Microsoft doubles free OneDrive space to 30GB playing on iOS 8 issues

Apple released its iOS 8 update earlier this week, but a
number of iPhone and iPad owners ran into problems
with the amount of free storage required to install the
latest operating system. Microsoft is taking advantage of
these issues by doubling its free OneDrive storage to
30GB today. "We’ve been listening to the commentary
about storage on the new iPhones released today and
we wanted to get you more storage right away," explains
OneDrive program manager Douglas Pearce. "We think
you’ll appreciate having more free storage while setting
up your iPhone 6 or upgrading to iOS 8."
DESIGNED FOR IPHONE USERS STRUGGLING TO UPGRADE
TO IOS 8
The cheeky offer, available until the end of September,
sees Microsoft raise its OneDrive camera roll bonus from
3GB to 15GB, providing you enable photo or video
backup to OneDrive from the iOS app. "For those getting
ready to install iOS8, this means you won’t have to
delete a bunch of photos or apps to make room for the
upgrade," notes Pearce. Some iOS 8 upgrades require as
much as 7GB of free space, so iPhone and iPad users
have had to delete apps and photos to make way for the
update, or install it via iTunes to avoid the space
problems. Microsoft also appears to be targeting iPhone
6 owners who opted for 16GB models.
If you’re not an iPhone or iPad user then Microsoft is
still upgrading your OneDrive space. Android and
Windows Phone users that have already enabled the
camera roll backup functionality will be automatically
upgraded to 15GB of OneDrive space. If you haven’t
enabled the camera backup then you’ve got until the end
of September to switch it on to receive 15GB of free
OneDrive storage on iOS, Windows Phone, and Android.

Alibaba and the rise of China's internet giants

For years, Westerners pictured it as the creation of a
snake charmer from a Persian souk. But this week,
when the Alibaba Group prices its initial public
offering (IPO), even the most indolent observer should
get a major jolt. If anyone wants proof of the manner in
which the balance of power in the technology world is
shifting from the US towards China, the stock-market
launch of Alibaba offers irrefutable evidence.
Forget about the fact that Alibaba’s IPO could be the
largest offering ever staged in the US; forget that
Alibaba’s cash balance will swell by at least another
$20 billion; forget the idea that Jack, the first name of
the company’s principal founder, now joins the other
12-figure first names of the internet – Larry, Mark,
Pony and Jeff; just look at the numbers and ponder
the implications.
After the IPO, the twitterati estimate that Alibaba will
probably have a market value of around $200 billion.
This will make it the world’s fifth-most-valuable TMT
(Technology, Media and Telecom) company behind
Apple ($614 billion), Google ($387 billion), Microsoft
($382 billion) and China Mobile ($259 billion). Peer a
little closer and this list reveals more. The top fifty
TMT companies, after Alibaba’s IPO, will have a
combined market value of about $6.1 trillion. Thirty
years ago US companies accounted for the vast
majority of this number. Today the US share has fallen
to about 66%. The Chinese share has climbed to 10%.
A similar compilation of internet companies is even
more riveting. After the Alibaba IPO, the aggregate
value of the world’s largest 50 internet companies will
be about $1.7 trillion, of which about $530 billion is
accounted for by Chinese companies formed in the
past 15 years. Today, 15 of the world’s 50 most
valuable – and imposing – internet companies are
Chinese which, beyond Alibaba, include Tencent,
Baidu, JD.com, VIP Shops, Qihoo and CTrip. Add up
the combined value of a handful of companies brewed
in the US – eBay, Twitter, Netflix and Priceline – and
you would still require about another $20 billion in
order to match Alibaba’s market capitalization.
Beneath the surface, there are some less obvious
trends. Thanks to the market opportunity on their back
doorstep, Chinese internet companies have not
wandered far from home. It will be far easier for them
to expand in the US – organically and through
acquisition or investments – than for their American
counterparts to do the same in China. The US
companies will point accusatory fingers at regulators
but, in the past decade, most of their problems in
China have been self-inflicted – selection of the
wrong people; the assumption that what worked in
America will work elsewhere; and, of course, a reliance
on English as the mother tongue.
The fact that the Chinese companies listed among the
global TMT top 50 are a group of internet businesses,
the two major domestic carriers – China Mobile, China
Telecom – and Hon Hai, the electronic manufacturing
company, should cause other technology leaders
restless nights. Just because no Chinese
semiconductor, networking, enterprise software or
storage companies are included in the 2014 list is no
guarantee that this will hold true in 2024.
Sequoia funds may have investment positions in
companies mentioned.

