Over the past few years, mobile phones have become a kind of addiction. Indeed, it’s almost impossible to imagine life without them. But how well do you really know that best friend (fiend?) in your pocket? Here’re a few surprising facts about that thing you whip out roughly 85 times a day.
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The hands of time can be taken quite literally, as in the image above – or more figuratively such as the images below:
By ?? ?????
By Jason Mrachina
By Basheer Tome
Weekly Photography Challenge – Time
As always we have a weekly challenge and this week it all about time. Finding time, time warp, hands of time – however you want to interpret it is up to you. Take it literally and photograph a time piece like an interesting watch or clock, or perhaps a sundial like above. Or get more out there and think about time as in long exposures, star trails, car light trails, a moment frozen in time, etc.
By Corie Howell
By Tom Roeleveld
By Luc Mercelis
By ?ethan
By KHAIRIL FAIZI
Share your images below:
Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer upload them to your favourite photo sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.
There's a lot to say about how great USB-C is, but there are also very serious issues that aren't being quickly addressed.
A generation of users who have only ever used micro-USB to charge their phones and accessories have made a terrible discovery: not all USB-C cables are created equally, and some of them can do serious damage to your hardware. While you can always rely on the cables that come in the box, and should use those cables any chance you get, you probably need more than one.UPDATE: Apple just issued a recall for their USB-C cables. It's not obvious by looking at these cables which is good or bad, and the companies selling these cables on Amazon aren't all that interested in confirming their products are safe for the massive array of things you can use with USB-C.
It's not a good situation to be in, and unfortunately it's not a situation that is going to go away anytime soon.
If it kinda sounds like buying a USB-C cable is a little like the Wild West right now, that's because it is.
First things first, lets talk about the specific kinds of USB-C cables that are causing problems. An unhealthy number of cables that go from USB-A to USB-C — the standard rectangle USB to the new oval USB for those unaware — are being incorrectly assembled. USB-C is significantly more capable than USB-A, especially when it comes to the amount of power you can transfer over the wire to charge things. Instead of selling cables that respect the limitations of USB-A, many of these cables are being outfitted with hardware to allow for higher power output than it safe for USB-A. In many cases, these cables are being equipped with circuitry for 3-amp rapid charging. Google's USB-C wizard Benson Leung gave a great explanation of why this is bad:
The cable lies to the phone by telling the phone it's attached to a pure 3A charging path, like the C-to-C cable to the OEM 3A charger that ships with the Nexus 6P/5X. The phone will attempt to draw 3A, but that may damage the weaker device you have the Type-A end of the cable plugged into.
A less common but potentially more dangerous problem found recently has been poorly made USB-C to USB-C cables. These are less common because there are fewer companies making these cables right now, and when you buy a phone with USB-C it comes with a cable for you to use, but as more users pick up USB-C hardware this issue is going to increase in frequency. Since USB-C power adapters are currently being sold that support high-power transfers, cables that don't respect the USB-C specifications by either using the wrong parts or by flat out lying about their capabilities on the sales page for the cable can lead to disastrous results.
If it kinda sounds like buying a USB-C cable is a little like the Wild West right now, that's because it is. Retailers can say whatever they want on their Amazon page about the cable they are selling, because Amazon doesn't require any evidence of their claims, much less review what they've written. Also, like the recent mess with those wheeled things everyone keeps calling "hoverboards," it takes a lot less effort to slap a fake USB compliance approval sticker on something and face the consequences if you get get caught than it does actually going through approval. That, and if you head to USB.org and take a look at their documentation for USB-C compliance you'll find this:
Compliance testing for products conforming to the USB Type-C™ Cable and Connector Specification are currently under development.
Now, there is a way to register your product for testing on the website, complete with forms to fill out and instructions to send your product to a third-party for testing, as well as instructions for USB-IF Trademark agreements and packaging guidelines. There are also significant consequences for selling a product that doesn't pass cable and connector testing or violating the trademark agreements, but it's not hard to see how these faulty or out-of-spec cables make their way to Amazon and other online retailers without a lot of oversight.
USB-C takes those poorly-made cables and connects them to the electrical equivalent of a firehose on one end, and so these problems become much more than an inconvenience.
