Monthly Archives: August 2015

2016 Nissan Leaf tipped for 110-mile battery option

It’s not uncommon at all for Nissan to bring executives from its various dealers into a special event where they are told about upcoming Nissan products. Nissan holds events where they work to get the brass from their dealership network behind new products. Often these events involve an early look at new vehicles to get dealer feedback and not everyone who is invited can keep their mouth shut.

That is certainly the case with a Nissan dealer from Indiana who allegedly went to one of these events and spilled the beans on an option for the 2016 Nissan Leaf. According to this dealer, the 2016 Leaf will have an option for a larger battery pack. The tip came from the dealership website listing two battery pack options for the car.

Read full post here:
https://www.slashgear.com/2016-nissan-leaf-tipped-for-110-mile-battery-option-18398016/

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ Australian pricing and availability

After revealing its next generation of big screen phones in the US last week, Korean electronics giant Samsung has brought the two new models to Australia, with pre-orders available now ahead of a September 4 sale date.

The two phones are the Galaxy Note 5 and the larger version of the Galaxy S6 Edge launched earlier in the year. Both phones feature a 5.7-inch, 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution screen, with an impressive 518ppi. In fact, the two phones are identical, except for the stylus in the Note 5 and the screen curves that give the Edge+ its name.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-5-and-s6-edge-australian-pricing-and-availability/

Why Apple Pay faces an uphill battle in Australia

Since Apple CEO Tim Cook first announced the launch of Apple Pay in September last year, iFans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the contactless payments system in Australia.

But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the iPhone maker, as new reports suggest Apple may been stuck in negotiations with local banks and experts say the strength of Australia’s current contactless payment landscape could curtail Apple’s local success.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-pay-and-the-battle-for-contactless-payments-in-australia/

Sans top and two seats, Audi TT Roadster equals coupe handling

Compared to its coupe sibling, the 2016 Audi TT roadster loses two seats and reduces luggage room, but in this case, less feels like more as the roadster complements similarly excellent handling with the glory of an open sky overhead.

During an Audi-sponsored press launch near Portland, Oregon, I was afforded a short drive in the TT Roadster, but over a twisty mountain course equal to the best roads over which I had previously piloted the 2016 Audi TT coupe. And I found the handling and ride character equally exhilarating. Actually, it felt more exciting in the beautiful summer day in Oregon wine country, and coupled with the truly panoramic views all around, virtually unobstructed by metal and glass.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2016-audi-tt-roadster-preview/

Meet Mycroft, an open-source smart-home AI platform

The idea of a single product quarterbacking all of the connected gadgets in your home is an appealing one, but smart home hubs from names like Revolv, Staples Connect and Wink have struggled to break through in recent years. One notable exception is Amazon Echo, a smart-home speaker that brings voice control into the picture. Not surprisingly, a new generation of wannabe hubs is putting a similar emphasis on voice control. The newest we’ve seen is Mycroft, presumably named after the fictional elder brother of Sherlock Holmes.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/reviews/mycroft-smart-home-ai-platform-preview/

Denon HEOS 1 review: Wireless multiroom speaker with outdoor options

THE GOOD

The Denon HEOS 1 offers a rugged build and decent audio quality in an affordable package. The HEOS app is easy to use and attractive-looking. The addition of the HEOS Go package for $99 offers a lot of flexibility including battery power, splashproofing and Bluetooth.

THE BAD

The HEOS without the Go pack isn’t as compelling. Setup of wireless requires a proprietary cable. The app can behave oddly and the number of services pales in comparison to Sonos. For audiophiles there’s no high-res support.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/reviews/denon-heos-1-review/

Kia promises new design direction with Sportage in Frankfurt

Kia teased the unveiling of an updated Sportage model today, a redesign for the fourth generation of the small SUV, with renderings that will likely bear little resemblance to the actual car. In an associated press release, Kia touts the “bold, progressive design” of the new Sportage, and promises it shows off “the future face of Kia.”

The Sportage is an important car for Kia, as its practical form factor makes it suitable for worldwide markets. This new version, the Sportage’s fourth generation, was designed in Frankfurt, at Kia’s European design studio. Appropriate to its provenance, Kia will unveil the production Sportage at the Frankfurt auto show next month.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/kia-promises-new-design-direction-with-sportage-in-frankfurt/

Ford may be losing interest in Taurus sedan

Ford may again be thinking of pulling the plug on its full-size Taurus sedan, according to Automotive News.

 Though Ford won’t comment on that possibility, it has devoted few resources to updating the Taurus – which must compete against Chevy’s stylish Impala sedan and the appealing Toyota Avalon.

Moreover, a redesigned Taurus unveiled in April will be sold only in China.

Taurus sales in the U.S. were down 28 percent through July.