Free App of the week "Real steel"

Reliance Big Entertainment’s popular action game Real
Steel has gone free through next Thursday as Apple’s
App of the Week. Real Steel, based on the Dreamworks
movie, starring Hugh Jackman, takes place in a secret
world where boxing has gone high-tech in the not-so-
distant future.
Players lead their robot to greatness, fighting off steel
opponents weighing over 2,000 pounds and reaching
up to 8 feet tall. Real Steel features rich gameplay and
high replay value including new Tournament and
Survival Modes. Choose your fighter from a selection of
over 33 robots, including movie champions Atom and
Zeus.
The game receives frequent updates with new content
packs and other features for strong replay value.
The full features list from the App Store:
“Choose your fighter from a selection of 33 Robots!
Including Movie Champions – Atom & Zeus!
Choose from Tag Team, Challenges, Tournament,
Survival & Free Sparring to fight!
Unlock 8 Special Edition Robots for completing Each
Game Mode!
New Tag Team Mode – 3 vs 3!
Build Customized Robots with your very own Build
Your Own Robot [BYOR] Feature!
Multiple Battle Arena Environments”
Real Steel is free on the App Store for iPhone, iPad
and iPod touch, but only for the next week. A number
of in-app purchases are available.

Iphone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus goes on sale in pictures

New Microsoft Mobile Devices website launched

Nokia.com is being retired in favor of a new Microsoft-
branded site.
When users visit the Nokia.com UK site, they are
informed that "Nokia devices and services have moved
to a new website" and are urged to "step inside our new
home." While the Nokia.com page still shows some
basic information on Lumia handsets, the new site offers
a richer, fuller pallet of pitches on what Microsoft is
offering a la Lumia.
The news was tweeted to the world by the Nokia UK
team.
Interestingly, the US Nokia site is still operating as
normal and it's not clear when the changeover might be
made there.
The newly minted Microsoft Mobile Devices site is
simple in its structure, featuring big images and pages
focused on phones and tablets , accessories, apps, and
support.
The shift away from the old Nokia.com way of doing
things comes after Microsoft confirmed that it will phase
out the Nokia name , deciding instead to keep just
"Lumia" as the central branding for its mobile products.
A leak earlier this month also suggested that Microsoft
is planning to ditch the "Phone" from its "Windows
Phone" branding and will instead use just "Windows" for
its products. Microsoft has yet to confirm that's the
case, and on its new Mobile Devices page, the company
still lists "Windows Phone" for the operating system
running on Nokia products.
The Nokia branding is also still living on the site.
Microsoft acquired Nokia's devices and services
business earlier this year for $7.2 billion. Since that
time, it has announced a series of layoffs that include
the departure of 12,500 employees who came aboard in
the Nokia acquisition.
CNET has contacted Microsoft for more information on
the transition away from Nokia.com. We will update this
story when we have more information.

Google and Larry page committed to change the world

Many companies and CEOs claim that they want to
change the world, but Google and Larry Page seem to be
truly committed. Beyond Google's core business, Larry
Page has started projects to "cure" death (Calico), and
now we're hearing about Google Y (which is part of
Google 2.0) which has even more grand ideas to improve
the world.
Page reportedly wants to take on more long-term
projects, and with Google 2.0 wants to tackle the
biggest challenges facing humanity and how Google can
help overcome them. Calico is part of that initiative,
since death is probably one of the top "challenges" of
being human (if you see death that way). According to
The Information , Larry Page hasn't yet created the
Google Y research lab, but has proposed the idea.
Google Y would take on projects like creating a more
efficient airport, and even building a model city.
Those seem like pretty large scale ideas, but the plans
for Google 2.0 and the Y lab can get very small as well.
Page reportedly wants to get location tracking to be
precise "down to the inches." The idea appears to be to
create something like iBeacon, so you could identify
those close by, and get personalized service while
shopping. There are also plans for biometric security to
replace traditional passwords, but that is something that
has been on Page's mind for a while now.
It is incredibly impressive to see Larry Page attempting
to honestly change the world, especially since so far
he's been able to convince investors to let him work on
these projects that don't necessarily have traditional
business plans behind them.

