xbox 360.

Next, it has been confirmed that the Xbox One will also run on an 8-core CPU like the Sony PS4, with Microsoft adding that their device features a native 64-bit architecture. Remember that Sony has already touted their PS4 system, running on an x86-PC like architecture. Xbox One will again use AMD-based graphics, but Microsoft’s will differ in the way that it is a custom setup with 32MB of embedded memory – PS4 will utilize a AMD Radeon based graphics setup.

A big plus for the Xbox One – a Blu-Ray drive at last! The Xbox One will also support HDMI, as well as 1080p video and 4K video support like the PS4. Both systems will feature USB 3.0 ports, while Xbox One will also have support for WiFi direct – PS4 has already been confirmed to have standard WiFi support, as well as Bluetooth 2.1.

Perhaps the biggest talking point though, in terms of a specs comparison that may end up being the defining area – is RAM. Both systems will have 8GB of RAM for developers to build their next-generation games on. However, the Xbox One only features DDR3-based RAM, while the PS4 may have an advantage – using GDDR5-based RAM instead.

We’ve already heard whispers on how 8GB of GDDR5 RAM is the equivalent to 24GB of DDR3 RAM. The key factors in this will be how much RAM developers can actually freely use, and indeed whether the PS4 will produce better looking and faster running games, purely due to using GDDR5.

Look forward to more technical insight on the RAM permutations as we get it. Give us your reaction to the initial specs lowdown. Xbox One or PS4 for you?

Source: product-reviews.net

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Nexus 5 or Optimus G Pro 2, first LG flexible display

At the start of the year Samsung gave us a sneak peak into their flexible display technology, which we had assumed would make it into the Galaxy S4 design. However, this was not to be, and so attention then turned to the Note 3, and we have since learned that this design will be similar to that of the S4.

So what will be the first Android handset with a flexible display? Some people now assume that it could be an LG device, as they have been showing off their flexible OLED HD panel at SID. We say this because during the event it’s been said that the technology will be incorporated into an LG smartphone by the end of the year.

With this in mind it’s more likely that the Nexus 5 or Optimus G Pro 2 could sport a flexible display, although it’s tough to believe that a Nexus handset would use such technology before a flagship LG model.

LG has gone with a plastic panel rather than glass for different reasons. The first is because it’s cheaper than glass to manufacture, and also there is a greater benefit for the user, as a glass screen could break easier than a plastic one.

The flexible display is currently in its naked form, but did allow SID attendees to test the technology to see how tough and bendable it really is. Engadget were on hand and they described it as “lightweight and responsive to twists and bends.”

Again, the rep on hand had told them that the screen could be in use by the end of the year, and even though a 5-inch version was on display (excuse the pun) they already have plans for smaller and larger versions.

Will LG beat Samsung to the market with a flexible display smartphone by the end of the year?

Source: product-reviews.net

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Microsoft Unveils New Xbox One Console

This morning Microsoft unveiled  its newest console, the Xbox One. Unlike previous Xbox models though, Xbox One isn’t just about games, it’s about becoming the one system your living room needs, and it probably means trouble for the Apple TV.

Not only can Microsoft’s latest box play video games with the best of them, but Microsoft has added features to make it the only box your TV really needs by recognizing who you are, what you movies and shows you like, and allowing you to control it all with just your voice.

The Xbox One features a new design that makes it look more like a boring cable set top box, except there’s a optical disc slot in the front that can handle both DVDs and Blu-Ray.

With its new Snap Mode feature, Xbox One can run other apps, movies, or TV on the side of screen while you’re still playing a game. Rather than selling the Kinect sensor separately, Microsoft says Kinect will come with each Xbox One unit sold.

Taking a queue from Siri, Microsoft has added voice controls to the Xbox One as well. Now when you want to pause a movie you can just say “Xbox, pause” rather than fumble around with your controller. Oh yeah, and the controller’s been redesigned too to get rid of the battery bump in the back and better controls.

One of the most exciting features that Microsoft showed off this morning though was the ability to integrate your cable set-top box with the Xbox One. Thanks to HDMI throughput, the Xbox One can display all of your cable channels, and with the new voice commands you can effortlessly switch to your favorite channel straight from a video game. All you have to do is say “Xbox, ESPN” and the console will switch the screen for you.

Microsoft also touted features like NFL Fantasy Football integration, Skype, Smart Glass, and the Kinect’s ability to detect your heart rate. Game discs will only have to be used for one-off installation, but unfortunately the Xbox One won’t be backwards compatible with Xbox 360 games.

It was clear at Microsoft’s keynote that the company doesn’t want consumers to think of Xbox as just a video game console anymore, but just incase anyone doubts the Xbox’s gaming powers they crammed 8GB RAM, an 8-core CPU, 500GB of storage space, USB 3.0, a 1080p camera on the Kinect, and HDMI in and out into the Xbox One. Pricing wasn’t announced at the event, but it’s expected to launch later this year.

With the sheer amount of features that Microsoft has crammed into the Xbox One it’s pretty clear that Microsoft is the company to beat in the living room right now. While Apple TV is a simple and cheap enough solution for many TV lovers, the advanced features in Xbox One make it appeal to both gamers and video content lovers alike.

Hopefully Apple’s got something up its sleeve for Apple TV at WWDC, otherwise it’s going to be impossible for Cupertino to compete in the living room now that Redmond is targeting hardcore gamers as well as average TV addicts.

Source: cultofmac.com

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