How did this situation get so out of hand? A better question is when did this problem start. USB-A and micro-USB never actually solved this problem for the devices you currently have. The difference with those cables and the devices they're attached is largely found in the limitations of those cables. We've all found that cable that misbehaves when trying to transfer data to your computer from your phone or charged poorly when connected to the "wrong" power adapter. USB-C takes those poorly-made cables and connects them to a firehose on one end, and so these problems become much more than an inconvenience.
The big question at the end of the day is how do I know what to buy, and the answer isn't great for folks who are used to buying a dozen of the cheapest cable they can find. People like Google's Benson Leung are actively sifting through the pile in order to find cables worth buying, but shopping for a quality USB-C cable right now basically means buying from brands that are big enough to be trusted by their reputation. There are ways to perform cable tests yourself to ensure safety if you're interested in exploring these cables yourself, but for the most part you're not able to shop by price tag — and you probably won't be able to for a long time.
In this first episode of Scamalot, a new weekly series from Mashable, comedian James Veitch trolls a scammer who wants to give Veitch 50kg of free gold.
This is Edgar Latulip of southwestern Ontario. The developmentally disabled man has been missing since 1986 but was just found about 120 kilometers from his hometown. Or rather, he found himself. Latulip had lost his memory due to a head injury after he disappeared and had created a new identity. Last month, he realized he wasn't who he thought he was. From CBC:
On Jan. 7, Latulip met with a social worker and told her he thought he was somebody else, Gavin said. The social worker found his missing persons case file and police were then called in. Latulip volunteered to have a DNA test done and on Monday, the results came back indicating he was Latulip.
Gavin said it is an unusual, but happy resolution to the case.
"When someone goes missing for an extended period of time, they don't want to be found and they're off the grid and we don't find them," Gavin said. "Or the other option, sadly, is sometimes people are deceased. I've never heard of something like this where someone's memory has come back and their identity is recovered.
"It is absolutely a good news story," Gavin added. "I try not to only think about his mother's side, but also Mr. Latulip's side where for 30 years you've learned a certain way and someone tells you and confirms to you that's not who you are. That's a lot to take in, personally, right, so there's interesting pieces for him as well."
Trapped in a Human Zoo is a documentary about Abraham Ulrikab and his family, who were lured from Labrador to Europe with false promises and then exhibited in zoos along with animals in the late 1800s. All eight family members died of smallpox in Europe, but Abraham kept a diary of his family's ordeal, which was used to make the documentary.
This is the story of the incredible journey of eight Inuit who came from Labrador in 1880 to Europe lured by promises of adventures and wealth, only to realize they had been trapped in a world that time has today forgotten; the world of human zoos. Thirty-five thousand indigenous people from around the world were recruited for these zoos.
by Beth Skwarecki on Vitals, shared by Andy Orin to Lifehacker
Everybody has their pre-competition rituals, but I swear everybody in the locker room thought I was a weirdo for wolfing down beets before games. You’ve gotta eat something, right? And beets might actually help you in sports that require bursts of strength.
Beets are high in nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide (no relation to laughing gas—that’s nitrous, not nitric.) Nitric oxide is a hormone that helps to increase blood flow; Viagra, for example, works by turning on nitric oxide pathways. Nitric oxide is helpful in sports because it increases blood flow to your muscles.
The Friedman Sprout discusses several studies that bear this out: in many (but not all) cases, people who drank a shot of beet juice were able to apply a little more “power”—think explosive bursts of strength—than people who didn’t. This won’t help you in a marathon, but it might help just a tiny bit in weightlifting or in sports where you need to make sudden, strong moves.
Beware supplements promising magical powers, though. The effect is small, and supplements can be sketchy. Pricey beet powders and beet-centric sports drinks probably aren’t worth the expense. But if you like the taste of beets, consider working the juice or the veggies themselves into your pre-competition meal.
Police in the UK, in coordination with the FBI, have reportedly arrested a teenager alleged to be the leader of the hacktivist group "Crackas With Attitude," Motherboard reports. The group took credit for compromising CIA director John Brennan’s personal email account, as well as accessing accounts associated with James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence. The police agency — the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit — wouldn’t confirm the name of the 16-year-old or whether the arrest was made over those specific incidents.
The teenager told Motherboard, however, that the police are accusing him of using the name "Cracka" to carry out attacks on not only Brennan, but also on White House officials, and of a recent hack on...
An estimated 4 billion people face severe water scarcity at least one month a year, researchers have found, and nearly half of them live in China and India. The findings, published today in the journal Science Advances, suggest that severe water scarcity affects far more people than previously believed, adding to growing concerns over the sustainability of the world's freshwater consumption.