Twitter overhauls its UI in iphone

While many different apps were updated on
Wednesday, September 18 to follow in sync with the
public release of iOS 8, some companies waited, like
Twitter. The company has officially updated their
social networking app, though, to take advantage of
some iOS 8 features, and put a bigger focus on
profiles.
The update was detailed via their public blog, and
dives into the new profiles that will be displayed in the
iOS Twitter app from here on out, as long as you’re on
iOS 7 or later. With the new profiles, it’s all about the
content, with the user’s bio right there on the front
screen, and no longer a swipe away. On top of that,
you’ll also see more prominent displays of tweets sent,
and pictures uploaded to the network.
“You can see a bio as soon as you get to the profile
— it’s no longer a swipe away. The timelines for
Tweets, photos and favorites are easy to get to, and
you can access them from wherever you are in that
profile. “
As a final note, Twitter also mentions (as if it’s just a
passing piece of functionality) that Twitter for iOS 8
now supports interactive notifications. So, if you use
the stock Twitter app, you’ll now be able to Reply,
Retweet, Follow, Favorite and more right from the push
notification you’ll receive on your device.

"better than bigger Sony xperia Z3 compact promoted over iphone 6

Apple has been marketing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6
Plus as “bigger than bigger” since announcing the two
smartphones at the Flint Center last week. Sony has
taken advantage of the catchphrase by tweeting out a
new ad that promotes its upcoming Xperia Z3 Compact
as “better than bigger,” an obvious play on words and
subtle poke at Apple.
Sony advertises that the Xperia Z3 Compact features
two-day battery life, waterproofing and a 20.7-
megapixel camera, all of which the iPhone does not
offer. The smartphone has a 4.6-inch display, which is
just slightly smaller than the 4.7-inch model iPhone 6,
and is expected to launch in the United States soon.
Sony is the latest handset maker to mock the iPhone 6
and iPhone 6, which is unsurprising given the
unprecedented demand for the smartphones. Apple
received a total of 4 million pre-orders for the iPhone
6 and iPhone 6 Plus just one day after the
smartphones became available for purchase, and
demand should remain strong through the holidays.
Samsung has also been on the aggressive against the
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus since they were unveiled,
releasing at least a half-dozen ads targeting the
smartphones. In one of its latest ads, the South
Korean handset maker mocked Apple for launching the
iPhone 6 Plus because they seemingly claim to have
invented the large screen .
While these ads might generate a few additional sales
for Sony and Samsung, it is clear that both recognize
the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as a huge threat. The
lack of a larger screen on iPhones was one reason why
many smartphone users flocked to Android, but that is
no longer a valid excuse with the new 4.7-inch and
5.5-inch screens.

Android L difficult for law enforcement officials

The next version of Google's Android operating system,
known as Android L, will automatically encrypt user data
out of the box, making it more difficult for law
enforcement officials and security personnel to access
your personal data. Though Android has had optional
encryption for devices for some time now, next month's
Android software update will be the first time that
encryption will be turned on out of the box for all users.
Google's announcement follows Apple's announcement
that it neither stores nor has access to personal
information from its iOS and Mac OS X users. Both
companies are feeling public pressure in an era of
increased NSA surveillance , and Google's announcement
will help it distance itself from government snooping, a
move that could help Android gain further adoption in
the government and enterprise space.
The negative consequence, according to the Washington
Post, is that law enforcement officials warn that it may
be difficult to solve crime:
Expanded deployment of encryption by Google and
Apple, however, will have the largest effect on law
enforcement officials, who have long warned that
restrictions on their access to electronic devices makes
it much harder for them to prevent and solve crimes.
Additionally, due to the fact that Google's software
update releases trickle down to users, it may take some
time for older devices to benefit from the encryption.
New devices, like the rumored HTC Nexus 9 tablet and
the much-speculated Motorola-made Nexus phone,
should ship with Android L out of the box and will have
encryption automatically enabled.

World's largest advertisement

This isn't something you usually brag about — LG has
announced it now has the Guinness World Record for
the largest billboard advertisement ever made. The
advertisement, which is right outside the Riyadh
International Airport in Saudi Arabia, is two football
fields long and stretches along a road leading into the
airport. LG says it expects a good number of the 20
million people who visit the area to see the billboard.
That's a pretty impressive feat, and one that meets the
lofty goal of living up to the airport, which is pretty
impressive in itself. This just isn't something we're
going to see every day — kudos, LG.

