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AfterDawn: News

AT&T 'unlimited' plan owners will now get throttled after 22GB of data used

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 1:58

AT&T 'unlimited' plan owners will now get throttled after 22GB of data used AT&T, staring down a potential $100 million FCC fine, has changed their policy on throttling 'unlimited' data plan owners.

Back when the first iPhone launched, AT&T was selling unlimited data packages as a perk and there are still millions of customers on the grandfathered package, which should in theory offer completely unlimited data whether you use 100 MB or 100 GB.

Unfortunately for AT&T unlimited users, the last few years have seen their data throttled after 5GB no matter what, even though AT&T's own policy stated that throttling would only occur in times of network congestion.

The new policy allows up to 22GB of data per month, uninterrupted, afterwards which AT&T can throttle if there is network congestion. This follows in the new net neutrality rules that allow for "reasonable network management" although AT&T is likely only making the move because the FCC has proposed a $100 million fine for the carrier's abusive throttling for unlimited data subscribers.

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AfterDawn: News

Apple delays watchOS 2 launch following discovery of bug

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 1:43

Apple delays watchOS 2 launch following discovery of bug Although iOS 9 launched today as planned, Apple Watch owners will have to wait a bit longer for watchOS 2 as Apple has found a bug that will delay launch of the operating system.

"We have discovered a bug in development of watchOS 2 that is taking a bit longer to fix than we expected. We will not release watchOS 2 today but will shortly," added an Apple spokesperson.

The bug is still unspecified so we don't really know what it affected, but Apple should be more forthcoming in the coming days especially if the bug requires an even longer delay.

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AfterDawn: News

FBI takes down pre-release music piracy site ShareBeast

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 1:29

FBI takes down pre-release music piracy site ShareBeast The FBI has seized two domains belonging to popular sites to find pre-release music.

Both ShareBeast and AlbumJams now have the FBI/DOJ takedown banner and the RIAA was quick to boast of the shutdown of the sites.

According to the RIAA, the Sharebeast network of sites had a massive library of tracks, including thousands of "pre-release leaks." The RIAA added that they submitted DMCA takedown notices for over 100,000 songs on ShareBeast alone.

"Millions of users accessed songs from Sharebeast each month without one penny of compensation going to countless artists, songwriters, labels and others who created the music," said the statement. "We are grateful to the FBI and the Department of Justice for its strong stand against Sharebeast and for recognizing that these types of illicit sites wreak major damage on the music community and hinder fans' legitimate listening options."

While ShareBeast certainly was popular, it paled in comparison to heavy hitters like Torrentz.eu in popularity and files available.

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AfterDawn: News

Sharp to being selling world's first 8K TV

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 1:08

Sharp to being selling world's first 8K TV Sharp has announced that the world's first 8K TV is going on sale soon with the astronomical price tag of $133,000.

The LV-85001 has an 85-inch display and a TV tuner although there is currently no 8K content out there so really you would be buying a large 4K TV that can upscale for the time being. Sharp does say the TV will be used to help with broadcast tests next year.

Sharp used their IGZO tech for the monitor, which offers a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 with viewing angles of 176 degrees. An 8K display has a resolution of 7680x4320, eight times larger than what most current TVs display and Sharp is looking to sell the panel to businesses rather than consumers.

Businesses with a lot of money to burn can begin pre-ordering on October 31st.

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AfterDawn: News

Epix to allow offline viewing of movies, TV on mobile devices

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 12:59

Epix to allow offline viewing of movies, TV on mobile devices Just weeks after Amazon made a similar announcement, Epix has announced that users will be able to download movies from their streaming catalog for offline viewing.

Epix, which has premium content from Lionsgate, Paramount and MGM, says subscribers will see the feature turned on this month.

"The EPIX goal has always been to provide our subscribers with next level enhancements, elevating how they can access content across devices," said Mark Greenberg, EPIX President and CEO. "By creating a network first, true TV Everywhere experience, consumers can now download a movie from our library and watch it anywhere, anytime, even without a Wi-Fi connection - while waiting at the airport, traveling by train, commuting to work, or even on a camping trip. Consumers now have guaranteed content mobility."

Epix's content has been very popular with streaming consumers, since there are new titles such as the Hunger Games series and older but popular content like all the James Bond films.

If you don't care for offline content and want to watch Epix anyways, the films are available on Netflix until the end of the month and then on Hulu.

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AfterDawn: News

Russian national pleads guilty to largest hacking scheme in U.S. history

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 12:31

Russian national pleads guilty to largest hacking scheme in U.S. history Vladimir Drinkman, a Russian national arrested in the Netherlands in 2012 and extradited to the U.S., has plead guilty to the largest hacking scheme ever prosecuted in U.S. history.