Read full post here:
https://www.dallasnews.com/

Mozilla launches Webmaker app for Android

Mozilla announced Monday that its Webmaker app for Android has come out from beta, after initially presenting the feature in June.

The app has been designed “to empower first-time smartphone users and mobile-first users as active participants on the Web,” according to Mozilla.

Webmaker for Android is intended to be easy to understand for all users. The app will help any user who has a device with a browser to build web apps and original content.

Read full post here:
https://www.news18.com/

HTC Is Now Essentially Worthless (And Insecure)

Internet hyperbole (and financial analysis) have rendered HTC, a once high-flying mobile brand, essentially valueless. In short, the company is trading below cash on hand. So if you bought all HTC stock, the company would have to pay you, the buyer, to take it over. This means the company’s factories, stock and brand are worth nothing, at least on Wall Street.

Furthermore, the researchers have discovered that the HTC One Max has been keeping fingerprint biometrics used to unlock the cellphones in an unencrypted “world-readable” file, a definite no-no in the world of security. Hackers could easily open the file /data/dbgraw.bmp on the phone’s memory and capture your fingerprint data.

Read full post here:
https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/10/htc-is-now-essentially-worthless-and-insecure/

Samsung unveils 15TB SSD based on densest flash memory

Samsung has developed a 15.36TB solid-state drive (SSD) based on a 2.5-in. form factor, the same size drives used in today’s laptops.

The new 15.36TB (model PM1633a) SSD was among a group of new SSDs Samsung unveiled at the Flash Memory Summit this week. While the other drives weretouted in a statement from the company, the PM1633a was only mentioned during a keynote presentation by Samsung officials.

Read full post here:
https://www.computerworld.com/article/2971482/samsung-unveils-15tb-ssd-based-on-densest-flash-memory.html

Capcom Shuts Down Fan-Made Resident Evil 2 Remake

While few will discredit the appeal of a brand new IP, there’s something to be said about re-experiencing an old classic. Whether it’s from a few decades or even a few years ago, games from previous generations have stuck with us, to the point the gaming industry has become obsessed with remakes and remasters.

However, while plenty of classic and popular games have either already had their upgrade, or are in the pipeline for said upgrade, even more are left waiting in the wings. Just look at how long Rockstar Games fans have been waiting for a PC port/remake of Red Dead Redemption, despite the numerous requests and petitions.

Read full post here:
https://gamerant.com/resident-evil-2-remake-fan-shut-down-518/

Mercedes-Benz unveils C-Class Coupe ahead of September 2015 debut

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the C-Class Coupe ahead of its September debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015. This is Mercedes’ answer to the BMW 4 Series and the Audi A5. The C-Class Coupe’s design cues lean heavily on the S-Class Coupe. But where the S-Class Coupe sits wider and sleeker, the C-Class Coupe is a shorter and a little taller.

On the inside, this new coupe shares the layout and features of the latest C-Class. With respect to the engine, the C-Class Coupe will be offered with both petrol and diesel engines. The 1.6-litre petrol will be available only in the C180 and produces 156PS. However, the 2.0-litre petrol is offered in three states of tune.

Read full post here:
https://www.firstpost.com/

Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and Z2 With Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Update – Features and Bug Fixes

This just in: a new update will be unveiled by Sony and it will roll out for the Xperia devices. This update will also fix the Stagefright glitches that were discovered.

Even though the latter upgrade is pretty much based on the Android Lollipop 5.1.1 variant, the build number is enhanced from 546 to 23.4.A.0.580.

These are the following Xperia devices that will receive the update: Xperia Z3 (D6603 variant), Z3 Compact (D5803 variant) as well as the Z2 (D6503 variant). The big release will happen in Three Austria and it will also arrive to Vodafone subbies located in Spain and UK.

Read full post here:
https://neurogadget.net/2015/08/18/sony-xperia-z3-z3-compact-and-z2-with-android-5-1-1-lollipop-update-features-and-bug-fixes/12771

Lotus reveals limited edition Exige

Don’t expect see many Lotus Exige 360 Cup sports cars in New Zealand.

The company has unveiled the 360 – a redefined and more powerful version of the Exige V6 Cup – with news that worldwide production will be limited to just 50 examples.

Importers to this part of the world, European Automotive Imports have yet to make a decision on whether any will be made available in New Zealand or Australia.

Read full post here:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/

Moto X Style, Moto X Play, and Moto G on sale in Australia

Motorola has reminded us how much we are enslaved by our phones as it launches three handsets in Australia.

According to the company’s research, 36 per cent of us sleep with our phone in our bed and 27 per cent fear losing our phones more than being attacked by sharks or spiders.

Armed with these insights, the now Lenovo-owned company seemed in a bullish mood with the announcement of the three handsets.