Teardown of iphone 6 plus reveals battery

After launching a new device, a few different things
tend to happen. First, we get to see images of the
launch circulate over the ‘net, and then the inexorable
drop tests always surface. The teardown is part of the
equation as well.
According to iFixit, the site predominantly known for
the teardown treatment of many devices, the iPhone 6
Plus shares quite the striking resemblance to the
iPhone 5s. The layout is similar, yes, but the size is
obviously much bigger. More to the point, the battery
is indeed quite a bit bigger than the previous
generation. In fact, twice as big.
iFixit also notes that there are no “booby traps” once
the front panel of the device is removed from the rest
of the handset, a gentle nod towards the cable that ran
from the Lightning port to the Touch ID sensor in the
iPhone 5s. The battery in the iPhone 6 Plus is indeed
bigger than the iPhone 5s (not that that should have
been a shock at all to anyone), measuring in at
2915mAh at 3.82 volts. (As a reference point, the
iPhone 6 battery is measured in at 1810mAh.)
And finally, iFixit has indeed confirmed that the iPhone
6 Plus has 1GB of RAM, finally to putting to rest those
debates and rumors.

Drop test of ip

With the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
already underway in several countries, many
companies have begun performing tests and
benchmarks on the device. PhoneBuff has taken
the two devices and put them through a drop test,
dropping each on its back, side and front.
The iPhone 6 did well when dropped on the side
and back, but unsurprisingly suffered when dropped
on its face. The 6 Plus, on the other hand, cracked
when it landed on the side. However, it sustained
little further damage when falling on its face.
Based on this one test, both phones may have
performed worse than the iPhone 5 design which
was described as " very durable" and survived
similar drops in a previous drop tests. Without
standardized testing, it's hard to draw definitive
conclusions.

After updating to iOS 8, iphone4s owners may notice more than just slower performance

iOS 8 ( possibly the biggest release to date ).
With it, a ton of new features will find their way out
into the public domain , and a wide range of devices
will be able to get the newest software underneath
their owner’s fingertips. The iPhone 4S included.
Technically, the iPhone 4S is capable of being updated
to iOS 8, the newest version of Apple’s popular mobile
operating system, and owners will indeed see a
notification to update at some point beginning
September 17. However, as a new report published by
Ars Technica points out, updating may not be the best
option for many 4S owners out there. They point out
several different instances where the newest software
may actually worsen the experience for owners, rather
than improve it.
First and foremost, the iPhone 4S’s display size is a
big cramp on iOS 8’s style. While several of the new
features work, like the new Spotlight search, Ars
points out that the smaller display can only show a
max of two results due to the 3.5-inch display, and
the keyboard taking up a good majority of it already.
More often than not, it’s only one result. As the
original report notes, the smaller screen makes iOS 8
feel cramped.
One of the biggest issues, though, may come down to
performance. The report includes a chart that compares
several different areas of testing an iPhone 4S running
iOS 7.1.2, and iOS 8. The results, unanimously, are that
updating to the newest mobile OS means that apps
will open slower. That includes Safari, which opened in
about 1.25 seconds running on iOS 7.1.2, while it took
2.16 seconds on iOS 8. The camera gets bumped to a
slower 1.8 seconds from 1.5 seconds. Even simply
turning the iPhone 4S on takes three seconds longer.
It should also be noted that while the iPhone 4S can
be upgraded to iOS 8, and several new features are
indeed accessible, many are not. That includes, just
like in iOS 7, AirDrop. It also includes TouchID (as this
only launched with the iPhone 5s), Apple’s new
Handoff feature, and support for OpenGL ES 3.0 or the
Metal graphics API.