Previous studies estimated that between 1.7 billion and 3.1 billion people are affected by severe water scarcity, but those findings were based on annual data that failed to capture variations in consumption and supply throughout the year. In the paper published today, researchers used monthly data on freshwater consumption and supply to evaluate...
YouTube just scooped up San Francisco-based startup BandPage, a software tool that helps musicians sell direct to fans through social media sites, streaming services, and ticket vendors. BandPage says it works with more than 500,000 musicians, who each create a account to link up with third-party services like Facebook, Spotify, and StubHub. From there, BandPage lets an artist create a custom "experience" — like a backstage pass and meet-and-greet with Rihanna — and sell it to dedicated fans who follow the artist around the web. For music industry professionals, the service is essentially a targeted ad network that can put a price tag on everything from merchandise to a musicians' time before or after a concert.
The GCHQ has won a major court case in defense of its persistent hacking program. Today, the UK's Investigatory Powers Tribunal declared that the surveillance agency is not in violation of British law, despite a complaint by Privacy International. Launched in the wake of the Snowden revelations, the case alleged that the GCHQ was violating fundamental warrant protections in its persistent surveillance actions. In December, the case made headlines when it led the GCHQ to admit to its persistent hacking programs for the first time.
The ruling codifies the UK system of "thematic warrants," which can be issued to broad classes of people in an open-ended time frame. "What is important is that an application for a warrant contains as much...
Google announced earlier today in a blog post that it will stop supporting its Picasa photo storage service this spring. Starting in March, the company will shutter the Picasa desktop app, and in May, Picasa web albums will no longer be editable.
Google, of course, is suggesting its own Google Photos app as an alternative to Picasa, and says that if people have a Picasa account, "the easiest way to still access, modify and share most of that content is to log into Google Photos, and all of your photos and videos will already be there." But for people who don't want to use Google Photos, Picasa albums will still exist on the web and are accessible for download or deletion.
Google acquired Picasa back in 2004 for an undisclosed price, in...
Speciality florists shops can be expensive, but by sticking to one color and its variations, you can pick and choose your own flowers from the supermarket or corner stand to make your own professional-looking, affordable bouquet for special occasions, like Valentine’s Day.
The first rule of making a good-looking, budget bouquet from flowers at the store is to skip the brightly colored pre-made bouquets. Instead, grab a few bouquets that have flowers that fall into one or two monochromatic colors. Variations on white and red work well, and different shades will always compliment one another. If you want to add variety to your arrangement, go for different types of flowers rather than tons of different colors.
Your end result will look great and make your sweetheart just as happy without emptying your wallet. Best of all, if you waited for the last minute to get your flowers, they’ll look pretty well put-together.
Okay technically this is 26 images and one really cool time lapse video that represent things related to time. Some are actual clocks or time pieces, yet others are more interpretive, mystical – such as long exposure photography, light trails and stars.
See where these photographers went – around the clock.
I don't usually do unboxings. I have nothing against people who do them, but they aren't my thing. Usually, it's a box with a phone, a charger and USB cable inside it. Maybe some user manuals that nobody will read are in there. Or maybe — if you're lucky — some earbuds. Nothing will be inside a box that gets me excited.
That all changed when the Nextbit Robin showed up in the coolest box ever.
I'm a sucker for wooden things. When wooden things are nicely built I get excited. Go on and laugh, get it out of your system. This box is the king of all boxes that hold electronic things. Add in a toy sheep, and you have hit every button that needs to be hit to get me pumped to do a video about a box. I only wish that everyone got a box this nice — this is not the retail packaging.
We'll talk more about the Nextbit Robin shortly. For now, I'm only allowed to show you the box.
Every time I see this stuffed animal, made by Cuddle Clones, I do a double take. It’s the spitting image of my dead dog. Creepiness factor aside, this custom-made stuffed animal has been healing for my family and has helped keep the memory of our favorite pet much more vivid and tangibly alive.
Our friends at Gizmodo mentioned Cuddle Clones early last year, and when I read about them I thought these stuffed animals are a brilliant idea. You upload photos of your pet, customize a few options, and add remarks on distinguishing features.
