VW, LG join to develop next-generation connected-car platform

VW, LG join to develop next-generation connected-car platform

Here’s proof that self-driving isn’t the only development focus regarding electronics in cars, even though it may seem that way. LG Electronics and the Volkswagen Group announced a plan Wednesday to develop what they refer to as “the next generation” of connected-car services,
Volkswagen’s Cross-Over-Platform has nothing to do with cars that try to look like SUVs. It’s all about driver and passenger convenience and connectivity. That’s the focus of LG and VW’s collaboration. The companies will develop technology that will allow vehicles connected to the cloud to help passengers with a growing array of services, including smart-home connection and control, messaging, infotainment, and location services.

Drivers increasingly expect travel, alert, entertainment, and communications systems in their cars. The plan combines LG’s interest in smart appliances and smart-home systems with Volkswagen’s vehicle platforms. Perhaps at some point in the next few years, you’ll get an alert while driving your Passat that the garage door is open after dark. As you get closer to home, the house lights will brighten and the AC system will click it down a few degrees.

If your refrigerator detects you’re low on frozen yogurt, maybe you’ll get a message to pick some up before you pass the last grocery store on your way home. Or, maybe your smart fridge will even place the order for you and alert the store as to when you’ll arrive so you can pick up the yogurt without even exiting the car.
The statements by VW and LG executives at the joint announcement were positive and forward-looking, though general, mentioning categories and platforms rather than specific solutions or features.
“Volkswagen is pressing on with the digitalization of its brands. Our focus in doing so is always on our customers. For them, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency play a central role. LG is a strong, reliable partner in the implementation of new features, and one of the drivers of innovation in the networked household. We look forward to working with LG and to developing … simple, easy-to-use smart-home solutions for our customers integrated into our vehicle systems,” said Volkswagen’s Thomas Form, head of Electronics and Vehicle Research.

Richard Choi, head of LG’s Cloud Center said: “LG Electronics and Volkswagen are teaming up to develop the next generation of connected-car platform that allows wide integration with smart-home services and adoption of open [Internet of Things] connectivity technologies. We think LG’s expertise in smart technology, together with Volkswagen’s leadership in the automotive sector, will revolutionize the way drivers interact with their vehicles.”
This isn’t the first LG/VW rodeo. In 2015, the two companies worked together on a concept car, and at CES 2016, they showed smart-home system with in-vehicle controls.

source: www.digitaltrends.com

Fujifilm's new X-T2 camera

Fujifilm's new X-T2 camera has 24 megapixels, 4K video, and great controls

It'll start at $1,600 and is coming in September

Fujifilm announced the brand new X-T2, a successor to the X-T1 interchangeable lens camera introduced in early 2014. I’ve owned the X-T1 for a little over two years, and over time it has become my favorite camera ever. Fujifilm has updated it regularly with significant upgrades like improvements to the camera’s autofocus system and new film simulations that give you phenomenal looking JPEGs straight out of the camera. With its large, detailed electronic viewfinder and great lens selection, the X-T1 has become my do-everything camera. It managed to pull me away from the Canon 6D I’d used before, and I haven’t looked back. You’ve likely seen many, many photos snapped with the X-T1 here at The Verge.

But firmware updates can only get you so far. Now the time has come for a proper sequel. It's got more megapixels. It shoots 4K video. And that electronic viewfinder has been made even better. After a week of using a pre-production X-T2 sample unit, well, I'm considering making the switch when it hits stores in September. The X-T2 will cost $1,599.95 body-only, or $1,899.95 in a kit configuration that includes the decent 18-55mm lens. That's not cheap, and it's actually a fair amount more than the X-T1 was at launch. Are the refinements worth it? Let's take a look at what's new.

The X-T2 (right) looks largely similar to the X-T1, but note the focus selection joystick on back.

First things first: though they look nearly identical, the X-T2 is slightly larger than its predecessor. You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference without holding both cameras simultaneously, but it's worth noting. The most important change to the X-T2 is in the sensor. Fujifilm has brought over the 24.3-megapixel X-Trans CMOS III that debuted in the X-Pro 2, adding eight megapixels on top of the 16 that the X-T1 offered. It’s not a huge leap, but makes a very noticeable difference in terms of image detail. And as my colleague Sam Byford mentioned in his review of the X-Pro 2, those 24 megapixels really allow the company’s lineup of lenses to shine.

