'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

<b>It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_bSUvfchSSqWcxcVtWI0zoy4sCt5qlmRgK1EErTTdrxAwH6y1x1eBfhe8m6CqBjWbk_sTzMJVqNCg5zZpJvjIQCYAui45wUXX9WHVMJpMdRHDM9PebKOpYDjOegnIOrxqRawOEHZTy4h/s1600/Microsoft-Band-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_bSUvfchSSqWcxcVtWI0zoy4sCt5qlmRgK1EErTTdrxAwH6y1x1eBfhe8m6CqBjWbk_sTzMJVqNCg5zZpJvjIQCYAui45wUXX9WHVMJpMdRHDM9PebKOpYDjOegnIOrxqRawOEHZTy4h/s1600/Microsoft-Band-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">update: goes on sale Thursday for $199</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Windows Central points out that sync apps have appeared in the Mac and Androidapp stores (update: and Microsoft's), set to personalize and track data for your "Microsoft Band." Rumors had pointed to a fitness tracker more than a watch that could debut within weeks, and judging by the apps that's just what we'll get. According to the Google Play, Windows Phone Store and iTunes listings, the device itself has more in common with Nike's FuelBand than the what we've seen from Apple and Google so far. That includes tracking steps, heartbeat, calories burned and sleep quality. 9to5Mac linked a privacy agreement that goes into even deeper detail about what else it can do, namely display notifications from your mobile device or take notes and set reminders with Cortana.<br /> <b><br />Update:</b></div> <div> Microsoft confirmed that the Band will go on sale for $199 Thursday in its online and physical stores, to US customers only, in "limited quantities." Designed by Quentin Morris (who also developed the Xbox One controller), it carries ten sensors onboard to measure things from heart rate to UV exposure to stress levels, and can last as much as 48 hours on a single charge.</div> </div>

'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game. update: goes on sale Thursday for...

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Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks

<b>Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjTyhk7u43wqLLVeSf11PGa5V3KXsC-i8y2k_5P0zOtwhWDXljUNC6AqZPgXHC5ISnD0Hwoui7_Zqi_kcnr_NgYwdiwZwrcMZnheN-8M9kiRXG651uNMd4N2jBz7PQltA_sWL7iGIIKva/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjTyhk7u43wqLLVeSf11PGa5V3KXsC-i8y2k_5P0zOtwhWDXljUNC6AqZPgXHC5ISnD0Hwoui7_Zqi_kcnr_NgYwdiwZwrcMZnheN-8M9kiRXG651uNMd4N2jBz7PQltA_sWL7iGIIKva/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b> <div> Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the 8- and 10-inch range. Now, though, Lenovo is blurring the lines: Its new 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the same size as its ultraportable laptops, except it has a kickstand that folds out of the back, and the optional keyboard doesn't attach to the device.<br /> <br /> It's a weird little device: It looks like a tablet, but it's the same size as a notebook, and its screen (2,560 x 1,440) is about as sharp, too. What's even stranger is that on the inside, it actually runs more in line with a netbook, thanks to a quad-core Atom processor (though four gigs of RAM might help speed things up). All told, then, it definitely seems like a niche product: a large tablet, and an unpowered one, at that. Then again, the power-sipping chip could have at least one benefit: The battery life here is rated at up to 15 hours, far longer than most Ultrabooks we know of. It's also lighter than any 13-inch laptop, at 2.27 pounds. Still, will you want to pay a full $700 and up for it when it comes out next month? We'll leave that to you and your wallet.<br /> <br /> Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, the company followed up with a spinoff product called the Yoga Tablet. Today, the lineup includes both Android and Windows tablets, mostly in the 8- and 10-inch range. Now, though, Lenovo is blurring the lines: Its new 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the same size as its ultraportable laptops, except it has a kickstand that folds out of the back, and the optional keyboard doesn't attach to the device.<br /> <br /> It's a weird little device: It looks like a tablet, but it's the same size as a notebook, and its screen (2,560 x 1,440) is about as sharp, too. What's even stranger is that on the inside, it actually runs more in line with a netbook, thanks to a quad-core Atom processor (though four gigs of RAM might help speed things up). All told, then, it definitely seems like a niche product: a large tablet, and an unpowered one, at that. Then again, the power-sipping chip could have at least one benefit: The battery life here is rated at up to 15 hours, far longer than most Ultrabooks we know of. It's also lighter than any 13-inch laptop, at 2.27 pounds. Still, will you want to pay a full $700 and up for it when it comes out next month? We'll leave that to you and your wallet.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Lenovo's new 13-inch 'Yoga' tablet is as big as its Windows Ultrabooks

Lenovo seems to be coming full circle. After knocking our socks off with the original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all ...

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Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon

<b>The latest Droid device is now fully unveiled, and it’s truly a beast.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSp39AIYIY92HBI3vIxj2nVOTVTCAKiniNPfgIBAALfDE7Xwv8C294cYWmi5zAG9Lh0Unu-cll51nnHfTmlVCMPSAB7bu3CarSAnZmatdwVNln36b_3uMZdnRsBkH94n_Y1jW0_U9I9_Y/s1600/Motorola-Droid-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSp39AIYIY92HBI3vIxj2nVOTVTCAKiniNPfgIBAALfDE7Xwv8C294cYWmi5zAG9Lh0Unu-cll51nnHfTmlVCMPSAB7bu3CarSAnZmatdwVNln36b_3uMZdnRsBkH94n_Y1jW0_U9I9_Y/s1600/Motorola-Droid-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>The most prominent and highlighted feature of the phone, its ability to charge quickly and last for up to 48 hours, is hard to test properly in a matter of hours. However, the look, feel, and general build of the device is already making an impression on me.<br /> <br /> Motorola handed out devices at the launch event, and I walked away with a Ballistic Nylon version of the device.<br /> <br /> But that’s not to say I’m a fan of the nylon. It seems like a material that would pick up dust and dirt and food in any one of its many pockets and crevices and forever look like a piece of trash. And matters aren’t helped by the front of the device, which looks all the more cheap and plastic-ish thanks to the nylon on the back.<br /> <br /> I’m thinking the Metallic version, pictured in the gallery below, may actually be more practical and look a little more subtle.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCcoLm0A4Q8XpWLmnKaEPGsfueecnnn3wEIPh61mCi4FwT3vKymWs1l3Rx1kBF-92K5QMWsUPMuH4GfJ5AzXXCoSo_UOLytfDVQZieNex_dPOxkUr7k64pThYMd4Euekt4rxcC8Zmt6iL/s1600/Motorola-Droid-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCcoLm0A4Q8XpWLmnKaEPGsfueecnnn3wEIPh61mCi4FwT3vKymWs1l3Rx1kBF-92K5QMWsUPMuH4GfJ5AzXXCoSo_UOLytfDVQZieNex_dPOxkUr7k64pThYMd4Euekt4rxcC8Zmt6iL/s1600/Motorola-Droid-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon" /></a></div> <div> <br /> Still, it feels like a sturdy phone that could withstand more than a few hard drops (though we hardly recommend testing this out for yourself.) It’s also quite thick and feels heavy, weighing in at 176 grams, with that super dense 3900mAh battery under the hood.<br /> <br /> The pure Android experience is nice in a world of Android phones with way too many features, and the 5.2-inch display is quite nice. It also doesn’t feel too big, given the size of the display and the battery.<br /> <br /> The phone comes with a handful of different discounts from Verizon, which you can check outhere, and starts at $199 on-contract for the 32GB model on October 30.</div>

Hands On With The Motorola Droid Turbo From Verizon

The latest Droid device is now fully unveiled, and it’s truly a beast. The most prominent and highlighted feature of the phone, its abil...

