Monthly Archives: August 2015

Sony’s Q1 profit highest in years, boosted by PS4, camera sensors

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Sony revealed its Q1 financials today, announcing that it reaped its highest first quarter profit since 2007. The company largely has PlayStation 4 software and camera sensors to thank, the latter of which it recently targeted with capital raising and planned production increases. In the quarter running from April to June, Sony saw its operating profit increase 39-percent over the same quarter last year, hitting 96.9 billion yen and beating out analyst estimates. The company foresees camera sensor demands proving fruitful in its future.
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https://www.slashgear.com/sonys-q1-profit-highest-in-years-boosted-by-ps4-camera-sensors-30395006/

Blind Camera Test: Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6 vs LG G4 in low light

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Today we’re conducting a test which will decide the finest of three of the best-rated smartphone cameras on the market today. We’re testing the Apple iPhone 6, the Samsung Galaxy S6, and the LG G4. Today’s test will be a blind test, with each photo cropped to the same pre portions as the others in each individual test. Each camera has been set to Auto mode and HDR has been turned off. While the angles at which these photos have been taken are not exact, they’re very, very close.
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https://www.slashgear.com/blind-camera-test-galaxy-s6-vs-iphone-6-vs-lg-g4-in-low-light-30394787/

Google tipped to be sneaking “Glass EE” into workplaces

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Apparently, not only is Google already working on an “Enterprise Edition” or EE of its Google Glass smart eyewear, it is also already distributing prototypes to people in healthcare and manufacturing industries. In stark contrast to its rather flamboyant revelation of the Google Glass Explorer edition, Google is now all hush hush about this workplace-oriented version. While there still seems to be some interest, if not will, to have a consumer-ready model eventually, Google seems to be content to first improve the wearable’s street cred in the industry.
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https://www.slashgear.com/google-tipped-to-be-sneaking-glass-ee-into-workplaces-31395046/

Apple TV tipped for September, but without TV service

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This year’s WWDC has come and gone and still no sign of the expected, or hoped, refresh of the Apple TV. Well, there’s still September and this time it’s sure to be announced. Or at least that’s what sources familiar with the matter are now saying. But while Apple TV might indeed be the hero of Apple’s Fall event, with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus only taking second stage, it may not arrive the way most are expect. That is, it may not arrive with Apple TV, The Service.
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https://www.slashgear.com/apple-tv-tipped-for-september-but-without-tv-service-31395055/

Windows 10’s first 24 hours nets 14 million installs

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It’s definitely been a busy few days for Microsoft. The jury, or at least most of them, is till out on whether Windows 10 has hit all the marks and early reports are as varied as the colors of the rainbow. That said, that hasn’t stopped the rollout of the update to devices, both for Windows Insiders and regular users and now Microsoft is taking a quick breather just to tell how things have gone and to subtly remind everyone to get their devices ready.
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https://www.slashgear.com/

Silent Circle tries again: Blackphone 2 for Android for Work

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Given all the news about spying and hacking, you’d think mobile users would be more conscientious of their devices and habits, and yet they are none the wiser. Having somewhat failed to corner the consumer market, Silent Circle is now targeting a more reasonable audience: the enterprise. The company will be bringing its “privacy-first” smartphone, now the upcoming Blackphone 2, to the workplace and it won’t be doing so alone. It has enlisted in Google’s Android for Work thrust, hopefully to leave a better mark in the industry.
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https://www.slashgear.com/silent-circle-tries-again-blackphone-2-for-android-for-work-31395048/

These are the first 10 Lumias to get Windows 10 Mobile

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Windows 10 has finally rolled out and some have already gotten their first taste of the brand new OS. The first reviews are coming in and, all in all, it’s a rather mixed bag. But now that desktops and tablets have had their fair share, the more mobile-inclined are perhaps more curious about the smartphone incarnation of Windows 10. When will Windows 10 Mobile descend and on which devices first? Fortunately, it seems that Microsoft has finally spilled the beans on that. Or at least the first beans.
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https://www.slashgear.com/these-are-the-first-10-lumias-to-get-windows-10-mobile-31395040/