The X-T2 can also record 4K video — a first for an X-Series camera — at framerates of 24fps, 25fps, or 30fps. (1080p can be recorded at up to 60fps.) The 100Mbps 4K footage that I’ve taken so far looks nice enough, and you can apply any of Fuji’s nice film simulation effects before hitting the record button. But I doubt anyone will be buying the X-T2 because of its video chops. For one, 4K recordings are limited to 10 minutes, which feels a little restrictive. That recording time jumps to 30 minutes if you buy the X-T2's battery grip, but in general, I still came away thinking that Fujifilm’s got some catching up to do if it really wants to compete with Sony, Panasonic, and others on this front.

4K IS A NICE SELLING POINT, BUT THIS ISN'T A COMPANY KNOWN FOR ITS VIDEO CHOPS

Just like the X-T1, you’ll be buying this camera for the pictures it takes, and there’ve been plenty of upgrades to that side of things. The maximum native ISO has been bumped up to 12800 (compared to 6400 last time) and the shutter max is now 1/8000 (or 1/32000 if using the electronic shutter). The focus selection joystick from the X-Pro 2 has been brought over, and I love it. It’s a much more intuitive way of selecting what part of the frame you want to lock in on. This required Fuji to sacrifice the Focus Assist button, but now you can just push the back dial control in for the same result.

And my, are there a lot of focus points. The X-T2 gives you 325 individual AF points to choose from, with 49 of them covering the center phase detect. Fujiifilm claims the X-T2’s processor allows it to refocus more frequently, improving its ability to predict what you're trying to focus on. I didn't really notice any big difference there, but I did appreciate some other updates: the X-T2 now accepts two SD cards, has a much more convenient 3.5mm mic input, and connects over USB 3.0. The eye cup is wider, so it's a little better for people with glasses (me) and cuts out more light. And the locking mechanism for the top dials has also changed. When you push the small black circles, they'll rise up a little bit and unlock. Move the dial to where you want it, push again, and it locks in place.

One pretty odd new "feature" affects the 3-inch rear LCD. Before it could tilt up or down, but now it also tilts out to the right. I'm honestly not sure why Fuji made this design decision; it doesn't allow for a ton more creativity (it won't flip out a full 90 degrees) and feels like something that could eventually break. I doubt I'd ever use it, but it's there if you need to get a tight shot or video.

That battery grip you see above, though... That can drastically upgrade some of the X-T2's capabilities. It's not cheap, but holds two additional batteries — for a total of three — and can charge both of them simultaneously with the included AC adapter. So you're all set as far as battery life goes, but it does a bit more than that. There's a "Boost" mode on back that, when switched on, actually pulls juice from all three batteries at once. This boosts the camera's continuous shooting speed to 11fps (the X-T2 is limited to 8 without the grip / Boost mode) and makes the electronic viewfinder feel even smoother and more lifelike with a refresh rate of 100fps; there's no discernible lag at all. The grip also features a headphone jack for monitoring your audio when shooting video, and as I mentioned before, extends the length limitation when recording. I bought the large metal grip accessory for the X-T1, but I might just shell out for this instead when the X-T2 launches.

There's a lot to like about the X-T2, and I certainly haven't mentioned everything. The settings have gotten more convenient and versatile; now you can store three different Auto ISO preferences and switch between them depending on what you're shooting. The new ACROS monochrome film simulation turns out some beautiful results. And just like its predecessor, the X-T2 has built-in Wi-Fi for sharing your images right to your smartphone and posting them to Instagram without delay. But the improvements you'll notice most often come with that 24-megapixel sensor, better autofocus, and yeah, maybe it's worth trying out the 4K video. I'm not positive I want to go through the hassle of selling my X-T1 and purchasing Fuji's latest. But every time I pick it up, the argument for upgrading gets a little easier. Fujifilm is also announcing a $450 flash, the EX-F500, designed as a perfect companion for the X-T2. (The tiny flash included with the camera is still kind of a joke.) That's also shipping in September.

Photography by Amelia Holowaty Krales.

source: theverge.com

32GB iPhone 7

Hey, 32GB iPhone 7, I already hate you

The base-price iPhone 7, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal, will have an amount of storage that will make it usable. Not great, not amazing, not best in class, but usable. How exciting is that?

Well, it depends on your expectations.

If you expect the iPhone 7, the latest and greatest Apple will have to offer, to finally catch up with every other post-2014 phone out there (even the Chinese ones which cost less than half the iPhone's price), then go celebrate.