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Droid Turbo's long battery life, new tech offset weight

<b>There’s a lot to like in Motorola’s Droid Turbo, including its 48 hours of battery life and extremely sharp screen.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWGyjBET5rrNFFlgZPopF1TsTafLpDbJlnjcBSM9sGvdk80rVI97HpQTx5iSqBoSXnhjMWZHSd2Xw5Le5y_BjMQ5BukhhEAQOn6E4kQI7LxMSqf7z8HM6q4kmStKH-MyMSXbDwQi0pJgg/s1600/Droid-Turbo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Droid Turbo's long battery life, new tech offset weight" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWGyjBET5rrNFFlgZPopF1TsTafLpDbJlnjcBSM9sGvdk80rVI97HpQTx5iSqBoSXnhjMWZHSd2Xw5Le5y_BjMQ5BukhhEAQOn6E4kQI7LxMSqf7z8HM6q4kmStKH-MyMSXbDwQi0pJgg/s1600/Droid-Turbo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Droid Turbo's long battery life, new tech offset weight" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>The Android smartphone has a 5.2-inch screen, but felt slightly heavier than competitive handsets during a hands-on review. Yet, it could appeal to users who need a durable handset with long battery life and the latest technologies.<br /> <br /> The Droid Turbo will be available starting on Thursday through Verizon Wireless in the U.S. A base model with 32GB of storage will be priced at $199 with a two-year contract, and a 64GB version will sell for $249. The smartphone is exclusive to Verizon, and variants won’t be sold outside the U.S.<br /> <br /> The handset has a slightly curvy back, much like the Moto X devices, and is easy to hold. It has on/off and volume buttons, a USB 2.0 port at the bottom to recharge the smartphone, and a headset jack at the top. The SIM card was built into the handset, and there were no external display connector ports.<br /> <br /> No Bendgate here<br /> <br /> The Droid Turbo won’t easily crack or break, so don’t expect any Bendgate controversy. The smartphone has a solid exterior made of kevlar, which is also used in bulletproof vests. There’s also a layer of ballistic nylon, which is used to add durability to wallets and backpacks, and patented “nanocoating” to protect the smartphone from spills. Another new material called metallized glass fiber adds shine to the device.<br /> <br /> The smartphone can display images at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. The benefits of this screen—which offers more depth than regular 1080p HD—were immediately noticeable, and 4K video on YouTube looked vivid and bright, with no frozen frames or jitters.<br /> <br /> One of the more attractive features is a 21-megapixel camera, similar to the one in the recently introduced Nexus 6. The camera was easy to operate thanks to user-friendly software, and there’s also an option to shoot 4K video. Driving the speedy application and graphics performance is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon’s 805 processor, which is capable of processing 4K video for storage on the handset.<br /> <br /> A 64GB model weighs 176 grams, and feels somewhat heavy. By comparison, the recently introduced HTC Eye, which also has a 5.2-inch screen, weighs 160 grams. But size and weight sacrifices had to be made for the thick 3,900 millamp-hour battery, which provides the smartphone with two days of battery life on general use.<br /> <br /> A step up on the Droid Maxx<br /> <br /> The battery life isn’t much of an improvement from the predecessor, the Droid Maxx, which was introduced last year and had a 3,500 milliamp-hour battery. But with Droid Turbo, a higher capacity battery was needed to deal with the screen, higher-resolution camera and faster processor, a Motorola representative said.<br /> <br /> Binge watching of TV shows could drain battery quickly, but like its predecessor, Droid Turbo remains the smartphone to beat on battery life.<br /> <br /> There are also some innovative applications on the handset like Droid Zap, which allows users to share photos and videos with just a finger tap. The Moto Assist “learning engine” can change the smartphone profile depending on user behavior, background sounds and camera images. For example, the smartphone will be able to detect if a user is in a meeting, and shut down background noise for notifications.<br /> <br /> The smartphone comes with Android 4.4.4, code-named KitKat, but the OS will be upgraded to Android 5.0 by the end of the year. A lot of bloatware showed up in the review unit, including NFL Mobile, IMDB, Amazon and Audible apps. Bloatware can hurt battery life, and an Amazon app ran on the smartphone’s startup. It was possible to disable most of the bloatware, though it took some time and effort.</div> <div> <br /></div>

Droid Turbo's long battery life, new tech offset weight

There’s a lot to like in Motorola’s Droid Turbo, including its 48 hours of battery life and extremely sharp screen. The Android smartpho...

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Google's new Fit app plays well with Strava, Runkeeper and others

<b>Google is aiming to keep its users healthy—and away from Apple—with a new app that takes a broader view of fitness tracking.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaQSQRvbEQRw-Z7J1mCvrVtOr7D7OsjK3IV1WxGpGxlFfL5B0tSUCPwARpVYsvuGoxikc9aXkKnyMjOCjaHT2OaPu5y7MGNFMSJvUitybiOU99JByGRSXassKAkBC33LNpyQ9gyXjNATj/s1600/Google's-app-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Google's new Fit app plays well with Strava, Runkeeper and others" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaQSQRvbEQRw-Z7J1mCvrVtOr7D7OsjK3IV1WxGpGxlFfL5B0tSUCPwARpVYsvuGoxikc9aXkKnyMjOCjaHT2OaPu5y7MGNFMSJvUitybiOU99JByGRSXassKAkBC33LNpyQ9gyXjNATj/s1600/Google's-app-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google's new Fit app plays well with Strava, Runkeeper and others" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>Google Fit, released Tuesday, will use the sensors in Android phones to track and organize people’s walking, biking and running activity. Users can set goals and check their progress from within the app on their smartphone, as well as on the web, tablets, andAndroid Wear smartwatches.<br /> <br /> Mobile fitness apps are a dime a dozen these days, but Google is trying to add value by letting Fit act as a hub for third-party apps like those from Strava, Withings and Runkeeper. Fit users can access data gathered by those apps within the Fit app, instead of having to switch between them. That functionality makes Google Fit the prime competitor to Apple’s HealthKit, a software platform for iOS 8 that lets third-party apps share their data with Apple’s Health app.<br /> <br /> Google Fit is available for devices running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and above.<br /> <br /> Whether Google Fit catches on likely depends on the number of integrations it will support with other apps, and how well it presents the combined data.<br /> <br /> It’s unclear if other popular apps from device makers like Fitbit or Jawbone will be integrated with Fit, and Google didn’t immediately comment.<br /> <br /> Apple, meanwhile, had some problems last month with third-party app launches for HealthKit, due to a bug that has since been fixed.<br /> <br /> In addition to it being an app, Google Fit is a software development kit. Its APIs aim to let developers access data from other sources to make their own apps more powerful. Fit, therefore, could be a win for Google by strengthening the broader ecosystem of health apps, and then weaving them into Fit.<br /> <br /> Fit API partners include Basis, Adidas and Motorola.<br /> <br /> Google is becoming increasingly active in health and biosciences. The company’s working on contact lenses that measure blood glucose levels for people with diabetes, and has formed a subsidiary called Calico to combat aging-related diseases. Googleacquired Lift Labs last month, which makes a mechanical spoon for people suffering from tremors.</div> <div> <br /></div>

Google's new Fit app plays well with Strava, Runkeeper and others

Google is aiming to keep its users healthy—and away from Apple—with a new app that takes a broader view of fitness tracking. Google Fit,...