Teardown of Apple macbook pro retina display 2013

iFixit has performed more of its traditional high-
quality teardowns on both the new 13-inch Retina
MacBook Pro and new 15-inch Retina MacBook
Pro, revealing various improvements to the
components of both that enhance performance, but
also unsurprisingly make both harder to manually
repair.
One of the more interesting changes relative to the
new 13-inch model is that Apple has apparently
reversed its decision to move the 13-inch model's
battery away from the trackpad as seen in the
previous generation of the laptop, instead choosing
to glue the entire battery assembly into the case.
This design is very similar to the battery of the
original 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, which was
heavily criticized by iFixit for being extremely
difficult and time-consuming to remove without
puncturing the cells.
As Apple stated during its press event, the new 13-
inch Retina MacBook Pro now uses faster PCIe
flash storage, but is still proprietary as seen in the
previous generation and does not allow for easy
replacement. Other changes to the new version of
the laptop include Intel's i5 Haswell processor and
Iris Graphics, the inclusion of only one fan as
opposed to two in the last generation, a rearranged
cabling system, and a slight update to the MagSafe
2 connector.
Meanwhile, the new 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro
reveals a similar internal layout to the 13-inch
model, but includes higher grade components such
as Intel's i7 Haswell processor and Iris Pro
graphics . The glued-in battery system and the
soldered RAM as seen in the previous generation
are also still included, which indicates that no
improvements have been made to the accessibility
of the new model.
Overall, the teardowns of both new Retina MacBook
Pros otherwise yield few surprises compared to the
previous models, and the similar challenges of
proprietary pentalobe screws, soldered RAM, an
integrated display, and glued-in battery system
have led iFixit to award each of the new 13-inch
and 15-inch models a repairability score of 1 out of
10. Compared to the teardowns of 2012
models, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro has
scored one point lower than the last generation ,
while the 15-inch MacBook Pro scored the same as
the previous model.

First HTC UEFA Champions League Collector’s Edition

HTC has unveiled a new phone that celebrates the start
of the group stages of the Champions League football
competition.
Named the HTC One M8 Champions League Collector’s
Edition, the special device includes a UEFA Champions
League logo engraved on its back in addition to
the Champions League trophy with a metallic design.
The device also includes the HTC Football Feed app for
access to the latest news on the two European
tournaments (UEFA Champions League and UEFA
Europa League).
Everything else in the commemorative limited edition
smartphone is the same as the normal HTC One M8.
That means that the HTC One M8 Champions League
Collector’s Edition includes :
Front-facing Boom Speakers,
4 Ultrapixel camera,
5 inch 1080 p display,
Quad core Snapdragon 801 clocked at 2.3 GHz,
Adreno 330 GPU,
2 GB RAM,
16 or 32 GB internal storage expandable via
microSD card,
Android 4.4 Kitkat with Sense 6 on top and 2600
mAH battery.
If you want to purchase this device, you will be out of
luck. HTC is giving this phone away as a competition
prize through its social media outlets in October of
this year.

Apple explores bone conductions earpod for noise cancellation

Apple has a new patent application (via AppleInsider )
that describes incorporating bone conduction tech into
its EarPods, as well as packing them with sensors for
better noise cancellation.
The sensors include accelerometers to detect vibration
in a wearer’s skull while they’re talking, and is able to
then identify speech and filter out other ambient noises
that classify as non-vocal. Apple also uses multiple
microphones in the patent, to help better detect voice
from either side of the earbud, and there’s a provision
for embedding mics throughout the cable to form a kind
of beamforming mic array, which is a type of
professional mic setup used to capture and isolate hiqh-
quality audio.
Information coming form the mics is then combined with
the vibrations detected by the bone conducting/
accelerometer-based part of the equation, and the
combination of the two signals tell the system what to
exclude and what to pass on when a user is speaking on
their device to a caller on the other end of the line.
Apple also describes various other types of headphones
that could use this tech, including single earbuds (like
the Motorola Hint), closed headphones (like those made
by its new subsidiary Beats) and more.
Apple hasn’t yet introduced any new kinds of EarPods,
the headphones it ships with every new iPhone, but it
has introduced dual-mic arrays on its mobile devices to
pick up audio input more clearly. If it can bring
something similar or even more effective to its earbuds,
that’s going to be a decent competitive advantage, and
should help the company step up its headphone game.

Sony increases loss forecast to $2.14billion due to phones

Sony on Wednesday raised its forecast annual loss
more than fourfold to $2.14 billion, blaming its
struggling mobile phone business.
The Japanese electronics giant said it now expects
to lose 230 billion yen in the fiscal year to March
2015, up from a previous forecast net loss of 50
billion yen and reflecting a drop in the value of its
mobile unit.
Sony has cut expectations for sales in the
smartphone business, which has been reporting
operating losses, as it faces off against rivals
including Apple and South Korea's Samsung.
"The new MRP (Mid-Range Plan) was modified to
address the significant change in the market and
competitive environment of the mobile business,"
Sony said in a statement.
"Under the new MRP, the overarching strategy for
the (mobile) segment has been revised to reduce
risk and volatility, and to deliver more stable
profits.
"This revision includes changing the strategy of the
(mobile) segment in certain geographical areas,
concentrating on its premium lineup, and reducing
the number of models in its mid-range line up."