I expect the iPhone 7 to be among the best phones out there, and to achieve that, Apple would finally have to do something unexpected — even if it's so simple as jumping from 16GB base storage to 64GB for the cheapest option.

At this point some of you may be dismissively waving your hand, thinking you can never please these tech journalists. But hear me out.

Apple first introduced a 16GB iPhone in February 2008. Remember 2008? George W. Bush was still president of the U.S., USB sticks still came in 256MB sizes and smartphones were a new thing. And that was the first-generation iPhone, upgraded a year after launch, mainly to accommodate users' ever-increasing hunger for storage.

In 2012, with the release of the iPhone 5, Apple introduced 16GB as the base storage option. It was followed by iPhone 5S and 5C, then iPhones 6 and 6 Plus, then iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, and finally with the iPhone SE — all of which started with 16GB of base storage.

Hey Apple, when's the last time we had a pleasant surprise?

Apple has been waiting way too long to upgrade the storage, and it's time to double down. 32GB is not a disaster by any means — after all, most smartphones start there (though, in fairness, most of them also offer a sizable memory expansion via microSD memory cards). But apps are getting bigger, photos are getting bigger, videos are getting huge (try recording 4K video on a 32GB phone and see how far you'll get). Next year, all the flagship Androids will start at 64GB, mark my words.

There's also the simple matter of being fair to your customers. Unlike most smartphone manufacturers Apple has a hump in memory storage between its cheapest and second-cheapest model. Currently, the iPhone 6S starts at 16GB, then jumps to 64GB and, finally, 128GB. Rumors have it that the iPhone 7 will come with 32GB, 128GB and 256GB memory options.

But why the hump? Simply because Apple has traditionally been using its cheapest iPhone as bait to lure customers to buy the mid-range model. The somewhat sleazy practice became downright annoying when it became painfully obvious that 16GB of storage don't cut it anymore — sometime around the iPhone 6 — and then Apple did it again next year.

Most importantly, iPhone's overall specs just feel weak. Yes, it's a great phone, but the current model lags behind basically all competitors in terms of every spec you can think of. RAM? The Samsungs and the HTCs and the LGs have more than the iPhone 6S's paltry 2GB. Screen resolution? 4K phones leave iPhone's Retina in the dust. Battery size? You can easily find phones with twice the battery capacity for half the iPhone's price. With memory prices constantly falling, at least upgrading the storage memory should be easy. You have to wonder if Apple likes to stay behind on purpose.

It will happen, but when?

Rumors aside, I'm certain Apple will upgrade the storage for the cheapest iPhone 7. The company would get ripped to shreds by the press (and annoyed users) if it didn't. But with the rumors that the iPhone 7 will be far more evolutionary than a revolutionary upgrade, having it start at 64GB would be a really nice touch, instantly propelling it to the top of the smartphone chain when storage is concerned. Apple faithful have been waiting for their phone to be leading in some area for quite some time, and they deserve it.

Here's the more realistic option, though: The iPhone 7 will start at 32GB, and so will the iPhone after that, and the one after that — until we collectively start pulling our hair and crying out for more storage. It's just Apple's way.




source: www.mashable.com

Apple urges organ donation

Apple urges organ donation via new iPhone software

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple wants to encourage millions of iPhone owners to register as organ donors through a software update that will add an easy sign-up button to the health information app that comes installed on every smartphone the company makes.

CEO Tim Cook says he hopes the new software will help ease a longstanding donor shortage. He told The Associated Press that the problem hit home when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs endured an “excruciating” wait for a liver transplant in 2009.

Apple is adding the option to enroll in a national donor registry by clicking a button within the iPhone’s Health app, which can be used manage a variety of health and fitness data. The software will come to all U.S.-based iPhones when the company updates its mobile operating system this fall.


source: www.washingtonpost.com

OnePlus 3 Oxygen 3.2 Update

OnePlus 3 Oxygen 3.2 Update Brings Improved RAM Management, sRGB Mode And More.

OnePlus 3 was supposed to be a great phone, and thanks to a recent OTA update, it might become one. The latest Oxygen OS will fix the lacking RAM performance and unsatisfying color rendition, among providing other enhancements.  ( OnePlus )

OnePlus 3 is set to receive a significant update to its Oxygen OS, and the improvement is expected to bring sRGB mode, enhanced RAM management and sharper GPS performance to the handset.
The much expected OTA was promised by the manufacturer in the wake of increased criticism concerning the phone's color rendition and poor RAM memory performance.
The improvements first reached reviewers on June 23, via a special Oxygen 3.1.4 OTA update.
Despite lacking an official announcement, multiple reports showed that Oxygen 3.2 is landing on consumers' phones. Keep in mind that the update pulls a hefty 396 MB, so you might want to go for the OTA using a Wi-Fi connection.