The company then creates a plush replica, delivered to your door in about two months. It can be a dog, cat, horse, guinea pig, rabbit, or “other” animal, which include pigs, ferrets, and even cows. For the smaller animals, they’re about life-size, but bigger animals range in length between 13 and 20 inches. It’s a “mini me” of your pet! However, it’s pricey—$179 to $249, depending on the weight of your pet. I mean, it’s a stuffed animal—and not even a life-size pegasus stuffed animal you could ride.
I didn’t think about Cuddle Clones again until one morning when I found my daughter sobbing uncontrollably, crying for her dog, her friend. Buckley was almost 11 when he died, which is old for Catahoulas, but she was only about four years old when he passed away. It’s been several years since he died, and my daughter was still taking it hard. She’d make up stories about him being a ghost dog that followed her around and kept her company at school. Even worse: We were told by her allergist that she should never have another dog because she has asthma, and her blood tests showed severe allergies to dogs. Although the way she was feeling and trying to cope was totally natural, it magnified my and my husband’s own pain. He was our first, big baby, a gentle giant (that’s his photo and Cuddle Clone in the title image above).
So I showed her the Cuddle Clones site and made a deal with her: We’d pay for half of it if she would save up and pay the other half. I was trying to gauge her real interest in having this stuffed animal clone, rather than offer her a flimsy consolation to brush aside her grief for the real pet. She immediately raided her piggy bank, and we went online to place the order.
During the ordering process, you select your pet’s breed (the dropdown lets you select from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier or Other/Mixed), enter its weight, upload photos, and choose customization options, such as if you want the stuffed animal to be standing, sitting, or lying down. You can also choose ear positions and eye colors for both the left and right side, tail position, and mouth options (no tongue, closed mouth with tongue, open mouth with tongue).
The form offers guidelines for adding photos. We sent just a front photo and a side one.
There are three fields where you can explain up to three physical characteristics you want to point out and upload additional photos to illustrate them as well.
The company says typical orders take about 2 months to process, but mine took 5 months from order date to delivery. That wasn’t really a surprise as much as it was an eternity for a kid to wait, since their online order form shows you their estimated delivery date based on when you order. At the time of this writing, it’s April 2016 if you place an order in February.
It was worth the wait. I was expecting the stuffed animal to look like Buckley, but I didn’t imagine it would look so much like him. It’s so realistic that when I opened the box and first saw him, I almost burst into tears. I couldn’t stop looking at it throughout the day. Our dog had a very distinctive look, with streaks of gray, white, black, and brown for his coat. There’s no stuffed animal we could’ve bought in a store that would’ve looked just like him. The Cuddle Clones version, on the other hand, is impressive in its attention to detail and accuracy. It’s like the company carefully stitched in each piece of fur (not really fur, but synthetic fabrics, such as acrylic and polyester) to match our dog’s patterns. The company says they also use water-based airbrushing techniques for certain color effects. I do wish its eyes were a lighter color to match our dog’s amber eyes, but aside from that, the stuffed animal captures his essence.
And the thing is huge. It measures almost three feet long from front paws to tail—about the size of our dog when he was about a year old. Cuddle Clones’ FAQ says dog and cat sizes measure between 13 and 17 inches, so I guess we got lucky. It’s not like your typical floppy stuffed animal. It’s sturdier and holds its form when you pick it up and move it. It’s a stiffer stuffed animal than you might be used to—more like a foam form covered with soft “fur” than a pillowy pet. You can’t just toss it in the washing machine, either, but have to dry clean or spot clean it.
Sometimes my daughter lies on it like it’s a pillow (much as she did with our dog). Sometimes she uses it as a tablet holder:
Life hack: Turn a $250 stuffed animal into a tablet holder
Mostly she’s just ecstatic with her purchase. Although a stuffed animal can’t replace a real pet, just as a doll or photo couldn’t stand in for a person, it is sort of like a pet to her. One of the earliest things she said when she got the stuffed animal: “Buckley Jr. is the best gift ever, because I’ll always have it and he’ll never die.”
I’ll admit the toy still creeps me out sometimes. It’s not as creepy as, say, getting a deceased pet taxidermied, but the first couple of weeks, I had to hide him to avoid the shock of seeing my old dog lying on the couch, looking at me and immobile. I’m still tricked into thinking it’s him. At the same time, this stuffed animal makes me recall our old dog with great fondness, and the joy this stuffed animal brings my daughter is priceless. Even though Cuddle Clones are stuffed animals, I don’t think they’re just for kids either. Anyone who’s lost a beloved pet knows what it’s like to lose a family member.