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Google Reveals Nano Pill To Seek Out Cancerous Cells

<b>Detecting cancer could be as easy as popping a pill in the near future. Google’s head of life sciences, Andrew Conrad, took to the stage at the Wall Street Journal Digital conference to reveal that the tech giant’s secretive Google[x] lab has been working on a wearable device that couples with nanotechnology to detect disease within the body.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr2UDUlRruHTc6Qw_bDw_nCzk3HRqTmpau-uq1yB_V2UCzogBAwuxJR3WqAA-KJUttd6ecujub7tgCRT1dbGtuOJEobTcWNgPKSLWrkdlc9eqMbv0wDRmeTBh7zoHLW5Pgu_pj4MM_F5Q/s1600/Nano-Pill-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Google Reveals Nano Pill To Seek Out Cancerous Cells" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr2UDUlRruHTc6Qw_bDw_nCzk3HRqTmpau-uq1yB_V2UCzogBAwuxJR3WqAA-KJUttd6ecujub7tgCRT1dbGtuOJEobTcWNgPKSLWrkdlc9eqMbv0wDRmeTBh7zoHLW5Pgu_pj4MM_F5Q/s1600/Nano-Pill-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google Reveals Nano Pill To Seek Out Cancerous Cells" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>“We’re passionate about switching from reactive to proactive and we’re trying to provide the tools that make that feasible,” explained Conrad. This is a third project in a series of health initiatives for Google[x]. The team has already developed a smart contact lens that detects glucose levels for diabetics and utensils that help manage hand tremors in Parkinson’s patients.<br /> <br /> The plan is to test whether tiny particles coated “magnetized” with antibodies can catch disease in its nascent stages. The tiny particles are essentially programmed to spread throughout the body via pill and then latch on to the abnormal cells. The wearable device then “calls” the nanoparticles back to ask them what’s going on with the body and to find out if the person who swallowed the pill has cancer or other diseases.<br /> <br /> “Think of it as sort of like a mini self-driving car,” Conrad simplified with a clear reference to Google[x]‘s vehicular project. “We can make it park where we want it to.” Conrad went on with the car theme, saying the body is more important than a car and comparing our present healthcare system as something that basically only tries to change our oil after we’ve broken down. “We wouldn’t do that with a car,” he added.<br /> <br /> Similar to Y Combinator-backed Bikanta, the cells can also fluoresce with certain materials within the nanoparticles, helping cancer cells to show up on an MRI scan much earlier than has been possible before.<br /> <br /> This has all sorts of implications in medicine. According to a separately released statement from Google today, “Maybe there could be a test for the enzymes given off by arterial plaques that are about to rupture and cause a heart attack or stroke. Perhaps someone could develop a diagnostic for post-surgery or post-chemo cancer patients – that’s a lot of anxious people right there (note: we’d leave this ‘product development’ work to companies we’d license the tech to; they’d develop specific diagnostics and test them for efficacy and safety in clinical trials.”<br /> <br /> We essentially wouldn’t need to go into the doctor and give urine and blood samples anymore. According to Conrad, we’d simply swallow a pill and monitor for disease on a daily basis. We’d also be able to upload that data into the cloud and send it to our doctor. “So your doctor could say well for 312 days of this year everything looks good but these past couple of months we’re detecting disease,” Conrad said.<br /> <br /> Privacy and security, particularly in health care is essential. Google came under fire in the last couple of years for handing over information to the U.S. government. Conrad was quick to mention that a partner, not Google would be handling individual data. “It’d be like saying GE is in control of your x-ray. We are the creators of the tech and they are the disseminators,” Conrad clarified.<br /> <br /> The U.S. government has an active interest in this space, as well. It’s invested over $20 billion in nanotechnology research since 2013.<br /> <br /> This project is in the exploratory phases but Conrad was hopeful that we’d be seeing this technology in the hands of every doctor within the next decade. He also mentioned that his team has explored ways of not just detecting abnormal cells but also delivering medicine at the same time. “That’s certainly been discussed,” he said, but cautioned that this was something that needed to be carefully developed so that the nanoparticles had a chance to show what was happening in the body before destroying the cells.<br /> <br /> So far 100 Google employees with expertise in astrophysics, chemistry and electrical engineering have taken part in the nanoparticle project. “We’re trying to stave off death by preventing disease. Our foe is unnecessary death,” Conrad added.</div> <div> <br /></div>

Google Reveals Nano Pill To Seek Out Cancerous Cells

Detecting cancer could be as easy as popping a pill in the near future. Google’s head of life sciences, Andrew Conrad, took to the stage at ...

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Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent

<b>Facebook continues to reap rewards in mobile, growing its crucial ads business in large part due to ads placed on smaller screens, the company reported Tuesday.</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTO7jWR2Jw6DMShc9pjGQ-PsFoGTFdLgyb1myRYPsE_eJn_AZTRSRZR84u1_mOU3qo95_7TEZtcU7vqGhNXiX_hSKS9oAyGuiZU0ZAoHpLvZUZ3jRVrJq7Qi8KNH3zZkXHLLF4Z1-TuAx/s1600/Facebook-sales-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTO7jWR2Jw6DMShc9pjGQ-PsFoGTFdLgyb1myRYPsE_eJn_AZTRSRZR84u1_mOU3qo95_7TEZtcU7vqGhNXiX_hSKS9oAyGuiZU0ZAoHpLvZUZ3jRVrJq7Qi8KNH3zZkXHLLF4Z1-TuAx/s1600/Facebook-sales-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>Total sales for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 amounted to US$3.2 billion, up 59 percent from the same period last year, and beating consensus analyst expectations of $3.12 billion, as polled by Thomson Reuters.<br /><br />Roughly two-thirds of sales, or 66 percent, came from ads placed on mobile devices, Facebook reported, up from just under half of all revenue coming from mobile a year ago.<br /><br />Facebook’s ability to monetize its site with ads on smaller screens was in previous years a concern to investors, but the company has demonstrated considerable progress there.<br /><br />Facebook also reported decent gains in growing its user base, a critical element in attracting and retaining advertisers. The number of users who logged in at least once a month clocked in at 1.35 billion, Facebook said, up 14 percent.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the number of users who logged in daily—another important metric—rose by 19 percent to 864 million.<br /><br />Facebook stock was at around $79.99 in after hours trading following its earnings report, down slightly from its close of $80.77, possibly signaling lingering investor concerns over Facebook’s progress toward growing its audience.<br /><br />Facebook nearly doubled its net income for the third quarter, to $806 million.<br /><br />The company’s adjusted earnings per share was $0.43, above analyst estimates of $0.40.<br /><br />CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in Facebook’s announcement, called the results “strong,” showing a “good quarter.”<br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent

Facebook continues to reap rewards in mobile, growing its crucial ads business in large part due to ads placed on smaller screens, the compa...