Read full post here:
http://heraldsun.com.au

Huawei Nexus X detailed in render leaks

Google has been tipped to be revealing two new “Nexus” smartphones in the near future, one made by LG, the other by Huawei. For the moment we’re calling them “Nexus X” devices, X representing the unknown. The images you’re about to see come from the same source that brought you earlier LG Nexus X images that just days later turned out the be strikingly accurate. What you’re looking at here is a larger device with a 5.7-inch display and specifications that are rather similar to the Huawei Honor 6 Plus.

Read full post here:
https://www.slashgear.com/huawei-nexus-x-detailed-in-render-leaks-17397779/

Volkswagen has spent two years trying to hide a big security flaw

Thousands of cars from a host of manufacturers have spent years at risk of electronic car-hacking, according to expert research that Volkswagen has spent two years trying to suppress in the courts.

“Keyless” car theft, which sees hackers target vulnerabilities in electronic locks and immobilisers, now accounts for 42 per cent of stolen vehicles in London. BMWs and Range Rovers are particularly at-risk, police say, and can be in the hands of a technically minded criminal within 60 seconds.

Read full post here:
https://www.theage.com.au/

‘Phantasy Star Online 2’ Is Coming To PS4 Next Year

The PC continuation of the long running Phantasy Star Online series will finally make its way to PS4 sometime next year.

The game was released on PC back in 2012 and is ostensibly an attempt to bring the series inline with a more free to play type business model.

Currently Phantasy Star Online 2 has only seen a release within Asia, though there are English patches available.

Read full post here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/08/17/phantasy-star-online-2-is-coming-to-ps4-next-year/#61e092ca33b5

Toyota’s new truck makes off-roading simpler — ‘more civilized’

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma is offering computerized ‘crawl control,’ so off roading is much easier. All drivers need to do is steer.

Toyota has a lot riding on the new Tacoma. While Toyota has dominated the midsize pickup truck segment with Tacoma, General Motors Co. rejoined the segment last year with Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, and both have proven to be strong sellers.

Read full post here:
https://fortune.com/

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Remakes Iconic ‘Mad World’ Trailer for Launch

With Gears of War: Ultimate Edition hitting the Xbox One on August 25, Microsoft lifted the lid on a new trailer. This time, it uses the same music as the iconic ‘Mad World’ trailer that went viral around the time the first game hit back in 2006.

“The upcoming release of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition just wouldn’t be complete without the return of ‘Mad World.’ So today, Xbox has released the official launch trailer for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, featuring the ‘Mad World’ trailer for the original Gears of War reimagined with all new in-game footage – showcasing the first Gears at its very best,” said the company in a blog post.

Read full post here:
https://www.ndtv.com/

Dell doubles down on quality for new Chromebook

At a time when other PC makers are looking to attract new customers through cut-price Windows 10 notebooks, Dell has taken the original affordable portable computer, the Chromebook, and turned it into a truly premium device.

It’s not the company’s first Chromebook, but the Dell Chromebook 13 is its first based on Google’s operating system to be aimed first and foremost at business users.

Read full post here:
http://mysinchew.sinchew.com.my/

PlayStation Experience 2015 announced for San Francisco

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/ENd5WaAQ_fI” autoplay=”yes”]

Last year’s PlayStation Experience 2014 proved to be quite a hit for Sony. So much so that it wants to do it again, albeit with a change in venue. The show will be moving away from Las Vegas and into Moscone West in San Francisco on Dec. 5 and 6.

Once again, Sony will be bringing all of its biggest hits and plenty of the indies that it has thrown its weight behind over the last year. Ticket prices have also been dropped down to $60 for those who register before Sept. 20, and $75 for those after, making it more accessible to all.

Read full post here:
https://www.technobuffalo.com/playstation-experience-2015-announced-for-san-francisco

BlackBerry India launches Porsche smartphone at Rs 99,990

Canadian handset maker BlackBerry Inc on Friday said that it has started selling custom-built Porsche Design P’9983 Graphite Smartphone in India for Rs 99,990 per unit.

“This smartphone is custom-built for power professionals aiming to make a style statement while not willing to compromise on effective communication and collaboration,” BlackBerry India Director for Sales and Distribution Hitesh Shah said in a statement.

Read full post here:
https://zeenews.india.com/

Xiaomi sells 800,000 Redmi Note 2 units in mere 12 hours

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 2 in China last week and the tablet went on sale yesterday and the company has managed to sell 800,000 handsets in mere 12 hours. The announcement wad made on Weibo and also stated that the device will go on sale once again on 24 August.

The company is expected to launch the device in India as well. Xiaomi will hold an event in New Delhi on 19 August where it is expected to release the MIUI 7 too.

