Tech Industry

1,101 'Tech Industry' stories May 2013 - August 2014

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U.S. Department of Transportation considering ban on cell phone calls during flights

Mike Beasley Aug 4 2014 - 12:58 pm PT

The United States Department of Transportation is considering a new rule that would ban all in-flight cellular calls, the Wall Street Journal reported today. While some cell phone uses, such as social media apps and other data-dependent software, was recently declared permissible by the Federal Aviation Administration, voice calls are still up for debate, with the DOT arguing a phone call could be disruptive to other passengers.

In December the department will issue a proposition that will include a cellular call ban, though airlines are insisting the decision of whether not to allow calls should be theirs rather than the government’s. However, many airlines have reportedly said that even if it was their call, they would not allow calls on their flights. Some ideas to avoid the disruption have been floated by government officials, such as phone booths on planes where passengers would be free to make calls.

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President Obama signs bill into law restoring legal cell phone unlocking

Zac Hall Aug 1 2014 - 2:00 pm PT

The White House announced today that President Obama is signing the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act in law allowing consumers to unlock cell phones from their carriers at the end of a contract.

Today, President Obama will sign into law the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, and in doing so, will achieve a rare trifecta: a win for American consumers, a win for wireless competition, and an example of democracy at its best — bipartisan congressional action in direct response to a call to action from the American people.

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Google developing Moto Maker-like smartphone customization tool called “Workshop”

Mark Hearn Aug 1 2014 - 10:40 am PT

Google is reportedly in the process of developing a new platform that will let users create custom smartphone cases and wallpapers. Referred to as “Workshop,” the budding project only works with the Nexus 5 for now, but it’s possible that it may support other devices whenever Mountain View officially opens it up to the public. Still in its infancy, Workshop is comprised of two tools: MapMe and Moments.

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Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2 teardown reveals Samsung Galaxy Note 3 front panel

9to5 Staff Jul 31 2014 - 10:24 am PT

The new Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2, or DK2 for short, started shipping this week; and as the first units begin arriving to eager gamers and developers alike, iFixIt has posted the first teardown of the device. If you don’t know much about the new DK2, its most prominent upgrade over the first edition Rift is its new, 1080P display. Speculation grew as to exactly what panel Oculus would use for the new DK2, but the teardown from iFixIt reveals in fact that the display has been provided by Samsung.

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Google X’s Jeff Huber joins Illumina’s board of directors

Mark Hearn Jul 31 2014 - 8:40 am PT

Today, genetics research firm Illumina announced that Google Senior VP Jeff Huber of the search giant’s Google X lab has been appointed to its board of directors. After a year with eBay, Huber joined Google in 2003 and has worked on several different platforms like Maps, apps and ads.

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Square announces new EMV chip reader for more secure mobile credit and debit card payments

Mark Hearn Jul 30 2014 - 7:59 am PT

Today, Square announced a new version of its popular mobile payment system that will support EMV chipped credit cards. EMV is a joint effort from MasterCard and Visa to help improve security credit and debit card transactions and is set to become a standard in the US by October 2015. In addition to EMV-equipped credit cards, the new version of Square’s payment system will still feature support for legacy magnetic strips, so customers will still have the option to swipe and sign.

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Samsung expected to launch Galaxy Alpha, its first all-metal smartphone, on August 4th

9to5 Staff Jul 30 2014 - 6:38 am PT

In line with what we heard earlier this month and following leaked photos of the device that surfaced last week, a new report from SamMobile claims that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Alpha on August 4th. Despite being an all-metal smartphone, the Galaxy Alpha will not positioned as a premium device alongside the flagship Galaxy S5, but rather as a mid-tier variant that uses a mix of high-end and mid-range hardware.
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Ex-Formula One boss suing Google over republished sex party pictures

Mark Hearn Jul 29 2014 - 11:56 am PT

Former Formula One boss, Max Mosley has filed a lawsuit against Google due to the search giant’s continued publishing of less than flattering photos of him with prostitutes at a sex party. In 2008 Mosley was awarded £60,000 in damages from a court case against News of the World after a High Court ruling. Now, the 74 year old former amateur racer is taking legal action against Google based on the company’s search engine reproducing images related to his previous case against the now defunct UK tabloid.