Drinkman has plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit unauthorized access to protected computers and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The hack/data-theft attacks targeted large corporate networks, banks and payment processors and led to 160 million credit cards being stolen and hundreds of millions of dollars in losses and fraud.

"Defendants like Vladimir Drinkman, who have the skills to interrupt our computer networks and the inclination to do so, pose a cutting-edge threat to our economic well-being, our privacy and our national security," said New Jersey federal judge Paul J . Fishman. "The crimes to which he has admitted his guilt have a real, practical cost to our privacy and our pocketbooks."

Among the companies hit by the attacks were Heartland Payment Systems, 7-Eleven, JC Penney, JetBlue, Dow Jones, Global Payment, and NASDAQ. The attacks went as far back as 2008.

Drinkman was one of four people charged but was seen as the mastermind behind the plan. Drinkm and co-defendant Alexandr Kalinin of Russia 'specialized in penetrating network security and gaining access to the corporate systems.' When in the system, they were able to tactically steal user names, passwords, credit and debit card numbers and other personal information. Afterwards, the data was sold to "trusted theft wholesalers" around the world. American credit card numbers went for as low as $10 a piece while European credit card info went for $50 due to much better security protocols in Europe which are only now expanding to the U.S.

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AfterDawn: News

Sony smartly changes Project Morpheus name to PlayStation VR

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 12:14

Sony smartly changes Project Morpheus name to PlayStation VR Sony has changed the name of its Project Morpheus VR system to PlayStation VR, a move that should help bring big name recognition to the fledgling device.

PlayStation product business president Masayasu Ito noted that "the name 'PlayStation VR' not only directly expresses an entirely new experience from PlayStation that allows players to feel as if they are physically inside the virtual world of a game, but it also reflects our hopes that we want our users to feel a sense of familiarity as they enjoy this amazing experience."

PlayStation VR is scheduled for launch in early 2016 but there really is very little info to date on what to expect. Ito did note that Sony is working closely with 3rd party devs and looking in-house to ensure there is a nice lineup of games for when the device launches.

2016 is setting up to be "the year of VR" as Facebook's long-awaited Oculus Rift is also planned for an early 2016 consumer release.

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AfterDawn: News

Facebook to finally get alternative to 'Like' button

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 11:56

Facebook to finally get alternative to 'Like' button Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed that the social media giant will be getting an alternative to the long-standing 'Like' button in the near future, although it won't necessarily be a 'Dislike' button that users have been asking for for a decade.

"I think people have asked about the dislike button for many years. Probably hundreds of people have asked about this," Zuckerberg said. "Today is a special today because today is the day where I actually get to say we are working on it and are very close to shipping a test of it."

Due to the possible abuse that can occur with a dislike button, Zuckerberg was quick to note that the new button will allow users to 'express empathy.'

"Not every moment is a good moment and if you are sharing something that is sad, like the refugee crisis that touches you, or a family member passed away, it may not feel comfortable to like that post," he added. "But your friends and people want to be able to express that they understand and that they relate to you. So I do think it's important to give people more options than just like as a quick way to emote and share what they are feeling on a post."

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AfterDawn: News

Sony slashes price of PlayStation 4 in Japan

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 11:43

Sony slashes price of PlayStation 4 in Japan Sony has dropped the price of the PlayStation 4 console in Japan by 13 percent ahead of the holidays in order to keep up demand for the system.

Gamers can get the console for 34,980 yen ($295) starting on October 1st, down from the current 39,980 yen ($330~ USD).

Industry watchers believe this is just the first step in a price war with the rival Xbox One, which has long sold for cheaper in the U.S. and even included bundles of blockbuster games. Despite the lower price for its rival, the PlayStation 4 has handily beaten the Xbox One over the last two years in sales for there have been rumors that the Xbox One could see another price cut soon.

Additionally, Microsoft has a solid game lineup for this holiday season, so a Sony price cut could help steal some sales away from the Xbox.

Besides the price cut (which has not been announced outside of Japan), Sony is also releasing a Darth Vader themed PS4 with bundled Disney Infinity figurettes that will just add to the incredible hype seen for 'The Force Awakens.'

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AfterDawn: News

Apple may allow you to delete pre-loaded iOS apps in the future

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 10:53

Apple may allow you to delete pre-loaded iOS apps in the future During a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked whether consumers would ever be able to delete pre-loaded apps from their iOS devices, like 'Podcasts' or 'Stocks.'