You can see other examples of Cuddle Clones in their photo gallery, but here are just a couple more:
If you’re not happy with your Cuddle Clone, you can return it within 30 days of delivery and have them remake it at no additional cost, or request a refund minus a $50 customization fee. The company donates a portion of each purchase to pet-related causes, such as Bialy’s Wellness Foundation, which helps animals with special needs, and Florida-based animal rescue group Friends for Animals Sanctuary.
Cuddle Clones might not be for everyone and it’s a significant purchase, but if you have a unique-looking pet, you can have a one-of-a-kind stuffed animal to match.
In YouTube’s world, the next maybe-trendy video is so important that you need to be notified immediately. For those of us who live in reality, here’s how to prevent YouTube from shoving suggested videos into your notification shade.
YouTube has sent notifications of new videos for channels that you’re subscribed to for a while now. However, as Android Police points out, the app has now started to send out notifications for recommended videos. For the layman, that means that Google has elevated videos it thinks there’s a chance you might like from the YouTube sidebar all the way to your phone’s notifications. Kind of a big leap there, YouTube.
Fortunately, you can disable them. When you see the notification pop up, you can tap Options to get to the menu where you can disable them. Alternatively, follow these steps:
Open the YouTube app.
Tap the menu button and select Settings.
Select Notifications.
Uncheck “Recommended videos.”
You can also disable notifications about videos you’re subscribed to from this page, but presumably you want at least some of those. You did subscribe to those channels after all. However, the recommended videos—which are entirely unsolicited—can probably go.
by Kristin Wong on Two Cents, shared by Andy Orin to Lifehacker
We often stretch our finances thin to buy stuff we really, really want. A new, bigger TV. A fancier phone. Better clothes. Of course, this habit usually leads to financial trouble, and as money writer Natalie Bacon points out, “it’s better to want than to owe.”
Quoting podcaster Andy Stanley, Bacon explains that, as tough as it can be to want something you can’t afford, it’s worse to owe money for something you couldn’t afford. Discussing the concept of financial margin, Bacon writes:
Instead of living so close to the edge of your cash flow every month, you should say “no” to more spending and give yourself more financial margin...Wouldn’t it be nice if things weren’t so tight every month? Creating financial margin isn’t easy – but whatever you can do to help yourself to get closer to financial freedom, you should do...
If you have to go into debt to buy something then you shouldn’t buy it. Why? Because it’s better to want than to owe.
It’s a solid mantra to remember next time you’re tempted to spend. For tips on how to keep your spending in check, head to Bacon’s full post at the link below.
Products and services marketed towards girls and women are substantially marked up compared to similar men’s products. This gender tax (aka “pink tax”) ends up costing us females thousands of dollars, a study by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs reveals.
The agency compared nearly 800 products with male and female versions sold at two dozen retailers in New York City. The results are infuriating:
On average, across all five industries, DCA found that women’s products cost 7 percent more than similar products for men. Specifically:
7 percent more for toys and accessories
4 percent more for children’s clothing
8 percent more for adult clothing
13 percent more for personal care products
8 percent more for senior/home health care products
In all but five of the 35 product categories analyzed, products for female consumers were priced higher than those for male consumers. Across the sample, DCA found that women’s products cost more 42 percent of the time while men’s products cost more 18 percent of the time.
The biggest price discrepancy was for hair care products: Women pay 48 more for shampoo and conditioner than men—for nearly identical products. A pink Radio Flyer scooter is priced at $49.99 and the red version for boys is $24.99.
You can check out all the comparisons and examples in the PDF linked below, but unless you like paying more money for the same things packaged for men, avoid the marked up “women’s” products.
Edward Snowden said that Britain's spies have "some of the most extensive surveillance powers in the world," and those powers are about to be dramatically expanded if the Snoopers Charter passes Parliament.
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A sparrow followed an elderly Japanese woman home from her job as a crossing guard in November, and now lives with her and her husband. "He's like a family member - he's very comforting. It's fun, coming home to a sparrow," Yoshiko Fujino told Reuters.
