Samsung Galaxy S6 has the best smartphone display ever
The Galaxy S6 is getting a strong reception from critics, and another tick in the box is the latest rating from DisplayMate, the screen testing experts.
Indeed, DisplayMate has just crowned the Galaxy S6’s display as the best in the smartphone world -- albeit tied with Samsung’s own Galaxy Note 4.
GCHQ does not engage in indiscriminate blanket surveillance
When Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the activities of the NSA, it sparked a global interest in how internet traffic is monitored. The UK's Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament today published a report into online surveillance carried out by GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 after an 18-month inquiry.
Among the findings is the conclusion that surveillance is legal, but an overhaul is needed to increase transparency. The suggestion that GCHQ's interception of emails "does not equate to blanket surveillance, nor does it equate to indiscriminate surveillance" is likely to be met with skepticism. But what's likely to raise more eyebrows is the revelation that the agency has apparently managed to crack encryption.
LG: Apple has it right -- smartwatches should be a fashion item first, gadget second
During the Wearable Technology Show in London, LG’s head of business development Justin Jungsup Lee spoke about smartwatches, early adopters and sales.
Speaking in front of a packed out room in the LG keynote, Lee said that smartwatches should be more of a fashion item, and less of a gadget. And least of all, a smartphone accessory.
Acer Aspire V Nitro Black Edition notebooks now have NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M option
Not all laptops are created equal. Case in point, the new Chromebook Pixel and MacBook. Both are unique and beautiful, but under-powered too, albeit in different ways. The MacBook is a bit anemic in its hardware, while the Pixel is limited by its operating system. With that said, they will meet the needs of some users.
For those looking for raw power and function instead of thinness and portability, Windows-based gaming laptops are the route to go. Even if you do not game, these models are usually very powerful overall. Today, Acer announces a refresh of its existing powerful Aspire V Nitro Black Edition laptops, by offering NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M discrete graphics as an option. Yeehaw!
Alfred turns unused smartphones into surveillance cams
Do you have an unused Android smartphone? It might be yesterday’s model, but Alfred can give it new life, turning the device into your very own home surveillance camera.
Setup starts by running Alfred on the phone you’ll be using as a monitor. Configure it as the camera, and log in with your Google account.
Nest looking to make a move into home audio
Nest, the home automation company that designs and manufactures sensor-driven, Wi-Fi-enabled, self-learning, programmable thermostats and smoke detectors, is making a move into home audio.
A recruitment add appeared on the Nest website, seeking a "highly technical Head of Audio to lead the development of Nest Audio across hardware and software, present and future".
No sex please, I'm checking my emails (and then updating Facebook)
According to a new survey from Durex and Durham University’s Center for Sex, Gender and Sexualities, a large portion of us are more likely to be seduced by the lure of our smartphones than our partners.
40 percent of couples admitted to delaying sex because of smartphones or tablets, while others said they’d raced through the act in order to respond to messages. One third of respondents admitted to interrupting sex in order to answer the phone (because, you never know, it might be the spouse calling to find out where you are).
Cyber attacks rise as confidence in avoiding them falls
According to a new survey by the CyberEdge Group although IT security spending is increasing, confidence is falling, with the majority of respondents expecting to be breached in the next 12 months.
The survey of more than 800 security decision makers and practitioners finds that more than 70 percent of respondents' networks had been breached in 2014, which is a 62 percent increase from the previous year.
According to Nielsen SVOD is the choice of couch potatoes everywhere
Nielsen has been tracking the TV viewing habits of Americans practically since the invention of the tube. In recent years the polling company has had to adapt its operations to fit with newer technology that is increasingly being used by customers to satisfy their video needs.
That now seems to be leaning dramatically towards subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD). A new report states that this form of entertainment is winning across the board, and the numbers aren't even particularly close in this poll.
Bidding farewell to Google's Nexus 5
When looking for an affordable high-end smartphone the other day Google's Nexus 5 was an obvious option. Even one and a half years after its launch, its hardware is still more than capable of running all the latest apps and games, while the camera can still be considered a decent shooter. The downside of going with Nexus 5 -- as with previous Nexus smartphones -- is battery life, which falls short of the competition. So I ended up getting something else.
It turned out to be a smart move, as Google just pulled Nexus 5 from its online store, after five months of coexisting with its latest flagship smartphone, Nexus 6. If you still want to get one then you will have to look at retailers and some carriers, which are likely to carry Nexus 5 for at least a few more months (until LG stops production and/or existing stock is depleted.)
BBC Micro Bit is a free Raspberry Pi alternative for kids
It’s no secret that the Raspberry Pi has its roots in the microcomputers of the 1980s. And one device in particular inspired the creation of the massively popular barebones system -- the BBC Micro. Auntie Beeb’s computer was available in two models -- A, and B -- as is the Raspberry Pi.
Interestingly, while the BBC Micro inspired the Raspberry Pi, the Raspberry Pi has now inspired a new BBC Micro -- the Micro Bit.
BetterCloud provides added security for Google Apps
There's no doubt that cloud office platforms offer gains in productivity and easier collaboration, but they also present challenges for information security teams who need to limit content sharing.
For organizations that must comply with industry regulations like HIPAA this can lead to significant legal risk which, until now, was extremely difficult to mitigate.
Reporters Without Borders unblocks access to censored websites
Online censorship is rife. In many countries, notably China, citizens are prevented from accessing certain websites at the behest of their government. To help provide access to information and unbiased news, freedom of information organization Reporters Without Borders has set up mirrors to nine censored websites so they can be accessed from 11 countries that blocked them.
As part of Operation Collateral Freedom, Reporters Without Borders is mirroring the likes of The Tibet Post International which is blocked in China, and Gooya News which is blocked in Iran. Mirrored sites are hosted on Amazon, Microsoft and Google servers which are unlikely to be blocked by a censoring country.
New online tool simplifies project management for smaller enterprises
Project management can be daunting, especially for smaller organizations with limited resources or lack of expertise to use complex tools.
Dallas-based project and professional services automation specialist Vorex is launching an updated version of its cloud-based platform which offers new and enhanced features that aim to help SMBs better manage and grow their businesses, while increasing profitability.
Xiaomi Mi Pad launches in India for Rs 12,999 ($200), offers better specs than iPad mini 3
In addition to the Redmi 2 smartphone, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi also launched its Android tablet Mi Pad in India today. The highlight of the Mi Pad is its top-of-the-line specifications that includes an iPad mini Retina Display-alike screen, and Nvidia Tegra K1 processor (same as used in the Nexus 9) at the enticing Rs 12,999 ($200) price tag.
As for the specifications, the Mi Pad sports a 7.9-inch display with 2048×1536 screen resolution, flaunting 326PPI and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection over it. Inside the device sits a 2.2GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 processor and 192-core Kepler GPU paired with 2GB of RAM, and 16GB internal storage with support for microSD that can add up to 128 gigs storage to the device.
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