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Samsung applies for trademark on Gear S, hinting at upcoming smartwatch

9to5 Staff Jul 29 2014 - 6:49 am PT

Samsung has filed for a trademark on “Gear S” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, suggesting that the South Korean handset maker could be poised to expand its wearables lineup with a new device in the near future. According to SamMobile, the “Gear S” moniker could correlate to the oft-rumored Gear Solo, which is expected to be a slightly different version of the Gear 2 smartwatch with a SIM card and cellular connectivity.
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Bill allowing smartphone unlocking now approved by the House of Representatives, set to become law

9to5 Staff Jul 25 2014 - 12:30 pm PT

After the decision last year to make unlocking smartphone and tablet devices illegal, the US House of Representatives today voted yes to allow the practice to become legal once again. This is already the second time the government has voted on this issue, as just a few weeks ago the US Senate approved the legislation to move on to the House. The final step in getting the law approved is the President’s signature, which should come with little delay as he has already spoken out in favor of the bill.
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Verizon to begin throttling certain unlimited 4G LTE customers

9to5 Staff Jul 25 2014 - 11:04 am PT

Verizon has been throttling unlimited 3G data subscribers for years now, but never 4G LTE users. Until today, when they announced this morning that beginning October 1st, the top 5% of 4G LTE data users who coincidentally meet a series of other factors will get throttled. According to DroidLife, a recent report showed that over 20% of Verizon data users were still on an unlimited data plan, so it’s no surprise that Verizon would want to push these users to a tiered data plan.

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Samsung shows off its tech institute near Mexico City

Zac Hall Jul 25 2014 - 8:03 am PT

First announced last month at a ceremony on June 9th, Samsung has shared some information about its new Samsung Tech Institute in Queretaro, Mexico near Mexico City. The company says representatives from the National Employment Service Delegation Queretaro attended that ceremony alongside corporate managers from Samsung.

The main objective of this program is to train technicians to address the importance and the needs of the production in order to improve living conditions and to provide employment opportunities for recent graduates, who constantly struggle to find job opportunities.

Below Samsung outlines the benefits of its program:
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OECD data reveals one mobile Internet connection for every person in the U.S.

Ben Lovejoy Jul 25 2014 - 4:58 am PT

Data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reveals that there are now as many mobile Internet connections as there are people in the USA. While not everyone has a mobile data SIM or dongle, those with multiple devices make up for those left out, taking the average to a fraction over 100 percent.

Six other countries also manage to have more mobile data subscriptions than people, Finland topping the list with an average of 1.25 connections per person. The overall average across the 34 countries within the OECD grouping was 72.4 percent.

Via The Register

LG ships record-breaking 14.5 million smartphones in Q2 2014

9to5 Staff Jul 24 2014 - 12:24 pm PT

LG Electronics shared its second quarter earnings results on Wednesday, announcing that it shipped a record-high 14.5 million smartphones during the three-month period ending June. The successful quarter for the Korean electronics maker saw its net profits rise 165 percent to $399.8 million over the year-ago quarter, with consolidated revenue of $14.93 billion and operating profit of $588.5 million.
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Liberio launches new Google Drive-based eBook publishing platform

Mark Hearn Jul 22 2014 - 9:30 am PT

Liberio, an online eBook publishing platform the based on Google Drive went from beta to official today. Designed to connect to Drive, this new tool lets you import just about any text-based document and convert it into an eBook that is compliant with industry standards, making it compatible with most major online stores like Amazon, Google Play Books or the iBooks Store.