The Who: 50 Years: The Official History charts the history of what some claim is “the greatest live rock band” from infancy to now by way of text and pictures. Long before there was a band, there was childhood. That is where the book starts after a brief introduction by music and film producer Bill Curbishley. It begins with a section recounting events in the last days of World War Two. Pete Townsend was born two weeks after VE Day (Victory in Europe) and four months before VJ Day (Victory in Japan). The themes of war such as unresolved aggression, hate, cynicism clashing with idealism, and more were part of those days and became the band’s themes. Along with pictures of some of the band members in childhood, there are numerous pictures of the aftermath of the war. Civilians struggling to survive a daily existence in bombed-out rubble and wreckage. The time shaped the music and became a cornerstone for the band. As the years passed and new events happened, those events further shaped their music.
That progression forward through time based on the culture drives the format of the book. In sections delineated by time segments of anywhere from a year up to over twenty years, images of the band members aging as well as the culture changing and evolving supplement a text that explains how the music changed. This book offers a perspective on how the lives of those involved with The Who were changed, as was their music, by a world that was changing often at a break-neck pace.
As a result, while the focus is on The Who, this coffee-table-sized tome also provides an in-depth pictorial history of the times themselves. A history book that begins in the dying days of World War Two and continues now as does the music. The over 300 page book also includes an index, a listing and detailed notes of all the albums, as well as the treasure trove of photographs and history sure to delight any fan of the band. It also serves as remarkable book that explains how the culture and society of the times shaped a legendary band. What is not charted and cannot be accurately assessed at this point is what influence their music has had on changing the culture.
– Kevin R. Tipple
The Who: 50 Years: The Official History by Ben Marshall
Harper Design
2015, 320 pages, 9.9 x 11.1 x 1 inches
$32 Buy a copy on Amazon
My main feeling when first watching this fox struggle to understand the difference between two common white substances — snow and cotton / poly blend fabrics — was that I wanted this fox very badly. I shouldn't have this fox, because I live in a small apartment and foxes pee on stuff for no reason. They also suffer the "October crazies," according to this fox's owner. I have no idea what that means, but I assume it entails me getting bitten by a fox.
But if I can't have this fox, at least I can help this fox. I feel very strongly that someone should explain the difference between sheets and snow to this poor dear so that she can get on with her life. As you can see, it's a field of study that she really struggles in.
Lee Baca is a piece of work. The former LA County Sheriff -- tied with Arizona's Joe Arpaio for worse in the nation -- presided over a series of scandals, none so grotesque as the ring of corrupt deputies whose abuse and misconduct in the county jails were capped off by an attempt to intimidate an FBI agent who was investigating them, and a breathtaking act of criminality in which an FBI informant was moved to a new jail under a fake name, surrounded by a round-the-clock detail of 13 deputies who prevented him from speaking with the FBI.
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Despite the fact that the LG G5 hasn't yet been revealed, LG has unveiled the Quick Cover case for the upcoming smartphone. As part of the cheeky press release, LG waxes philosophically, posing the question: "What came first, the smartphone or the cover?"
Getting slightly more serious, LG says that the Quick Cover carries over the touch function from the LG K10's Quick Cover, allowing users to take calls and control alarms without opening the case. Oh, and that always-on display that LG recently teased? LG says you'll be able to use it to check out the time, date and notifications at any time through a window on the Quick Cover. The case also features a see-through mesh grid, similar to HTC's Dot View covers.
Finally, we can glean a bit more information about the LG G5 itself, as LG says that the Quick Cover features a "unique film with a glossy metallic finish" that complements the G5 itself. For more, you can read as LG winks and nudges around the G5 in the press release below. As for the phone itself, we'll get our first official look at the G5 on February 21, right before Mobile World Congress kicks off.
Press Release:
LG Electronics Introduces Touch-Enabled Quick Phone Cover For Highly Anticipated LG G5
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Feb. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics (LG) has introduced a new version of its Quick Cover case, designed specifically for LG's next-generation flagship smartphone, the LG G5, answering the age old question – what came first, the smartphone or the cover?
The latest LG Quick Cover offers the advantages of previous Quick Covers but with added features. The touch function, recently introduced on the K10's Quick Cover View, is now available on the G5 Quick Cover's semitransparent mesh cover. The touch function enables users to take calls and control alarm settings without having to open the case for the ultimate in convenience.
LG's signature "second screen" Always-on-Display, rumored to be a feature in the highly anticipated LG G5, allows users to check the time, date and notifications, all with the Quick Cover closed. Complementing the look and feel of the forthcoming LG G5, the new LG Quick Cover incorporates a unique film with a glossy metallic finish to enhance the smooth and luxurious look and feel of the cover.