Punit Soni announces his departure from Motorola

Punit Soni, Motorola's VP of Product Management, has
departed the company. He announced his departure on
Google+, saying that the first time he visited Motorola's
old suburban Chicago campus, he was struck by "this
sense of awe at being in a company whose invention,
the cell phone, would forever change the world."
Today I am announcing my departure from Motorola after
a couple of amazing years in the best job I have ever
had.
I have had the fortune of working with an amazing
Product team under the leadership of Rick Osterloh,
someone who taught me more about being a leader than
anyone ever has. Also special gratitude to Vic Gundotra,
Bradley Horowitz, Jonathan Rosenberg, Dennis
Woodside, and Lior Ron for their support and for
pointing me in the right direction. This gig was not
possible without them. To my Software PM team who I
love, stay true to the mission. And to Motorolans, you
are truly the best mobile team in the world. It is
reflected in the quality of your products.
And finally, thanks to you, the users who embraced our
work and personally supported me. Most of our software
was the result of the direct dialogue we had with each
other. Thanks for your patience and support.
Soni has been rather much the public face of Motorola's
software efforts, particularly when it comes to being
forthright and interacting with the public on Google+. He
hasn't stated where he's going from here, though we're
sure it won't be too long before we find out.
Motorola is itself in transition, and that transition has
spurred several executive departures over the past
several months, including that of former CEO Dennis
Woodside . After being purchased by Google in 2012 for
$13 billion , the company is now in the process of being
sold to Lenovo for $3 billion .

Android app that enables the user browse the web without Internet connection by using sms

In emerging markets where an internet connection can
sometimes be hard to find, the Cosmos Browser for
Android will be a Godsend. This app will allow you to
browse the web without having connection to an
internet pipeline. Simply punch in the URL, and the app
uses SMS to send you a text-only, image free version of
the website that you requested.
To keep costs down, you need to have have an
unlimited text plan. Also, keep in mind that receiving
websites via SMS is still going to be a slow process
regardless of how barebones the results are.
"After a person inputs a url, our app texts our Twilio
number which forwards the URL as a POST request to
our Node.JS backend. The backend takes the url, gets
the HTML source of the website, minifies it, gets rid of
the css, Javascript, and images, GZIP compresses it,
encodes it in Base64, and sends the data as a series of
SMS's. The phone receives this stream at a rate of 3
messages per second, orders them, decompresses them,
and displays the content"-Cosmos
Cosmos is expected to launch before the end of
September and is actually quite a fascinating way of
getting information into the hands of those who just do
not have the infrastructure in place to maintain an
internet connection. And while images are a no-no for
now as we mentioned, the developers behind the app
are working on a way to include images in future
versions of Cosmos.

Microsoft unveils MFi Bluetooth keyboard built for Android, ios and Windows devidevices

Microsoft has announced a new compact Bluetooth
keyboard with a dedicated switch to jump between
Android, iOS, and Windows modes. Doing so will make
sure the keyboard's home key does what it's supposed
to when connected to your device.
The included cover can prop up the keyboard and hold
your device when in use, or detach if you need a little
distance from the screen. When the cover is fully closed,
the keyboard shuts off. Battery life will last 6 months on
a single charge, and in a pinch, ten minutes of charging
will provide 8 hours of use.
This Universal Mobile Keyboard will hit retail stores in
October with a $79.95 pricetag. More information can be
found over at the Microsoft store. Any takers? How many
of you guys already have a Bluetooth keyboard? Do you
jump between mobile operating systems often?
Source: Microsoft

Google Play service updated to Version 6.1

Google is pushing out a new version of Google Play
Services today. The update looks to be a pretty basic
affair, with enhancements to the Google Analytics API
and the Google Drive API, but changes to the Google Fit
API means we have a new version of the L developer
preview with the latest Google Fit API included.
Google Play services 6.1 adds Enhanced Ecommerce
analytics support from Google Tag Manager and offers
new improvements to the Google Drive Android API. With
the latest release, we're also including a refresh of the
Google Fit developer preview, so that you can test your
fitness apps on any Android device.
The new Google Play Services update will, in typical
Google fashion, slowly roll out to all of us with no
required action on our part.
Source: Google Developers blog

