You’ve got to hand it to tech companies lately: they’ve been awfully keen on taking user feedback to heart and addressing any shortcomings in their services. The latest to do so is the digital-media locker outfit StreamNation. The firm has launched a…
In case it wasn’t already clear that Intel believes wearable tech should be stylish, the company has just forged a multi-year partnership with the glasses gurus at the Luxottica Group. The two will collaborate on smart eyewear that you’d actually lik…
When renowned physicist Stephen Hawking repeatedly warns us about the impending robot apocalypse, we should probably pay attention. “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race,” Hawking told the BBC yesterda…
It looks like Google intends to have everyone get connected to the Internet, with the company having donated $1 million to assist libraries that are located in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens to offer Sprint-powered hotspot devices so that qualifying families will be able to jump aboard the online bandwagon. Not only that, Google’s generosity has also extended to cater for another free 500 Chromebooks given to teenagers who are enrolled in after school programs at New York City libraries.
Do take note, however, that individual library systems that roll out this particular initiative would do it differently, although there will be some common denominators. Majority of them would require that you do not have a broadband at home, and you also happen to have enrolled in an English class for speakers of other languages (ESOL), or perhaps an adult learning class. Apart from that, it will also depend on the branch, where the lending period will land somewhere in between six months to a year.
The final goal? To help some 10,000 families thereabouts get online, which is definitely a noble effort by any stretch of the imagination, don’t you think so? Perhaps this particular program might be able to see other companies do their bit to help everyone get connected eventually.
Google Donates $1 Million To Assist Libraries In Getting Connected
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It seems that Target Australia has announced that they will no longer sell Grand Theft Auto 5 in their stores. The reason behind this particular move? Target Australia received complaints from customers concerning the game’s depictions of violence against women. This particular decision was made shortly after Target performed a public defense of its decision to keep the games in their stores.
There was an online petition that was kicked off by survivors of violence, where among them include sex industry workers, and this particular online petition did make a request to remove Grand Theft Auto 5 to be removed from Target. This particular petition began on November 29th, where it has already reached close to 41,000 signatures earlier this morning.
Target General Manager Corporate Affairs Jim Cooper did mention that this decision was made after “extensive community and customer concern about the game.”
Cooper mentioned, “We’ve been speaking to many customers over recent days about the game, and there is a significant level of concern about the game’s content. We’ve also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue. However, we feel the decision to stop selling GTA 5 is in line with the majority view of our customers.”
Do bear in mind that the removal of this R-rated game from Target store shelves does not mean that other R-rated games and R-rated DVDs will be pulled.
[PDF Link]
Target Australia Will Not Sell GTA 5 Due To Depictions Of Violence Against Women
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I would rank this to be a rather surprising move, actually, where Microsoft has begun to introduce a brand new software update for the highly affordable Nokia 130 (RM-1037) handset. Not only that, there will also be a software update that will roll out for the Nokia 130 Dual SIM (RM-1035). I know that these are not exactly handsets that most people would drool over, since they are mostly functional featurephones, but it is still an interesting aspect of Microsoft that has not surfaced before. After all, the Nokia 130 was released a mere three months thereabouts ago, and each of them will cost approximately $25.
If you happen to be an Android-powered smartphone owner, what more one who owns a flagship model and have yet to be on the receiving end of an update after some time, surely this is one bit of news that would not go down too well with you. So far, we do know that this update for the Nokia 130 will be made available in the Europe region only, and do bear in mind that Series 30+ phones do not support OTA (Over The Air) updates, although you are able to perform the update using the Nokia Software Recovery Tool.
What will be introduced in this software update? The “Contacts not ready” error is fixed, and so will there be Bulgarian language thrown into the mix in selected countries, while enjoying an overall improved stability and performance.
Microsoft Introduces Software Update For Nokia 130
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Companies do take patents very seriously, since this is one way where they can protect their intellectual property and make a handsome sum of money out of it if others were to make use of it. Having said that, we have seen Apple wanting to protect a free-falling iOS device with their latest patent, and Microsoft too, intends to patent Multi-Touch-Movement (MTM) gestures that will target tablet devices.
Modern tablets with MTM gestures support integrated will enable users to interact with the device by touching the surface of the touchscreen using a single finger before proceeding to drag the entire finger across the surface of the touchscreen surface, so that one can pan through the device.
Right now, performing a zoom operation is also easy – just touch the surface of the touchscreen with a couple of fingers before moving the fingers closer together to zoom out, or farther apart to zoom in. There will be sensors including the accelerometer which will further augment the experience, for instance, whenever a device is rotated to landscape mode, the UI will be able to adjust itself automatically to the new orientation. We are all too familiar with that, and Microsoft intends to shake things up with a new set of MTM gestures.