Tesla software update with autosteer, parallel autopark almost ready

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Tesla owners who are eager for the next big software update for their electric vehicles may not have much longer to wait. The next update, expected to bring the software to version 7, will enable highway auto-steering functionality and automatic parallel parking, and is almost ready for release. This comes the CEO himself, Elon Musk, via several posts on Twitter early this morning. No firm release date was given, and there’s still one last issue they need to prepare for, but if all goes well we should be downloading the new software soon.
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https://www.slashgear.com/tesla-software-update-with-autosteer-parallel-autopark-almost-ready-31395080/

Satechi BT Cortana Button lands just in time for Windows 10

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One of the big features of Windows 10 that Microsoft has been talking up is the virtual assistant Cortana that will be common across Windows 10 platforms including smartphones and PCs. Satechi has unveiled a product to go along with those Windows 10 devices called the BT Cortana Button. The device is a small black and blue button that users can press to access Cortana without having to turn on the Hey Cortana feature.
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https://www.slashgear.com/satechi-bt-cortana-button-lands-just-in-time-for-windows-10-31395074/

iPhone 6s part leaks reveal camera rings, flex cables, home button

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As Apple is expected to announce its next iPhone in September, as it does every year, production of the device has surely begun by now. With that comes the occasional leak of things like small internal parts, such as what was revealed on Thursday. French site Nowhereelse was first to show images of components that are said to be from the iPhone “6s” and “6s Plus,” including the device’s flex cable, exterior camera ring, and a part from the home button.
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https://www.slashgear.com/iphone-6s-part-leaks-reveal-camera-rings-flex-cables-home-button-31395087/

Toshiba does Windows 10 with Encore 10, Encore 10K

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Here’s another two to add to the quickly growing list of brand new Windows 10devices. Toshiba has just announced two new tablets, actually two variants of the same tablet, designed for both work and study. The Encore 10 is a 10-inch Windows 10 tablet geared for professionals or as companion devices. On the other hand, with a keyboard dock, the Encore 10K 2-in-1 is more targeted at students as well as educators, giving them not only versatility but also longer battery life to meet their needs.
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https://www.slashgear.com/toshiba-does-windows-10-with-encore-10-encore-10k-31395063/

Windows 10 90-day free trail version now available

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While 14 million people or so may have already installed Windows 10, Microsoft’s just-released operating system, you may be curious to try it without wanting to make the full commitment yet. See, while Windows 10 may be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users, installing it will completely overwrite the older OS. Thankfully, Microsoft has made a free, 90-day trial version of Windows 10 Enterprise available, letting users try Windows 10 without completely eliminating their Windows 7 or 8.1 installation.
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https://www.slashgear.com/

Record setting EV reaches 100 km/h in 1.779 seconds

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Students from the University of Stuttgart have landed a Guinness World Record for the fastest acceleration from a standstill. The students set the record in a specially built EV racing car. The driver inside the small car was able to go from a standstill to 100 km/h in 1.779 seconds. The students participating in the record setting run were all part of GreenTeam at the university.

The new record topped the previous by a mere 0.006 seconds. The old record was set by a team of students from ETH Zurich. The vehicle used in the records setting sprint is a 100 kW AWD racing car designed specifically for racing in the Formula Student competitions.
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https://www.slashgear.com/record-setting-ev-reaches-100-kmh-in-1-779-seconds-31395081/

NVIDIA issues Shield tablet recall for overheating batteries

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If you’re an owner of NVIDIA’s Shield tablet and you notice it’s feeling a bit warmer than usual, you should probably turn it off and listen to the company’s notice. The company has just issued a voluntary recall for the 8-inch, Android-based device over concerns about the battery overheating and posing a fire risk. There’s no mention of how many instances there’s been of fire damage, but NVIDIA does ask users to stop using the tablet, except to back up any data and to participate in the recall.
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https://www.slashgear.com/nvidia-issues-shield-tablet-recall-for-overheating-batteries-31395094/

2016 Mazda CX-3 First Drive – Crossover style, Miata spirit

Cars, , , , , , , ,

Mazda wants to make a compact crossover that isn’t boringly earnest, and the 2016 CX-3 is the striking result. Taking on the Honda HR-V, Fiat’s 500X, and Jeep’s Renegade among the other smaller SUVs that have proliferated among city streets in recent months, the CX-3’s promise is that you needn’t sacrifice fun simply because an MX-5 Miata won’t fit all your friends or family. Turns out, they’re actually on to something, though it helps if you tick the right options.
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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-mazda-cx-3-first-drive-crossover-style-miata-spirit-31394919/