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Xiaomi is moving some of its users' data out of China

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <b>Xiaomi's a force to be reckoned with in China -- its new phones routinely sell out online in seconds -- but its influence is steadily growing outside its native home.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7CCXNWgkVyogOt3eGopXPAU5PArjosqHJ-aFcj8Z8f1Rd0xc_YR5rBrz9b27irb45fPBLZYGLPyXUcq-GtJ7nQy7jdrv-CRrfhCmhVEFLRwahkrBy1nwBq10Lnx7hINRGX7FITLDn2OI/s1600/Xiaomi-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7CCXNWgkVyogOt3eGopXPAU5PArjosqHJ-aFcj8Z8f1Rd0xc_YR5rBrz9b27irb45fPBLZYGLPyXUcq-GtJ7nQy7jdrv-CRrfhCmhVEFLRwahkrBy1nwBq10Lnx7hINRGX7FITLDn2OI/s1600/Xiaomi-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Xiaomi is moving some of its users' data out of China" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xiaomi is moving some of its users' data out of China</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> That's why the company's infrastructure has been quietly shifting these past few months, and VP/former Googler Hugo Barra pulled back the curtain on what Xiaomi's been up to. Long story short: it's moving user data around the world, not only to make sure its services work better, but also to better protect its users' information.<br /> <br /> Some of the changes Xiaomi enacted are purely prosaic: it's moving its e-commerce platform to Amazon data centers in California and Singapore so the site runs faster. Great! Of course, there's something more crucial to Xiaomi's future than making sure its website loads quickly. We're talking about privacy here, and Xiaomi doesn't exactly have a spotless track record when it comes safeguarding user info.<br /> <br /> Finnish security firm F-Secure learned earlier this year that some Xiaomi phones relayed sensitive information like phone numbers and device identifiers back to company servers in China (in plain text, no less). Xiaomi quickly addressed the issue, but it was still enough to spook some curious players around the world. Take India, for instance - Xiaomi pulled off a very successful (if quiet) launch there, selling 40,000 phones in a hair over four seconds in early September. Earlier this week, though, The New Indian Express reported that the Indian Air Force has been cracking down on the use of Xiaomi phones because of their habit of relaying information back to China. Similar concerns caused the Taiwanese government to conduct its own investigation on Xiaomi phones, though officials haven't yet published their results.<br /> <br /> Xiaomi's great data shift might be the right answer at the right time. Barra noted that international users' data would no longer live in Beijing -- instead, it'll be stored on Amazon servers in Oregon and Singapore, far away from the Chinese government's curious eyes. If Xiaomi's really going to grow into the global giant it clearly wants to be, it has to do pull of the greatest feat of them all: it has to make the world's potential customers trust it. The move won't be done until later this year, but still -- it's a very clear step in the right direction.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div>

Xiaomi is moving some of its users' data out of China

Xiaomi's a force to be reckoned with in China -- its new phones routinely sell out online in seconds -- but its influence is steadily ...

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Xbox Music ditches free desktop streaming on December 1st

<b>If you're hooked on Xbox Music's free desktop-based listening, you're going to have make some backup plans very shortly. </b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32w3PSbna-1ne003kREVkxVt2m69wgqfY5zcALureBjgZxN_PtM1CVK5r9F_yzGwO8RlW73HYXCU2gpSQiFTLBrnUCKt-pe2x9eRVBAcXEf4gMljG6hCV0gPWZaIIPjcLNuhkNVeMNuHN/s1600/Xbox-Music-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32w3PSbna-1ne003kREVkxVt2m69wgqfY5zcALureBjgZxN_PtM1CVK5r9F_yzGwO8RlW73HYXCU2gpSQiFTLBrnUCKt-pe2x9eRVBAcXEf4gMljG6hCV0gPWZaIIPjcLNuhkNVeMNuHN/s1600/Xbox-Music-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Xbox Music ditches free desktop streaming on December 1st" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xbox Music ditches free desktop streaming on December 1st</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Microsoft has announced that it's dropping the no-cost web and Windows streaming option as of December 1st; after that, you'll have to pay for a Music Pass if you want all-you-can-eat tunes beyond the 30-day trial period. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The company claims that it's refocusing Xbox Music to make it the "ultimate music purchase and subscription service," although it's not elaborating on what that entails. Suffice it to say that Microsoft has a lot of competition in the free music space. Its main rival, Spotify, has over 30 million free users worldwide on a wider range of platforms -- it wouldn't be easy for Microsoft to challenge that lead using the free tier you know today.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Xbox Music ditches free desktop streaming on December 1st

If you're hooked on Xbox Music's free desktop-based listening, you're going to have make some backup plans very shortly.  Xbo...

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Some Bank of America customers double-charged with Apple Pay

<b>Some Bank of America customers have been double-charged for purchases made with Apple Pay, the payment system Apple launched on Monday.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-S2mMd1KsRAyOvEgNaSc-AJSn7WOZ_cb0xtfIzFxl-7uIqLkCkKBcP5YjuFNSc5CI82D5zL_T8dfn3DVfIj_-Xl7iOglvLwW5A6L1BpVVsfrvI8bY-L3oWY1Sv1-VzUNOus7d3MJMdyi/s1600/Apple-Pay-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-S2mMd1KsRAyOvEgNaSc-AJSn7WOZ_cb0xtfIzFxl-7uIqLkCkKBcP5YjuFNSc5CI82D5zL_T8dfn3DVfIj_-Xl7iOglvLwW5A6L1BpVVsfrvI8bY-L3oWY1Sv1-VzUNOus7d3MJMdyi/s1600/Apple-Pay-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Some Bank of America customers double-charged with Apple Pay" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Bank of America customers double-charged with Apple Pay</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Roughly 1,000 transactions made with Apple Pay were logged twice in customer accounts, said Tara Burke, a spokeswoman with Bank of America, which is one of the largest U.S. banks and was an Apple Pay launch partner.<br /> <br /> “We apologize for the inconvenience and are correcting the problem,” said Burke.<br /> <br /> The duplicate transactions should be removed by the end of Wednesday.<br /> <br /> Apple Pay utilizes a secure chip inside Apple’s new iPhone 6 that enables the phone to emulate an NFC (near field communications) payment card. When the Apple Pay app is loaded with a customer’s credit or debit card, payments can be made at NFC terminals by bringing the phone close to the terminal.<br /> <br /> The system is being positioned as easier and more secure than current payment cards because the card number is not passed to the retailer’s terminal. Instead, a substitute number called a token is offered to the merchant, which sends it on to the card issuer for approval.<br /> <br /> The token can only be used once, so if it’s stolen it should prove useless to cyberattackers. It’s tied to the actual card number deeper in the financial services network, further away from the retailer terminals that have been the target of so much hacking recently.<br /> <br /> Apple Pay is compatible with existing NFC payment terminals, which can be found in around 200,000 shops and taxis across the U.S.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Some Bank of America customers double-charged with Apple Pay

Some Bank of America customers have been double-charged for purchases made with Apple Pay, the payment system Apple launched on Monday. S...