Functionality is described herein for detecting and responding to gestures performed by a user using a computing device, such as, but not limited to, a tablet computing device. In one implementation, the functionality operates by receiving touch input information from at least one touch input mechanism in response to a user touching the computing device. The functionality also receives movement input information from at least one movement input mechanism in response to movement of the computing device. The functionality then determines whether the touch input information and the movement input information indicate that a user has performed or is performing a multi-touch-movement (MTM) gesture. In some cases, the user performs an MTM gesture by grasping the computing device with two hands and establishing contact with one or more surfaces of the computing device with those hands. The user then moves the computing device in a prescribed path, and/or to achieve a prescribed static posture. For example, the MTM gesture can be defined with respect to any type of tilting, flipping, pivoting, twisting, sliding, shaking, vibrating, and/or tapping motion.
The functionality can invoke any behavior in response to determining that the user has performed (or is performing) an MTM gesture. More specifically, in one case, the functionality performs the behavior after a discrete gesture has been performed. In another case, the functionality performs the behavior over the course of the gesture, once it is determined that the gesture is being performed. In one case, the functionality can modify a view in response to determining that the user has performed an MTM gesture. In another case, the functionality can invoke any function in response to determining that the user has performed an MTM gesture. In another case, the functionality can perform any type of control operation, e.g., by using the gesture to specify a parameter, a path, a range of values, etc. The control operation may affect any designated item in any manner. Still other types of behavior can be associated with gestures.
Microsoft Files For Multi Touch Movement Gestures Patent
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It was rather interesting to read of a Chinese company accusing Apple of copying their design to incorporate it into the best selling iPhone 6, and here we are with what can be deemed to be a reverse – with the funnily named Dakelele Big Cola 3 having debuted in the world’s most populous country, where it shares an uncanny resemblance with the iOS-powered device from Cupertino.
In fact, you can be forgiven for thinking that the Dakelele Big Cola 3 is an iPhone 6 from a distance, and if you happen to tote one of these clones around, make sure that you have a case to go along with it – it will go some ways to ensure that its secret identity remains hidden all the more. Other than a different logo that is located at the back and a marginally-different placement of the hardware buttons on the side, telling the difference can boil down to be quite an art.
Measuring 7.25mm thin, the Dakelele Big Cola 3 will feature a microSD slot, runs on a 64-bit SoC, has 3GB RAM, and best of all is, the price tag of a mere $243, now how about that? I do wonder how long will it be before Apple’s legal eagles make a swoop on this.
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A couple of months back Carl Zeiss unveiled a new product that it had been working on. The company showed off a manufacturer-agnostic virtual reality headset called the VR One. Today that product is finally available for purchase. Those interested in picking up a VR One unit can place their orders today. Carl Zeiss will start shipping units to customers from Monday, December 8th.
The VR One is much more similar to the Samsung Gear VR as opposed to the Oculus Rift. Unlike the latter, this virtual reality headset from Carl Zeiss does not have its own display rather it relies upon the smartphone’s display.
Samsung’s Gear VR headset only works with the Galaxy Note 4, but there’s no such limitation with the VR One. It uses custom trays to work with different smartphones and for now the VR headset is compatible with Samsung Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6.
Carl Zeiss can support additional smartphones in the future but only through these custom trays, so it will add support for more by launching new trays, the company seems to be getting a lot of votes for the Galaxy S4.
The Carl Zeiss VR One headset is being sold for $99. Interested customers can get their orders in starting today.
Carl Zeiss VR One Headset Available Today
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It was just last month when we learned that the second generation Moto G smartphone was on the receiving end of the latest version of the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. This is fine and dandy – if you happen to own the 2014 edition of the Moto G, but what about those who happen to be in possession of the first generation Moto G? Well, since patience is a virtue, we can happily announce that all of that patience has finally paid off, with first generation Moto G owners about to receive an update from the Motorola Update Services app.
Installing this particular update is said to be essential – since it it is a rite of passage that needs to be done in order to prepare the handset for a future Android 5.0 Lollipop. Of course, it remains to be seen as to when this Lollipop upgrade will arrive, but at least you know that this little handset that could is not going to be chucked away to the side just like that without any more software or firmware updates headed in its direction.
I suppose one an always hold off a new purchase of a smartphone since the Moto G does look as though there is still life in its legs.
Moto G Set To Receive Android 5.0 Lollipop
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