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NVIDIA Shield Tablet and wireless controller with gaming focus officially unveiled

9to5 Staff Jul 22 2014 - 7:22 am PT

After weeks of leaks, rumors and speculation, the NVIDIA Shield Tablet and Wireless Controller have officially been announced this morning. NVIDIA posted a series of videos on their YouTube channel promoting the new device with the slogan “high-performance gaming everywhere”.

In terms of aesthetics, the device looks like we imagined. It features dual 5MP cameras, dual front-facing stereo speakers, and an 8-inch, 1920×1200 display. The specs under the hood are equally impressive. The device boasts an NVIDIA Tegra K1 GPU, an ARM Cortex A15 CPU clocked at 2.2GHz, and 2GB of RAM.

In terms of pricing, there are two different models of the device. A 16GB WiFi variant and a 32GB WiFi + LTE version, selling for $299 and $399, respectively. Both models will ship for a July 29th release.
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T-Mobile to launch Samsung Galaxy Avant on July 30th with remote unlocking capabilities

9to5 Staff Jul 21 2014 - 3:52 pm PT

While the Senate recently passed a bill that could make it easier for Android smartphone users to switch carriers after their contract is through, unlocking a smartphone remains a tedious and often costly process in the United States and elsewhere. T-Mobile, continuing its efforts to eliminate the so-called “pain points” associated with carriers, is aiming to solve that problem.
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Google interested in using NYC pay phones as free WiFi hotspots

Mark Hearn Jul 21 2014 - 12:44 pm PT

Google recently participated in an informational meeting for companies interested in bringing free WiFi access to New York City. Other companies interested in such a venture include IBM, Samsung and Cisco, however it’s well-documented that the search giant wants to make internet access less challenging for people who are struggling to get online.

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Security firm Zscaler finds 28% of Android apps request permission to read SMS logs

Alex Allegro Jul 17 2014 - 12:08 pm PT

In a study conducted by security research firm Zscaler, 28% of Android apps request permission to read old SMS logs, while a whopping 68% request permission to send SMS messages from your phone. They also found that 36% of apps request GPS permissions, while over 46% request access to the “phone’s state”, allowing the app to gather information related to the SIM card, IMEI number, serial number and more. For the study, Zscaler analyzed over 75,000 apps from the Google Play store and logged the requested permissions from each app. Being a security firm, Zscaler considers SMS and GPS related permissions to be the two most “high risk” permissions to grant access to, with “device information related permissions” landing sixth on the list.

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EU invites Google to discuss ‘right to be forgotten’ rules

Mark Hearn Jul 17 2014 - 7:52 am PT

European Union privacy regulators have reached out to Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to discuss the rules of the recent court-ordered “right to be forgotten” rule. EU officials told The Wall Street Journal that they are trying to set up a meeting with the tech juggernauts for next Thursday in Brussels, however it remains unknown if the companies have accepted the invitation.

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T-Mobile announces monthly payment plans for accessories

Mark Hearn Jul 16 2014 - 10:27 am PT

Although summer is in full swing, the folks at T-Mobile are getting ready for back-to-school season and to make things easier on starving students, the carrier is adding accessories priced from $69 – $250 to its Equipment Installment Program (EIP). This new setup lets T-Mobile customers purchase items like smartwatches and audio gear with a 24 month payment plan for no money down.

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Samsung announces ‘Level’ brand of premium headphones and speakers

9to5 Staff Jul 16 2014 - 9:43 am PT

Samsung announced on Wednesday that its premium lineup of Level headphones and speakers will soon be available in the United States. The collection consists of three premium headphones and one Bluetooth speaker system, ranging between $149.99 and $349.99 in price.

The headphones and speakers can be synced with Samsung’s streaming music service Milk Music on select Galaxy devices, while the Level Over headphones in particular can be paired with Samsung’s new Level app for an enhanced audio experience.

I cannot help but assume that this move was at least slightly inspired by Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics a few months ago.

Samsung Level products will be available exclusively on designer brand website Gilt beginning tomorrow.