Samsung will allow bloatware to be removed but only in China

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Caving in to pressure, or perhaps the threat of a government lawsuit in China,Samsung has revealed that it will be issuing patches that will finally let users uninstall non-essential pre-installed apps, a.k.a. bloatware from their smartphones. This is definitely an unprecedented move for the OEM, one of the worst offenders when it comes to packaging 3rd party services and apps on their devices. Sadly, it’s a development that, at least for now, is localized only in China and doesn’t seem to have any effect on Samsung’s other markets.
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https://www.slashgear.com/samsung-will-allow-bloatware-to-be-removed-but-only-in-china-31395059/

BMW i3 owners offered cash to delay car charging

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If you’re a BMW i3 owner and live in California, you could get paid over $1,000 directly from BMW to not charge your electric vehicle during peak hours. It’s part of a trail program that sees the car company teaming up with PG&E, California’s utility provider, to try to offset heavy demand on the power grids. i3 drivers can basically be compensated for putting off their charging by an hour or more.
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https://www.slashgear.com/

The Gear A will have a rotating bezel, Samsung confirms

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While all eyes are on the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+ for next month’s Samsung event, there is one little guy that will also be vying for the spotlight. And by little, we mean smartwatch size. Yes, the Gear A/Orbis might also be making a debut in two weeks time and it might be Samsung’s most significant smartwatch yet. Unless you consider its other smartwatches significant. And no, it won’t be because of the stubborn Tizen OS inside. This time, it’s all about the bezels.
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https://www.slashgear.com/the-gear-a-will-have-a-rotating-bezel-samsung-confirms-31395061/

This toaster is actually a charging station for mobile devices

Phones, ,

When you really think about it, a toaster would make a great charging station for mobile devices. You could drop multiple phones or mid-size tablets into it, it would keep gadgets standing upright and away from spills and heavy objects being set on top, and it could bake your device to that perfect level of crisp. Well, maybe that last feature wouldn’t be so great, but the rest would! The makers of the Foaster probably thought the same, as they came up with a multi-device charging station that looks just like the everyday kitchen appliance.
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https://www.slashgear.com/this-toaster-is-actually-a-charging-station-for-mobile-devices-31395098/

Amazon Prime Music releases exclusive recordings as ‘Amazon Acoustics’

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The Video portion of Amazon’s Prime service scored its own exclusive this week with the signing of the three ex-Top Gear hosts, but now it’s Music’s turn, as the company debuted an exclusive collection of acoustic recordings. The collection, simply titled Amazon Acoustics, features a wide range of big-name artists and indies, with 32 tracks of both original recordings and covers. While the tunes are exclusive to Amazon, they aren’t just for Prime members, as regular customers can purchase them as well.
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https://www.slashgear.com/amazon-prime-music-releases-exclusive-recordings-as-amazon-acoustics-31395105/

New Apple TV release tipped for iPhone 6s event

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The next Apple TV device has been tipped for reveal this September 2015, set to be revealed alongside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The single event – normally reserved for iPhone devices only – will also demonstrate how the Apple TV will interact with the iPhone collection, bringing the whole Apple Smart Home into focus with an Apple TV-centered HomeKit collection of devices. The reveal of this new Apple TV was contentiously planned – read: rumored – to take place at this year’s WWDC 2015, Apple’s developer conference, but was then said to be pushed back by the same sources that spoke rumors in the first place.
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https://www.slashgear.com/new-apple-tv-release-tipped-for-iphone-6s-event-31395110/

Cecil the Lion 24k Gold limited edition phone revealed

Phones,

To celebrate the life of Cecil the Lion – and to capitalize on his sudden celebrity after being murdered – a 24k gold edition phone has been plated by Goldgenie. To be SUPER CLEAR here, this is Goldgenie’s doing, not the work of the people who made the original phone. According to the company, they plan on donating a portion of the proceeds of this special limited edition phone to Friends of Hwange, benefitting efforts to conserve Zimbabwe. Total proceeds will be around 10-percent of the purchase price of this very extravagant device.
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https://www.slashgear.com/cecil-the-lion-24k-gold-limited-edition-phone-revealed-31395113/