Read full post here:
https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/800000-units-of-xiaomi-redmi-note-2-sold-in-mere-12-hours-3670719.html

IBM makes ‘biggest code drop’ as Canonical and Suse tie-up brings better Linux to mainframes

IBM HAS ANNOUNCED what it describes as the single biggest donation of mainframe code to the open source community, despite reeling from even more financial losses.

Over 250,000 lines of code are being dropped, including predictive analytics code which appears in other IBM systems. This technology can now be transferred into other Linux builds.

The result is two Linux mainframe servers, one of which will be called LinuxOne, which are set to be the most powerful of their type ever produced.

Read full post here:
https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2422249/ibm-makes-biggest-code-drop-as-canonical-and-suse-tie-up-brings-linux-to-mainframes

Fujifilm FinePix AX655 Review

The FUJIFILM AX655 16 Megapixels Digital Electronic camera provides you a quickly mobile means to take photos as well as video clips of essential areas, individuals and occasions.

A digital camera with 5x optical zoom, it can catch both far-away as well as close-up tries.

A TFT LCD display makes it simple to mount your chances with the FUJIFILM Digital Electronic camera and makes sure that you don’t miss essential details.

A built-in flash helps you take brilliant and also clear pictures, while a rechargeable electric battery allows you occupy to 420 photos on one charge.

As soon as you’ve taken your photos with the FUJIFILM AX655 16 Megapixels Digital Cam, you could publish them to your COMPUTER or Mac in JPEG format and also discuss them with close friends or make published copies.

FUJIFILM AX655 Digital Camera with 16 Megapixels and 5x Optical Zoom:
Portable way to take photos and videos of important places, people and events
Digital camera with 5x optical zoom
Captures both far-away and close-up shots
TFT LCD screen makes it easy to frame your shots
Built-in flash
Rechargeable battery lets you take up to 420 pictures on one charge.

Fujifilm FinePix AX655 – 16 Megapixel Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom, HD 720p Video Recording, 2.7″ LCD Display – Black (Certified Refurbished)

The FujiFilm FinePix AX655 16.0 Megapixel Digital Camera gives you an easily portable way to take photos and videos of important places, people and events. A super compact & lightweight digital camera with 5x optical zoom, it can capture both far-awa

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/geAdFA9MRjE” autoplay=”yes”]

(xtreamgadgets.com)

Samsung’s latest wireless headphones tout beyond-CD quality

Wireless headphones and flawless audio quality don’t usually mix (you’re usually compressing the sound signal to send it over the air), but Samsung thinks it can give this blend a shot.

Its newly introduced Level On Wireless Pro headphones include “Ultra High Quality Audio” that supposedly delivers higher-than-CD fidelity whether or not you’re plugged in.

 

That seems promising on the surface, but you may have a hard time hearing the difference unless you’re a music producer or otherwise meet some specific conditions.

You’ll need a device that supports UHQA (such as the Galaxy Note 5 orGalaxy S6 Edge+), and you’ll need to shop at a service like Pono’s to get the right source material.

These might sound no better than other headphones in typical conditions, even if you listen to lossless music from the likes of Tidal — that’s merely matching CD quality, not exceeding it.

Otherwise, you’re looking at much of the same experience that you’d get with the garden variety Level On Wireless. That means active noise cancelling, touch-sensitive controls and a “prestigious” design with extra-comfortable cushions — the only sacrifice is a dip in battery life from 11 hours to 10 when you’re using both Bluetooth and noise reduction.

Samsung hasn’t said when the Pro model ships or how much it’ll cost, but it’s likely to carry a premium over the $250 of the regular cord-free version.

(engadget.com)

Motorola’s next smartwatch might come in small and large sizes

The Moto 360 is one of the more stylish Android Wear timepieces, but it does have a couple of drawbacks — one being that its circular 1.56-inch display can look a little large on some people’s wrists.

Our own Nicole Lee levied this criticism in Engadget’s review, but it seems Motorola has been taking notes for its successor. Regulatory documents filed with Brazil’s Anatel telecommunications agency have revealed two new devices sporting the model numbers “360S” and “360L.”

Read full post here:
https://www.engadget.com/2015/08/17/moto-360-sucessor-two-sizes/

Immersive Virtual Reality gaming center opens in Australia

A new gaming center has opened its doors in Melbourne, Australia, and it’s not quite your typical after-school haunt. This place, called Zero Latency, offers true immersive virtual reality experience: if you want to kill zombies, you’ll literally have to walk/run around, aim and shoot a VR gun.

CNET got to try it out before launch and found that the center uses a 4,300-square-foot warehouse covered in a white-grid pattern and equipped with 129 PlayStation Eye cameras.

Read full post here:
https://www.engadget.com/2015/08/16/zero-latency-virtual-reality-gaming-center/