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Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist

<b>Slightly irked that you have to say "OK Google" whenever you want to use voice search on your Android Wear smartwatch? Microsoft, of all companies, is coming to your rescue.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgla0O94bM9JEqaVA50TvxiuXNJrlQ7gP7JhS7gPb60YZa4XnJRJnZ3DHwIr-3KOeEY24AvSsN_KhqZkVlDH1cQEP5ZlKFdUJyvWakMEj5y9Wa306vt8w0f40b2eJCAo8dO7huq29J7Cozm/s1600/Microsoft-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgla0O94bM9JEqaVA50TvxiuXNJrlQ7gP7JhS7gPb60YZa4XnJRJnZ3DHwIr-3KOeEY24AvSsN_KhqZkVlDH1cQEP5ZlKFdUJyvWakMEj5y9Wa306vt8w0f40b2eJCAo8dO7huq29J7Cozm/s1600/Microsoft-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> The developer is leading a trio of experimental Android releases with Torque, an app that lets you start a Bing search just by twisting your wrist; you only have to speak when you're asking your question. You'll get optimized output for certain kinds of search results, including maps, stocks and weather.<br /> <br /> The other apps are meant solely for your phone, but they could be equally handy. Next Lock Screen puts important at the top level of your phone, including missed calls and frequently used apps; you can also change the lock screen's background depending on your location. Journeys & Notes, meanwhile, lets you write notes to share with anyone else who visits nearby, such as tips about what to eat. All three of Microsoft's latest Android apps are free, so it probably won't hurt to give them a try.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist

Slightly irked that you have to say "OK Google" whenever you want to use voice search on your Android Wear smartwatch? Microsoft, ...

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It costs $50 to plug an Xbox One Kinect into your PC

<b>What's stopping you from creating the first killer Kinect 2.0 hack? Well, now that Microsoft's released the do-all sensor's SDK to the public for free you don't have many more excuses.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X-GkaUJA8Fg6UjxouJlBHRnAHUdtLPHzKC_gOll-VOACmzaG4LnwrR0MmLn3KpvJugv-x16PS_H_hz2KydH5eC6Whfy7_XJixCtnQ_BfZn75b9MEF7x4E-FBOSivQS2_o2IvfngkiCXG/s1600/Xbox-One-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X-GkaUJA8Fg6UjxouJlBHRnAHUdtLPHzKC_gOll-VOACmzaG4LnwrR0MmLn3KpvJugv-x16PS_H_hz2KydH5eC6Whfy7_XJixCtnQ_BfZn75b9MEF7x4E-FBOSivQS2_o2IvfngkiCXG/s1600/Xbox-One-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="It costs $50 to plug an Xbox One Kinect into your PC" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It costs $50 to plug an Xbox One Kinect into your PC</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> The software development kit is available without any fees and what's more, you can now put any finished apps up for sale on the Windows Store as well. Just like that! To help developers along even further, Redmond is releasing an adapter that makes the Xbox One Kinect play nicely with a Windows 8 PC. Meaning, they won't have to use a hack to create a hack (or buy a redundant Windows Kinect). The $50 USB 3.0 dongle not only brings price parity between the two previously separate cameras, but it'sanother instance of Microsoft reversing a previous hardline policy to better suit its customers too. Now, get out there and get cracking -- the hardware giant already has a head start on you.<br /> <br /> Update: Developer Ubi Interactive, known for large-screen gesture control installations, has posted a trio of brief, new videos demoing some fresh uses for the Kinect 2.0. We've embedded them below.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div>

It costs $50 to plug an Xbox One Kinect into your PC

What's stopping you from creating the first killer Kinect 2.0 hack? Well, now that Microsoft's released the do-all sensor's SDK ...

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Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara

<b>Drawing inspiration from its Play Store, Google will create a hardware store in which users can buy and sell Lego-like hardware modules for the customizable Project Ara smartphone.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCh1xSoLbnGmtI1fSJO7jBW65qcwQX8zoWd7ZeOBv3btxW_UJ77f7kqELqsRU7aqDrUchOIpDqueAqXHxuJZGRIcxsYIoDdtgM5u3G55ZlYlt84YGNg6P0sFzYVEz8ELfVGvb4BK6OAOc/s1600/Google-to-build-Play-like-Lollipop-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCh1xSoLbnGmtI1fSJO7jBW65qcwQX8zoWd7ZeOBv3btxW_UJ77f7kqELqsRU7aqDrUchOIpDqueAqXHxuJZGRIcxsYIoDdtgM5u3G55ZlYlt84YGNg6P0sFzYVEz8ELfVGvb4BK6OAOc/s1600/Google-to-build-Play-like-Lollipop-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Project Ara is Google’s upcoming build-your-own smartphone that allows users to mix and match features. The $50 configurable smartphone will come with a basic frame, and users can add or remove features by simply snapping on or taking off modular parts.<br /> <br /> For example, users will be able to individually swap out screens, cameras, antennas and CPUs, which could be a cheaper way to replace parts than buying new smartphones. Google is pursuing biometric modules, and independent hardware makers have mulled creating temperature, input, gaming, antenna and medical sensors. Modules can be designed with Google’s Module Developers Kit (MDK), which contains reference designs, specifications and guidelines.<br /> <br /> “Anybody can create a module per the specifications of the developer’s kit and put it in the Ara module marketplace, which is analogous to the Google Play Store, and sell directly to consumers,” said Paul Eremenko, head of Project Ara at Google’s ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) division, during a question and answer session at Purdue University earlier this month.<br /> <br /> Rankings and ratings<br /> <br /> Buyers will be able to see the most popular modules based on reviews and user ratings, much like with apps in the Google Play store, Eremenko said.<br /> <br /> A market pilot for Project Ara will begin in 2015, during which Google will try to understand usage and iron out kinks. Google has developed three Project Ara smartphone prototypes with different screen sizes, and Eremenko indicated it could be a while until final products ship worldwide. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7ZxDQbffj1o9883dwTqQ_1S-BAuKj9csUV-Yo9JCP8RHy9CnmpX8vN8Ry6GVnsKK8ShaFbTYyBkHU4DXOApVLZClS3oULgIxKROABte7QaaVSPx8IttJwGS98GqzlL5IlEA68bV4lpG-/s1600/Google-to-build-Play-like-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7ZxDQbffj1o9883dwTqQ_1S-BAuKj9csUV-Yo9JCP8RHy9CnmpX8vN8Ry6GVnsKK8ShaFbTYyBkHU4DXOApVLZClS3oULgIxKROABte7QaaVSPx8IttJwGS98GqzlL5IlEA68bV4lpG-/s1600/Google-to-build-Play-like-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara" /></a></div> <div> <br /> “There’s a lot more that we need to do in terms of retiring technical risks on the project. We have probably two more ...prototypes to make. And during the market pilot we have a lot to learn about how people interact with this device,” Eremenko said.<br /> <br /> Modular phones are not a new concept. Israeli company Modu in 2010 announced Brewphone, to which keyboard, speaker and camera modules could be attached. ZTE isdeveloping a customizable smartphone called Eco-Mobius, which has not yet been released.<br /> <br /> The viability of Project Ara has been heavily debated, but Eremenko believed consumers will appreciate its flexibility.<br /> <br /> “If we can span price points that range from a feature phone crossover price point all the way to an aspirational, very high-end device that may be able to do...portable medical diagnostics, that could potentially help us on the way of delivering the mobile Internet to the next five billion people who are not smartphone enabled,” Eremenko said.<br /> <br /> Success defined by flexibility<br /> <br /> The success of Project Ara could ultimately lie on its functionality, which will be defined by the swappable modules. Eremenko wants to make module development easy, and his team is working on new design tools to make hardware design as simple as writing mobile apps.<br /> <br /> “Today it takes maybe 12, 18, 24 months to make a new smartphone and bring it to market and we’re hoping to get that down to a couple of months,” Eremenko said.<br /> <br /> Google is encouraging developers to come up new module ideas, and is also working on some of its own. The company is chasing the idea of “adaptive commerce experiences” in which health sensors can track monitor human biometric signals.<br /> <br /> “That includes galvanic skin response, sweat levels, your pupil dilation, gaze direction, and a variety of things that we can pick up non-invasively about you as you’re interacting with the e-commerce system. If you’re stressed or impatient or bored with the experience, we could present a differently curated experience,” Eremenko said.<br /> <br /> During the talk, Eremenko also floated the idea of secure modules with private user information, which can be swapped depending on who’s using the smartphone.<br /> <br /> Google and Linaro are developing a custom version of Android for Project Ara. Work is underway around plug-and-play recognition so modules are identified immediately without restarting the smartphone. Much like USB attachments, modules will be recognized based on different driver “classes,” such as those for storage, input, networking, imaging and others. Some modules not recognized, like high-end cameras, will be placed in isolated zones so as not to compromise the smartphone.<br /> <br /> The modules are electropermanent magnets that can turn on and off but use no power in either state. Instead of connectors, the modules use inductive coupling for data transfers.<br /> <br /> To make module development cheaper, Google ATAP is also partnering with companies like Flextronics and Quanta so developers can inexpensively turn designs into actual hardware.</div>

Google to build Play-like hardware store for Project Ara

Drawing inspiration from its Play Store, Google will create a hardware store in which users can buy and sell Lego-like hardware modules for ...

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Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3

<b>Google is telling developers to step on it if they want their apps ready for a November 3 release of Android Lollipop.</b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCbmeKdXqEiiKNDp_kHDw4-8vsw6XP_eU_KvNkMLf0BkpO17oiAUAMz1wZlE4NBJkAJSL0aR43rqh-M2n0h6SkF6T8i-9RS51UUQd9B608aHc-cTJSA-7ySN3hBpQKCFVrYMJmKn9rOzh/s1600/Android-5.0-Lollipop-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCbmeKdXqEiiKNDp_kHDw4-8vsw6XP_eU_KvNkMLf0BkpO17oiAUAMz1wZlE4NBJkAJSL0aR43rqh-M2n0h6SkF6T8i-9RS51UUQd9B608aHc-cTJSA-7ySN3hBpQKCFVrYMJmKn9rOzh/s1600/Android-5.0-Lollipop-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> It’s the first specific date we’ve heard, which means the newest flavor of Android will start hitting the street in less than two weeks. The Nexus 9 preorders start shipping on that same date as well. Though as is often the case with preorders, they may show up on some people’s doorsteps early.<br /><br />With Lollipop so close, Google is gently nagging programmers in the Google Play Developer Console (pictured) to grab the latest release of Android and get cracking. They can already upload apps and schedule them for release when Lollipop goes live.<br /><br /> GOOGLE PLAY DEVELOPER CONSOLE<br /></div> <div> This isn’t a guarantee that your device will get Lollipop on November 3, but at least we know when the rollout will start. Expect Nexus devices to get it first, with others manufacturers planning to follow suit. Manufacturers like HTC have promised some phones (like the One M8 and M7) will get an update within 90 days of the official release—this would be the date to start the clock. Software updates often have to be tested by carriers before they're released, too.<br /><br />Why this matters: It’s one thing to get Android 5.0 Lollipop out the door, it’s quite another to get the rest of the ecosystem ready. Lollipop is a significant rewrite of how Android looks and performs, so it will be rather funky if third-party apps look like they don’t belong.<br /><br />Google is nudging developers to update their apps so the transition to Lollipop is a smooth one, which won’t happen if all of a sudden Android owners can't get their favorite apps to work properly.<br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Android 5.0 Lollipop to hit the wild on November 3

Google is telling developers to step on it if they want their apps ready for a November 3 release of Android Lollipop. Android 5.0 Lollipo...

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Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade

<b>Eyeing an upgrade to the Droid Turbo? An iPhone 6? Maybe the One M8 for Windows? If you're on Verizon's Edge payment program, you're going to have to be more patient than usual -- or at least, open your wallet a little wider.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvTCB0KWSTVNtw_yeDNKcQpoC__3E9z6t-_U7cY_swV-UAVCItsTW4JdL0gsdwCjGdJIwxsqb8B3jqkvBM__mVXsbkWjbyp5xtXG_VdaxmvaOH03AubEsN5m_N9r7uObDvyy-P4AN-LAv/s1600/htc-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvTCB0KWSTVNtw_yeDNKcQpoC__3E9z6t-_U7cY_swV-UAVCItsTW4JdL0gsdwCjGdJIwxsqb8B3jqkvBM__mVXsbkWjbyp5xtXG_VdaxmvaOH03AubEsN5m_N9r7uObDvyy-P4AN-LAv/s1600/htc-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b> <div> The carrier has confirmed a Droid-Life leak revealing that Big Red is modifying Edge in a way that makes it harder to upgrade quickly. As of October 16th, payments for new devices will normally be distributed over two years, rather than 20 months; if you can't wait that long to get new gear, you'll have to pay off 75 percent of the hardware price rather than 60 percent. In practice, that means that you'll either be waiting at least 18 months to trade up (instead of 12) or else paying more to accelerate the upgrade process.<br /> <br /> It's not strictly a doom-and-gloom scenario, thankfully. More payments should mean lower monthly rates, and Verizon is increasing the per-line discount for lower-cost plans (those with 8GB of data or less) from $10 to $15. You'll have to wait longer if you dutifully obey the payment schedule, then, but you aren't necessarily paying more in the long run. The big problem is simply that this now sounds more like a conventional contract rather than the fast track you were probably expecting -- it's just that the math has changed.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Verizon's Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade

Eyeing an upgrade to the Droid Turbo? An iPhone 6? Maybe the One M8 for Windows? If you're on Verizon's Edge payment program, you...