IBM's new Watson analytics for Data-Hungry customers

IBM today announced a new product called Watson
Analytics , one they claim will bring sophisticated big
data analysis to the average business user.
Watson Analytics is a cloud application that does all of
the the heavy lifting related to big data processing by
retrieving the data, analyzing it, cleaning it,
building sophisticated visualizations and offering an
environment for communicating and collaborating
around the data. And lest you think that IBM is just
slapping on the Watson label because it’s a well known
brand (as I did), Eric Sall, vp of worldwide marketing for
business analytics at IBM says that’s the not the case.
The technology underlying the product including the
ability to process natural language queries is built
on Watson technology.
Sall says the goal of the product is to put “powerful
analytics in the hands of every business user.” As he
says, “People understand they should be making better
decisions to leverage data and analytics, but the reason
they don’t is it’s too hard.”

How to Prepare for the iOS 8 Update the Right Way

How to Prepare for the iOS 8 Update the Right Way, here
we go:
1: Check iOS 8 Hardware Compatibility:
iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C
iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Mini Retina
iPod Touch 5th generation
2: Old Hardware? Consider Skipping the Update Completely
3: Delete Unused Apps:
Before major iOS updates is a good time to clean house
and uninstall those apps which you don’t use regularly.
4: Update Apps:
Now that you’ve deleted the apps you don’t use anymore,
fire up the App Store and update what you have left.
6: Back Up Your iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch:
Finally, back up your iOS device and all of it’s settings and
customizations. This is easy, and you can do it through
iTunes or iCloud, or ideally, back up to both.
All done? Congratulations, you’re ready to update to iOS 8!

Microsoft Announces Windows 9 Event on Sept. 30

Microsoft is preparing to detail its next major version
of Windows. We had been expecting the company to
hold a press event later this month, and now it’s
official. Microsoft will hold a “Windows event” in San
Francisco on Sept. 30. The software maker started
emailing out invites to the event today, and Joe
Belfiore and Terry Myerson will be leading a
discussion around the future of Windows. The event
will focus on enterprise and power users of Windows.
Microsoft is expected to deliver a “Windows
Technical Preview” at the event or soon after so that
developers and enterprise customers can evaluate a
number of changes the company is making.
Screenshots and videos of the Windows Technical
Preview have leaked over the past week, revealing
the addition of a new Start menu , a virtual desktops
feature, and a Notification Center . Microsoft also
appears to be tweaking its desktop user interface to
improve and flatten the traditional icons, alongside
some task bar changes for future Cortana integration
and virtual desktops.
Additional changes are expected to be pushed
regularly to Windows Technical Preview users until
the operating system is complete and ready for
release next year. We understand that Microsoft is
planning more UI changes to the desktop, and a
number of those improvements aren’t ready for the
preview just yet.

Apple to limit iPhone 6 NFC to Apple Pay, restrict developer access

According to a report on Monday, Apple is restricting
developer access to the NFC module found in the new
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, limiting the component to
first-party Apple Pay services only.
Apple to limit iPhone 6 NFC to Apple Pay, restrict
developer access
While Apple's new iPhone 6 lineup is the first to
incorporate near-field communications hardware, it
seems the company will keep the component on
lockdown as it makes an entrance into secure digital
payments with Apple Pay.
An Apple spokesperson told Cult of Mac that developers
will not be able to access NFC chip APIs this year ,
meaning the component is included in the iPhone 6 as a
dedicated payments solution component. Apple is likely
employing a "go slow" approach to NFC as the
technology, and its security, is a vital cog in the Apple
Pay system.
Competing smartphone manufacturers like Samsung use
NFC for quick device pairing, data transport and other
functions. For its part, Apple has a higher-bandwidth
stand-in with the iBeacon protocol, which harnesses
Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi for fast recognition and rich
data throughput.
While there are no plans to release the appropriate NFC
module APIs to developers, Apple could open up access
in the future as the technology matures within the iOS
ecosystem. For example, iOS 8 now allows developer
access to the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which was
first introduced with the iPhone 5s in 2013.

Apple launch in pictures

Are you impressed with the devices and the technology showcased by Tim Cook and his team?