Cook surprisingly said the company is working on it, but that it is actually pretty complex. "There are some apps that are linked to something else on the iPhone," Cook said. "If they were to be removed they might cause issues elsewhere on the phone. There are other apps that aren't like that. So over time, I think with the ones that aren't like that, we'll figure out a way," he concluded.

The CEO was not able to give a timeline, but it was nice to see that they are working on it.

While many people use pre-loaded apps like Maps and Weather, there are plenty of people who have never looked at the Stocks apps, or don't have an Apple Watch (for example) and would prefer the homescreen space instead.

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AfterDawn: News

Two more idiots tried to sell their kidneys for new iPhones

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Sep 2015 12:02

Two more idiots tried to sell their kidneys for new iPhones According to the China Daily, two men tried to sell their kidneys in order to afford the new Apple iPhone 6S.

One man, Wu, knew he could not afford the smartphone so his friend Huang suggested they sell their kidneys to have enough to buy it. They found an agent online who said he could help them if they took medical exams at a hospital on September 12th, however the agent never showed up.

Wu then decided against the move but Huang still wanted to go through with it. To stop the sale, Wu called the police and Huang ran away and has been missing ever since.

As an aside, I feel like we shouldn't have to say this but - DO NOT sell your vital organs for a new smartphone. You're welcome.

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AfterDawn: News

Snapchat will let you pay to replay past snaps

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Sep 2015 11:28

Snapchat will let you pay to replay past snaps Snapchat has rolled out a new update to their mobile app today, adding some interesting features including the ability to pay to replay past snaps.

Dubbed 'Replays,' the in-app purchase will let users pay $0.99 to replay snaps that have disappeared in the past. For the price, you get three replays to use when you want, but one caveat - you cannot use your three replays on the same picture.

"We introduced Replay in Additional Services almost two years ago, and we've used it to relive those amazing moments (or the ones we weren't paying attention to...) just one more time before they disappear," said the company. "We've provided one Replay per Snapchatter per day, sometimes frustrating the millions of Snapchatters who receive many daily Snaps deserving of a Replay. But then we realized -- a Replay is like a compliment! So why stop at just one?"

Additionally, the company has introduced 'Lenses' to enhance your selfies with playful filters, animations and distortions (like Photo Booth from Macs) and 'Trophies,' virtual awards and stickers similar to Four Square.

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AfterDawn: News

Streaming subscribers sue Chicago over controversial 'cloud tax'

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Sep 2015 10:48

Streaming subscribers sue Chicago over controversial 'cloud tax' As we have reported in the past, some local municipalities have begun taxing streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon in an effort to make up for lost revenue from physical disc sales.

Besides being controversial in its own right, at least one government now has a lawsuit on their hands. Subscribers to the popular services have filed a lawsuit against Chicago, claiming the 'cloud tax' is illegal.

Chicago was charging a 9% "Amusement Levy" on the services which had previously only applied to live shows such as concerts and baseball games.

In their suit, the plaintiffs claim that the tax could only have been imposed by a city vote, but in this case it was decisioned by the city comptroller. In addition, the suit claims that the tax violated the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, which strictly prohibits states and cities from "imposing discriminatory internet-only taxes."

Read the full complaint here, as the decision will likely have national implications in the future.

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AfterDawn: News

Sony adds new color choices to its DualShock 4 controllers as well as hard drive covers

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Sep 2015 10:26

Sony adds new color choices to its DualShock 4 controllers as well as hard drive covers Sony PlayStation 4 fans will soon have the option to get DualShock 4 controllers in four different colors.

Showing off the new controllers at the Tokyo Game Show press conference, Sony also introduced new hard drive panels in yellow, gold, pink, yellow, light blue, red and purple.

Gold, silver, Steel Black and Crystal will be available in Japan on November 6th, with the gold and silver controllers also headed to the U.S. and Europe in November. It is unclear if the other two colors will eventually be available everywhere.

The plates will sell for 2,500 yen each (about $20) and the controllers will sell for 6500 yen ($55 USD) although it is likely the pricing will change for different markets.

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AfterDawn: News

Nintendo names new president and Miyamoto becomes 'creative fellow'

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Sep 2015 12:21

Nintendo names new president and Miyamoto becomes 'creative fellow' Nintendo has named long time executive Tatsumi Kimishima president following the sad passing of Satoru Iwata.

Kimishima previously managed The Pokemon Company and also led Nintendo of America from 2002 to 2006, but unlike other presidents he does not have a gaming background, just a business and management one.

Somewhat strangely, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto was given the title of 'Creative Fellow,' meaning he has advanced specialized knowledge that will be used to guide the company. For Miyamoto, he will be an adviser in a creative capacity.

There are more title changes as the company restructures, which can be seen at the source.

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