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Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth

<b>Rarely does Microsoft release an app that isn’t worth your time. For now, however, Surface Hub probably falls into that category.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ux7V083BgXa_QMx_weWCImo8zqhn9aEe27uc19oP8iWpjgxVcCdbPKM42LkxouN6cJLsiG-KsMmPmGe31a47PMwBB9B7wrwyA68vZjmH9n9yySN4YJAw5lHzYfcGJ01RyDkSjFc0ZLWU/s1600/Surface-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ux7V083BgXa_QMx_weWCImo8zqhn9aEe27uc19oP8iWpjgxVcCdbPKM42LkxouN6cJLsiG-KsMmPmGe31a47PMwBB9B7wrwyA68vZjmH9n9yySN4YJAw5lHzYfcGJ01RyDkSjFc0ZLWU/s1600/Surface-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Released over the weekend, Surface Hub is apparently built on a recent Surface Pro 3 update that paved the way for additional pen sensitivity. The app is extremely basic: Users can adjust the sensitivity curve of the pen and change the behavior of the launch button at the top of the pen. That’s it.<br /> <br /> Surface Hub is just an odd app, in general. The launch screen trumpets “GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SURFACE,” but then you have to find the two menu items that hang off the right edge of that screen, requiring you to slide right.<br /> <br /> <b> MICROSOFT</b><br /> <br /> Surface Huib offers the basics and not much more.<br /> <br /> There, you can adjust the sensitivity curve or the launch button. I’m no artist, but the differences in the curve change the thickness of the Surface Pro 3’s pen minimally, at best.<br /> <br /> A small improvement is the option to change the app that launches when you click the button on top of the pen—either the modern OneNote app, or the desktop version. There’s still no way to change what the buttons on the side of the stylus do, however.<br /> <br /> Both functions worked as expected. But unfortunately, after launching the app, my input devices began acting up. Although I was able to launch OneNote (or the desktop version of OneNote) as expected, I switched back to my Web browser. When I tried to type in a new Web address, however, the PC seemed to think I was trying to search for a particular file and opened up the search Charm instead. Concerned that I might have inadvertently tapped a keyboard shortcut or hotkey, I rebooted. <br /> <br /> <b> MARK HACHMAN</b><br /> <br /> So far, you can’t change the functionality of the two buttons modway down the Surface Pro 3 stylus. <br /> <br /> At that point, however, my mouse refused to work, as did the touchpad. Since I had set my Windows 8.1 desktop to open on my (non-touch-enabled) standalone monitor, I had to tap the Windows key + X to allow me to enter the desktop via the menu. At that point, the mouse began working again. User error may have played a role, but it was also annoying for an app to begin behaving unexpectedly, when it already did so very little.<br /> <br /> Many users have already begun complaining that the app itself refuses to recognize their stylii, so it appears there are other problems I didn’t experience. In any event, you might want to check back after Surface Hub gets updated.<br /> <br /> Why this matters: The bottom line is that it seems Surface Hub is more trouble than it’s worth at the moment. But if Microsoft updates it to allow you to configure its buttons and sensitivity—say, like a mouse—then it may prove to be a useful utility. So why didn’t Microsoft release it when all these capabilities were included?</div> <div> <br /></div>

Surface Hub is a stylus configuration app that's more trouble than it's worth

Rarely does Microsoft release an app that isn’t worth your time. For now, however, Surface Hub probably falls into that category. Surface...

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Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

<b>Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’s developing new 802.11ad Wi-Fi technology that can turbocharge network speeds fivefold, from today’s 866Mbps per-device maximum to a blistering 4.6Gbps. At that rate, Samsung says, a 1GB movie file can transfer from one device to another in under 3 seconds.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>The secret sauce: Ditching the crowded 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless channels used by today’s routers and jumping to the 60GHz frequency band.<br /> <br /> Even though you might not have heard of them, neither the futuristic 802.11ad standardnor the idea of using the 60GHz frequency for ultra-fast Wi-Fi are new. But prior implementations have run into a brick wall, both literally and figuratively: 60GHz signals can’t easily penetrate walls. That’s obviously a big problem for real-world usage. Most of the 60GHz-capable "WiGig" accessories you can find today are designed to operate at very, very short ranges as a result.<br /> <br /> But Kim Chang Yong, head of Samsung’s DMC R&D Center, says the company has “successfully overcome the barriers to the commercialization of 60GHz millimeter-wave band Wi-Fi technology.”<br /> <br /> Samsung’s press release says it overcame those physical and metaphorical barriers with "high-performance modem technologies and by developing wide-coverage beam-forming antenna." The WirelessHD and WiGig standards groups have also been trying to improve 60GHz signal performance using beam-forming, a Wi-Fi technology that detects where client devices (like PCs and tablets) are physically located and then sends a focused signal directly at those devices, rather than mindlessly broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal in all directions as most routers do. (Beam-forming is already becoming a common feature in high-end 802.11ac routers.)</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div> <div> <br /> Don’t start saving your pennies for this particular bit of next-gen networking kit just quite yet, however. While Samsung’s press release states that “commercialization is expected as early as next year,” that’s only talking about industry-wide usage of the 60GHz frequency itself—not necessarily the release of Samsung products packing the company’s new technology. A Samsung spokesperson provided the following statement to John Ribeiro of the IDG News Service:<br /> <br /> "As 60GHz is an unlicensed band spectrum globally, along with 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum, industry-level of commercialization is expected as early as next year, but there's nothing we could confirm at this point on when Samsung products supporting 60GHz Wi-Fi will be available in the market."<br /> <br /> It seems 802.11ac routers will have to do for now. Fortunately, there are a slew of compelling options available.<br /> <br /> The story behind the story: The idea of making wireless networks as fast or faster than wired connections holds obvious appeal—the less time you spend waiting for files to transfer, the more stuff you can get done. But while Wi-Fi improvements like Samsung’s new technology should (eventually) turbocharge sharing files, streaming locally stored movies, or playing games across your home network, don’t forget that a fast router won’t magically make your actual Internet connection any faster. Activities like browsing the web or zoning out on the couch and watching Netflix are usually limited by your Internet speed, not your router.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’...