August Smart Lock update adds Apple Watch support

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The August Smart Lock (check out our review) allows users to unlock their door using their smartphone, ditching the key and making the entire process a whole lot easier — especially when you’re trying to get in at night. Today the company announced an update for its iOS app that, it says, adds Apple Watch support into the mix. The Apple Watch functionality extends beyond just locking and unlocking the August Smart Lock, however, including things like notifications about the lock status and option to view its activity log.
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https://www.slashgear.com/august-smart-lock-update-adds-apple-watch-support-31395122/

YotaPhone 2 for US cancelled over ‘unforeseen’ delays

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The YotaPhone 2, a Russian-made smartphone with an LCD front and an e-ink back, launched for US buyers via the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. That crowdfunding campaign proved successful, and by all accounts the oddball two-faced smartphone would eventually be making its way into backers’ hands. Only, it won’t be, at least not in the way backers expected. The company started sending emails to Indiegogo backers today advising them that the planned US release has been cancelled. The reasons, say the company, are “unforeseen delays.”
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https://www.slashgear.com/yotaphone-2-for-us-cancelled-over-unforeseen-delays-31395125/

Game of Thrones S5 downloads arrive early on August 31

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Game of Thrones stands chief among all shows, at least when you look at how many people are pirating it. That piracy was aided by early leaks of season 5 episodes, and all in all HBO is scrambling to squeeze some pocket change from those Internet rebels. As such, it isn’t surprising HBO has decided to launch the digital downloads for season 5 before it releases the Blu-ray and DVD versions (though the network probably won’t cry if you pre-order them anyway). Downloads start next month.
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https://www.slashgear.com/

Camera Test: Moto G 3rd Gen vs Moto G 1st Gen Original

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As the Moto G 3rd generation smartphone is released, second sequel to the original best-selling Motorola phone, we have a look at how its camera stacks up. We’re not comparing this device’s camera to the other hero phones on the market today. We’re not even comparing the Moto G 3rd gen’s camera to the budget smartphones it’s up against. Today we compare the camera on the 3rd Gen Moto G to the original Moto G from 2013. This is for all the original Moto G users that are 2-years into Moto G ownership seriously considering upgrading.
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https://www.slashgear.com/camera-test-moto-g-3rd-gen-vs-moto-g-1st-gen-original-31395179/

Yahoo to acquire social shopping service Polyvore

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Yahoo is gobbling up businesses, and there’s no sign of that slowing down. The latest among its business deals is an agreement to buy the social shopping website Polyvore. The details of the upcoming acquisition’s financial terms were not given, and the deal is said to be subject to certain unspecified closing conditions. Polyvore’s co-founder Jess Lee praised the deal, saying, “I’m delighted to join Yahoo.” Polyvore’s service will keep operating after the Yahoo acquisition goes through.
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https://www.slashgear.com/yahoo-to-acquire-social-shopping-service-polyvore-31395213/

2016 Cadillac CTS-V First Drive – 640 all-American horses

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There’s a moment, just after you start up the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V, when the seat belt gently contracts around you, almost like the 640 horsepower super-sedan is giving you a hug. It’s a reassuring gesture, though a little at odds with the near-simultaneous gurgle from the engine as the exhaust valves flutter. “Sure, I’m 16.5 feet long, weigh more than four thousand pounds, and will catapult to sixty miles per hour in 3.7 seconds and then run all the way to 200 mph,” the Caddy is saying, “but I don’t want to kill you in the process.”
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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-cadillac-cts-v-first-drive-640-all-american-horses-01395128/

Apple and BMW said wary but willing on car collaboration

Cars, ,

Negotiations between Apple and BMW are tipped to reignite, after the German automaker reportedly wowed Tim Cook and other execs with its production talents. The Apple CEO and his colleagues paid an unpublicized visit to BMW last year, reports earlier this week suggested, with Cook attending a meeting at the car company’s HQ, while other execs toured the Leipzig plant. Believed to be on the table, despite denials by BMW, are possible plans to collaborate on a car.
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https://www.slashgear.com/apple-and-bmw-said-wary-but-willing-on-car-collaboration-01395218/