About LG Electronics MobileComm USA, Inc.
LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. Inc. based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the U.S. sales subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc. a global innovator and trend leader in the global mobile communications industry. LG is driving the evolution of mobile forward with its highly competitive core technologies in the areas of display, battery and camera optics and strategic partnerships with noted industry leaders. LG's consumer-centric products — including the flagship premium G Series models — incorporate unique, ergonomic designs and intuitive UX features that enhance the user experience. The company remains committed to leading consumers into the era of convergence, maximizing inter-device connectivity between smartphones, tablets and a wide range of home and portable electronics products. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.
Facebook has officially withdrawn its controversial Free Basics project in India, following a verdict by the country's telecom regulator banning differential pricing for zero-rated platforms. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) came out with the ruling earlier this week, after months of deliberation during which it sought comments from the public over the benefits of differential pricing.
Although Free Basics was positioned as a service aiming to provide millions of impoverished people free access to the internet, its execution was flawed as the service was limited to one carrier, Reliance. Furthermore, by making a limited set of websites and services available via Free Basics, Facebook essentially controlled what people see when they make their way online for the first time.
The service's exit in India comes on the heels of a tweet by Facebook board member and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who said that the country would be better economically were it not for "anti-colonialist" ideas like net neutrality. His comments drew the ire of internet users from around the country, with Mark Zuckerberg also offering a statement distancing himself (and Facebook) from the controversy:
I want to respond to Marc Andreessen's comments about India yesterday. I found the comments deeply upsetting, and they do not represent the way Facebook or I think at all.
India has been personally important to me and Facebook. Early on in my thinking about our mission, I traveled to India and was inspired by the humanity, spirit and values of the people. It solidified my understanding that when all people have the power to share their experiences, the entire world will make progress.
Facebook stands for helping to connect people and giving them voice to shape their own future. But to shape the future we need to understand the past. As our community in India has grown, I've gained a deeper appreciation for the need to understand India's history and culture. I've been inspired by how much progress India has made in building a strong nation and the largest democracy in the world, and I look forward to strengthening my connection to the country.
Even though Free Basics is no longer available in India, the service continues to operate in over 30 countries around the world.
Samsung Pay has yet to make its way to the UK but we may now have an idea as to when Samsung plans to launch its payment platform in the country. According to the latest report over on Pocket-lint, the company is holding off for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Nathalie Oestmann, Head of Samsung Pay Europe, revealed that Samsung Pay will be coming to both the UK and Spain very soon and that more details will be shared at Mobile World Congress. Since we'll be expecting to see Samsung announce the company's next flagship smartphone at around that time, it would seem as though two birds will indeed be taken out by a single stone.
We'll have to hold out until February 21 for more details, and will bring you all the latest from MWC 2016 as it happens so stay tuned!
It’s taken well over a year for Google to shift its position but the search giant is finally buckling to European data protection regulators’ demands to apply granted search delisting requests on the Google.com domain, as well as European subdomains as it currently does. Read More
Surveillance legislation proposed by the UK last November has been examined in detail by the country's politicians, with a new report recommending 86 alterations, but broadly approving the powers requested by the government. The parliamentary committee scrutinizing the draft Investigatory Powers Bill said that companies like Apple and Facebook should not be required to decrypt messages sent on their services, but approved plans to record every UK citizen's browsing history for 12 months. The committee also gave a thumbs up to the bulk retention of data, and the targeted hacking of individuals' computers, known as "equipment interference."
Yahoo layoffs have begun today, according to numerous sources, with conference rooms across all its facilities reserved to tell employees that they have been fired.
Sources said the cuts are deep and widespread, up to 15 percent of the staff of the Silicon Valley Internet giant that has not been able to gain ground under its latest CEO, Marissa Mayer. That’s more than 1,500 jobs, with cuts coming in media and sales. Yahoo’s search efforts have been largely spared the ax, since it is an area that Mayer thinks is poised for growth.
Over the past few years, mobile phones have become a kind of addiction. Indeed, it’s almost impossible to imagine life without them. But how well do you really know that best friend (fiend?) in your pocket? Here’re a few surprising facts about that thing you whip out roughly 85 times a day.
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It’s taken well over a year for Google to shift its position but the search giant is finally buckling to European data protection regulators’ demands to apply granted search delisting requests on the Google.com domain, as well as European subdomains as it currently does. Read More