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: the best big-screen phone you can buy right now

<b>What began in 2011 as a brand-new phone category has flourished into one of the most popular in the world. </b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UA2I7v6yORFEvAPYEWTUB3fZu5jvi-FtihL4jceJO4cfUpN83LRDoXrx97302RQIx_hxqVNjxgPQg1LrIDbQmHb3D8-PFucu6nG375V90cI8qVnJAARkeZvptFVf1oFZ5cTC1bu3T43S/s1600/Galaxy-Note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UA2I7v6yORFEvAPYEWTUB3fZu5jvi-FtihL4jceJO4cfUpN83LRDoXrx97302RQIx_hxqVNjxgPQg1LrIDbQmHb3D8-PFucu6nG375V90cI8qVnJAARkeZvptFVf1oFZ5cTC1bu3T43S/s1600/Galaxy-Note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung Galaxy Note 4" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samsung Galaxy Note 4</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Smartphones with big screens (phablets, to some) are now ubiquitous, but it all started with an odd device called the Samsung Galaxy Note. At 5.3 inches, it was a behemoth for its day -- and yet, it sold like hotcakes thanks to its unique S Pen stylus, which provided users with extra functionality, and a copious amount of screen space.<br /> <div> <b><br /></b>Four iterations later, the Note series has continued to grow, mature and dominate the genre. Not only does the latest version, the Galaxy Note 4, come with the snazziest spec sheet on the market, but it also ushers in a fantastic new direction in Samsung's design. It sure sounds like an improvement over last year's model, and it is. Now that Apple's ready to tackle the Note with a large-screen phone of its own, however, is Samsung's baby still the best in its class?</div> </div> </div>

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: the best big-screen phone you can buy right now

What began in 2011 as a brand-new phone category has flourished into one of the most popular in the world.  Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Sma...

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Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99

<b>Remember the Nexus Q? Yeah, we'd rather forget it, too. Google regained its streaming cred with the Chromecast, and now it's looking to offer up another set-top box. The compact Nexus Player will handle streaming, games and run Android apps. An included remote wrangles navigation with voice controls for finding the content you're after on the ASUS-made gadget. For those gaming sessions, a $39 controller can be tacked on as an additional purchase.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgzOTztMAm-XYP5zACKSc_8RFzMlK9CWJgq8_nXEL2vBnmk2aXvRpuJcGWVT2bDclrT3TDD61-DwOVUH9YEiCCZvRBqEYLfv2hW89sIc9gY_lXnBt3SVrX_NQ3Oxbnk4vv4bO3ecO99TD/s1600/Google-Nexus-Player-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgzOTztMAm-XYP5zACKSc_8RFzMlK9CWJgq8_nXEL2vBnmk2aXvRpuJcGWVT2bDclrT3TDD61-DwOVUH9YEiCCZvRBqEYLfv2hW89sIc9gY_lXnBt3SVrX_NQ3Oxbnk4vv4bO3ecO99TD/s1600/Google-Nexus-Player-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> The Nexus Player will offer much of the same functionality as Mountain View's diminutive dongle, adding the ability to leverage those mobile apps as well. It's also the first device to run Android TV, an effort detailed back at I/O and promised to arrive alongside Android L, er... Lollipop. And yes, you'll be able to "cast" stuffs from other devices to your TV. In terms of content options, you can expect Netflix, Hulu, Food Network, Travel Channel and more for now -- but there's no mention of either WatchESPN or HBO Go. Inside, the unit packs a 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of storage and Imagination PowerVR Series 6 graphics. Intel tells us that 64-bit chip is capable of "console-like graphics" alongside 1080p video streaming. As you might expect, the Player will connect to your TV via HDMI with WiFi for grabbing content and Bluetooth for the included remote.<br /> <br /> If all of that sounds somewhat familiar, Amazon's Fire TV touts a similar set of entertainment abilities for the same price. Of course, one taps into Prime Instant Video while the other leverages the Google Play repository. Speaking of cost, the $99 unit will be available on November 3rd, however if you're anxious to lock one down, you can pre-order the Nexus Player on October 17th.</div> <div> <br /></div>

Google's Nexus Player offers streaming and gaming for $99

Remember the Nexus Q? Yeah, we'd rather forget it, too. Google regained its streaming cred with the Chromecast, and now it's looking...

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Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th

<b>Forget the pomp and circumstance that comes with a formal launch event -- Google just outed the new Nexus 6 on its official Android blog, and it's just about everything the rumor mill said the Motorola-made device would be. The Nexus 6 is the first phone to run Android 5.0 Lollipop, and while it might look like a super-sized version of this year's Moto X -- down to the dual speaker grilles and the lock button/volume rocker placement along the phone's edge -- it packs plenty of notable improvements over its smaller, non-Nexus cousin.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDOVSWVEQnMTm5nibPgPoye7F1zgOrKl-RQAY4RRlDjGHheI9KCCDk3ycOzi6EwwexnCaeS6I5v3qiYOxfgXX4MnIYgM0Kb-1XpPs9y_bKSXEyBUtm81dmJ5HmBkpqTEp4FeYNi-iTXaN/s1600/Nexus-6-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDOVSWVEQnMTm5nibPgPoye7F1zgOrKl-RQAY4RRlDjGHheI9KCCDk3ycOzi6EwwexnCaeS6I5v3qiYOxfgXX4MnIYgM0Kb-1XpPs9y_bKSXEyBUtm81dmJ5HmBkpqTEp4FeYNi-iTXaN/s1600/Nexus-6-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> A 5.9-inch Quad HD screen? Check? A more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, clocked at 2.7GHz? You betcha. Hefty 3,220mAh battery? Of course. A camera with optical image stabilization? Sure (though it's still a 13-megapixel sensor). It's as if Motorola addressed nearly every issue we had with the Moto X, and capped things off with a big ol' Nexus logo on the back. In fact, the only component that doesn't seem to have been upgraded is the dual-LED flash on the Nexus 6's back. What's a bit curious is that the Nexus 6 seems to come with at least one Motorola-conceived feature that isn't part of stock Android: Ambient Display debuted on the Moto 360, and fires up the screen when it can tell the user wants to check the time or their notifications.<br /> <br /> That's great and all, but what about the really juicy tidbits? Well, the Nexus 6 will be available with either 32 or 64GB of internal memory (no word on a microSD slot, alas) and you've got your choice of Cloud White and Midnight Blue color schemes. Pre-orders for the Nexus 6 will kick off on October 29th with a full retail launch to follow some time in November, but expect to shell out more than a few pretty pennies for it. You'll be able to nab your own 32GB Nexus 6 sans contract for a whopping $649, making it the most expensive Nexus phone to date (though the decidedly non-Nexus Sony Z Ultra came in at the same price). Itching to pick it up with a little carrier discount? Not to worry: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless will all be getting the Nexus at some point, and if a recent slip-up is any indication, it could be damn cheap. An error on AT&T's site suggested that the 6 could go for as little as $49.99 with a two-year contract -- if true, that'd make the Nexus half the price of the Moto X.</div> <div> <br /></div>

Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th

Forget the pomp and circumstance that comes with a formal launch event -- Google just outed the new Nexus 6 on its official Android blog, an...

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