Take a look at the changelog, below:
• Enabled sRGB mode in developer options
• RAM performance and management boosted
• GPS performance is enhanced in both accuracy and speed
• Audio playback quality suffered radical improvements
• Custom icon packs were updated
• Some notification issues were resolved
• Camera functionality and quality of pictures got revamped
• Gallery issues were resolved

What is more, the new update to the Oxygen OS contains the newest Google security patches and a fix for bugs that appeared in the Clock/Music apps.
Users from the dedicated forums report that the update also takes care of an issue causing the magnetic sensor on the OnePlus 3 to misfire. This used to be a particular problem when the device was used with VR headsets such as Google Cardboard.
The OnePlus 3 was greeted with big hype when it launched, especially because of its promised AMOLED technology and solid 6 GB of RAM. However, the two features did not live up to the promise, disappointing the smartphone community as a whole and the brand's fans in particular.
In fact, the OnePlus 3 was recently pitted against the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which only sports 4 GB of RAM. In spite of the 2 GB of extra RAM, OnePlus clearly lost the faceoff.
OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei explains that the subpar performance of OnePlus 3 is its unique RAM coding system that should "benefit battery life." That might be great news for phone owners who do not want to be dubbed "wall-huggers," but an extra oomph from the 6 GB of RAM is a legitimate demand, as well.

Some enterprising owners of the OnePlus 3 fiddled with the device until they discovered a workaround for the performance issues. According to a post from the XDA Developers forum, users can tap into the full potential of the handset's massive memory until the OTA update arrives.
Are you looking forward to the sizeable update? Let us know about your experience with the OnePlus 3 in the comment section.



source: www.techtimes.com

Spotify and Apple are staring each other down while flipping the bird

Spotify and Apple are staring each other down while flipping the bird

Figuratively, of course.

The companies are at it again, and this time it’s not only bothersome to the businesses themselves, but to the end consumer.

Going to the next level in an ongoing spat over Apple’s subscription rules, it would appear that Apple has rejected Spotify’s latest update to its app in late May, citing business model issues. Shortly before that, Spotify turned off billing within the Spotify iOS app altogether, cutting off free users ability to upgrade and even shutting off existing premium mobile users payments, forcing online upgrades. With it, Spotify cut off Apple’s full source of revenue from the Spotify service.

WhatsApp’s 1 billion users now make 100 million calls every day

WhatsApp’s 1 billion users now make 100 million calls every day

WhatsApp is keen to stand out amongst its rivals as more than just a messaging app. In an effort to promote its additional features, it has announced some impressive figures in regard to its voice-calling function, which was rolled out just over a year ago.

The app states that its users across iOS and Android now make 100 million calls a day. WhatsApp did the math and worked out that totals a whopping 1,100 calls a second.

The numbers are notable, but hardly surprising. After all, the app boasts 1 billion users, making it the biggest chat platform in the world. It only became a comprehensive communications platform by adding VoIP in April of last year, playing catch up with the likes of Skype, and Viber.

Since its acquisition by Facebook for a staggering $22 billion in 2014, WhatsApp has continued to operate independently under the leadership of co-founder and CE Jan Koum.

Despite dominating the overseas market — in particular India, Brazil, and Africa — WhatsApp is still struggling to gain a foothold in the U.S. where it faces stiff competition from apps including Facebook Messenger, and iMessage. America is high on Koum’s global domination agenda. In fact, he wants everyone who owns a smartphone to use WhatsApp.

“We’re nowhere near that,” Koum told USA Today. “But we hope that over a certain period of time we will get that critical mass.”

WhatsApp is no stranger to mass usage. At present, its users send 42 billion messages, 1.6 billion photos, and 250 million videos each day. So how exactly does Koum plan to overcome the U.S. stumbling block? As always, he’s relying on organic growth.

“As long as our user base continues to grow, at some point it will have critical mass, and at some point it will tip and at some point people will just have to use WhatsApp because their friends are using WhatsApp,” states Koum.

To that end, social media sites such as Facebook may even be aiding his plans. As WhatsApp’s parent company pointed out recently, it is influencing people to connect across the globe like never before. If you end up making a new friend overseas and plan to message them, chances are you’ll need to download WhatsApp.



source: www.digitaltrends.com