Dallas –Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile) today announced the U.S. availability of the Samsung Level™ portfolio of premium mobile audio products. The Level audio portfolio is a collection of three premium headphones and a Bluetooth speaker — all designed for portability and style while producing high quality sound.

The portfolio includes: Level Over, Level On, Level In and Level Box. All four devices work seamlessly with smartphones and tablets, and the Level Over can be further customized using the Samsung Level App to elevate the audio experience. In addition, the Level portfolio easily syncs with Milk Music™ powered by Slacker, Samsung’s free music streaming service for select Galaxy devices*, offering an easy-to-use interface and more than 200 stations to further amplify your music listening experience.

Level Over is available for $349.99, Level On $179.99, Level In $149.99 and Level Box $169.99. Gilt.com, the innovative online shopping destination, is offering its members exclusive, first access to the portfolio, starting Thursday, July 17 at noon ET at www.gilt.com/level. The sale, which lasts for 72 hours, will also feature an exclusive bundle of the Level On and Level Box for $299.99. The portfolio will also be available on Amazon.com (July 20), Samsung.com (July 21) and select Samsung Experience Shops at Best Buy stores (July 27).

Level Over

The Samsung Level Over is an over-ear headphone designed for an immersive sound experience. Level Over delivers powerful, clear, sharp sound, ergonomically designed comfort and wireless Bluetooth technology.

Level Over includes Active Noise Cancellation, employing four mics on the inside and outside of the headphones to cancel outside sounds. In addition, Level Over includes technology that prevents resonance between the vibration plate and the frame, avoiding unnecessary booming and helping to provide the original sound. Users can control volume, navigate tracks, pause or stop music, answer or end a call all using the Smart Control Technology on the side of the headphones.

Level On

The Level On is an on-ear, wired headphone that packs a powerful, clear and pure sound in a compact design. Soft polyurethane cushioning provides comfort with a foldable ergonomic design makes this the perfect headphone for the on-the-go mobile user.

Level In

The Level In is an in-ear, wired headphone that packs a powerful three-way speaker system that controls treble, mid-range and deep bass, providing clear sound separation and rich, natural sound quality.

Level Box

Level Box is a premium, compact Bluetooth speaker that streams high quality audio from any Samsung Galaxy phone – or any other Bluetooth compatible device – directly to the speaker for crystal-clear sound. The sleek, distinctive design is optimized to provide noise reduction and echo cancellation, and a built in rechargeable battery offers up to 15 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. One touch Near-Field Communications (NFC) or the dedicated Bluetooth pairing button provides effortless synching. Control buttons make it easy to adjust volume or play/pause music, and a high-quality HD built in microphone makes it a great device for phone or conference calls.

For more information, please visit www.samsungmobileuspress.com.

*Milk Music is compatible with Galaxy S 5, Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Mega and Galaxy S 4 mini across all carriers as well as the Galaxy Tab S.

‘Hidden From Google’ site archiving links blocked under EU’s right to be forgotten law

Mark Hearn Jul 16 2014 - 8:29 am PT

A controversial European court ruling recently determined that people had the “right to be forgotten” and ordered search engines like Google to purge unflattering web links from their search history, but does the internet really have a delete button? A new website called “Hidden From Google” has been banking links removed since the European Union Court of Justice’s ruling.

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Samsung in talks to acquire SmartThings smart home platform for $200 million

9to5 Staff Jul 15 2014 - 8:01 pm PT

According to a report from TechCrunch, Samsung is in talks with SmartThings to acquire the smart home platform for around $200 million. The report originally claimed that the deal was completed, but TechCrunch has since updated the report to note a second source says the talks are still ongoing.

SmartThings is a home automation platform that enables Android and iOS users to effortlessly control their home from one simple app, including lights, locks, electronics, appliances and other connected home devices. The app can also detect motion, alert you of danger and monitor how many family members are home at any given time.
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