AfterDawn: Tech news

Latest news

AfterDawn: News

Lenovo's "world's lightest" LaVie Z goes on sale

Written by Matti Robinson @ 03 May 2015 9:27

Lenovo's "world's lightest" LaVie Z goes on sale In January, Lenovo unveiled its super-light LaVie Z laptop. Weighing only 777 grams or 1.7 lbs its more lightweight than the new MacBook. Now the miracle laptop Lenovo calls the world's lightest 13-incher is available to purchase via Lenovo's website.

On the website there's one version of LaVie Z and one version of its touchscreen-equipped sibling (with Yoga-like hinge) LaVie Z 360. Both of them feature a 13-inch QHD (2650x1440) display, 8 gigabytes of RAM, 256 GB SSD, and a Core i7 processor. LaVie Z is on sale for $1499 (original price $1699) and LaVie Z 360 for $1699 (original price $1849).

When revealing the product Lenovo said that the starting price will be $1299, exactly what the new MacBook starts at. This Core i5 version is yet to be added to the online store but I will provide a much better performance in a lighter body thanks to the Core i5 processor. MacBook however is slimmer and the Core M processor provides a much better battery life.




AfterDawn: News

Windows Phone fans rejoice: Two high-end devices are coming this year

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 03 May 2015 9:19

Windows Phone fans rejoice: Two high-end devices are coming this year After a year of pumping out cheap low-range Lumia devices to target the masses, it appears Microsoft has a couple of high-end devices waiting in the wings for power users.

First, we have the Lumia codenamed "Talkman" which has a 5.2-inch QHD display, a sexta-core 64-bit Qualcomm processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (expandable with microSD), dual 5MP/20MP cameras and a large 3000 mAh battery. Furthermore, Microsoft wants to keep this device lighter and slimmer than the existing Lumia 930, say the sources.

Moving even higher up the spec chain is the Lumia "Cityman" which will feature a 5.7-inch QHD display, an octa-core Qualcomm processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (expandable), the same dual 5MP/20MP cameras and a 3300mAh battery.

Both devices will run Windows 10, and both device will have triple LED flash each of which has a different tone to allow for more natural colors.

Sources say you can expect the devices around the launch time of Windows 10, which is the end of July or early August.




AfterDawn: News

Microsoft discontinues Windows Media Center

Written by Matti Robinson @ 03 May 2015 9:11

Microsoft discontinues Windows Media Center Microsoft has been unveiling more about its upcoming operating system this past week at Build conference in San Francisco. The company also told to ZDNet that it will be killing off the Windows Media Center.

Windows Media Center was released in 2001 as a full screen media experience for Windows XP. The development halted already in 2009 but the software has been included to this day in Windows 8. Now it seems however that the interface will not be seen on Windows 10.

The software was meant for media consumption of music, video, photos, and TV. It was designed to be intuitive with a remove controller, often provided with the Windows Media Center PCs. Even if the software will not make a return in Windows 10 the functionality largely will surely be in place – if not by Microsoft, by 3rd party developers.




AfterDawn: News

Microsoft says 3.7 million users have signed up to test Windows 10

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 02 May 2015 10:56

Microsoft says 3.7 million users have signed up to test Windows 10 Microsoft has announced that 3.7 million people have signed up for the Windows Insider Program to be able to test out Windows 10 for their PCs or mobile devices.

In January, Microsoft announced 2.2 million members, so growth has been significant for consumers looking to try out the upcoming multi-platform operating system before its launch in July or August.

Earlier this week, Microsoft informed that the Windows Insider program will continue to operate even after Windows 10 launches in retail, with Microsoft letting members test new features and patches early.

In addition, Microsoft said it could add new update rings including a "ludicrous" level that will provide you with daily updates.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Meerkat beats Periscope to Android

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 02 May 2015 9:52

Meerkat beats Periscope to Android Meerkat, the live-streaming video app, has beaten its rival app Periscope to Android.

The move is notable as the app lets users live stream their videos to Twitter and the company managed to beat Twitter and their own Periscope to the most popular mobile operating system in the world.

Meerkat for Android beta supports Android 4.2 and newer. The app already has over 1 million installs but the reviews are not great due to the bugginess.

For the most part, Periscope has been better received by critics and users due to a cleaner interface but Meerkat was the first of its kind on the market and now the first to Android.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

GameStop now buying and selling classic consoles and games

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 02 May 2015 8:51

GameStop now buying and selling classic consoles and games Earlier this week, major retailer GameStop began buying and selling legacy consoles and games, an interesting move that should be of note for nostalgic gamers.

For the time being, stores in Birmingham and New York City (around 250 altogether) will accept trade-ins of the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis and Sega Dreamcast, the original PlayStation and also the Nintendo 64.

By August, GameStop will begin selling the legacy consoles and games, as well.

"For hardware, we'll put it through a full triage: identify any issues, any cleaning that has to happen, any parts replacement that has to be done. On cartridges, we're gonna be cleaning, testing, and also taking a look at the batteries in there,"
GameStop senior director of pre-owned merchandising Jon Haes said.

All consoles and games will come with a 30-day warranty just like all other GameStop used merchandise. Keep in mind that many of the older consoles will require cables and inputs that your new TVs likely don't have, so be on the lookout for an adapter.

If you were in the market to relive your youth, this seems to be the best way to do it since each game and console will have to go through a strenuous testing and refurbishment and is guaranteed to work.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

ISPs ordered to block Popcorn Time sites

Written by James Delahunty @ 02 May 2015 7:55

ISPs ordered to block Popcorn Time sites A court has ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to websites associated with the Popcorn Time software.

Popcorn Time (and its numerous forks) is a sort of dark rival to Netflix and other legitimate, licensed content streaming services. Essentially, Popcorn Time puts a simple interface over a BitTorrent backend. Once a user picks a movie to watch (and what resolution) it will torrent the content in the background and play it as it downloads.

Now, a UK court has decided that ISPs in the union must block access to five websites associated with Popcorn Time, including popcorntime.io, flixtor.me, popcorn-time.se, and isoplex.isohunt.to.

This order applies to Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin, BT and EE, who have previously been forced to block access to a large number of BitTorrent websites. The interesting difference in this case is those sites don't offer torrents or links to any pirated content, but instead offer downloads of Popcorn Time clients.

"It is manifest that the Popcorn Time application is used in order to watch pirated content on the internet and indeed it is also manifest that that is its purpose. No-one really uses Popcorn Time in order to watch lawfully available content," Judge Birss wrote.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Reminder: Xbox 360 multiplayer FREE this weekend

Written by James Delahunty @ 02 May 2015 7:34

Reminder: Xbox 360 multiplayer FREE this weekend Xbox 360 owners can play multiplayer games against their friends for free this weekend, regardless of the region they reside in.

If you are looking for something to do this evening and on Sunday and have an Xbox 360, you can take advantage of free multiplayer this weekend (May 1 - May 3). Multiplayer has been "unlocked" on Xbox Live this weekend for all to enjoy, so you might as well take advantage of it if you don't have a Gold account.

Here's a video Microsoft made to amp you up!




AfterDawn: News

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: illegal streaming targeted in lawsuit

Written by James Delahunty @ 02 May 2015 7:26

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: illegal streaming targeted in lawsuit The most hotly anticipated boxing event in years is only hours away, but legal action against those who plan to stream the fight illegally is already underway.

Boxing fans have been waiting years for this event. Tonight in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will step into the ring and end this argument once and for all, earning astronomical amounts of money each in the process. This PPV event surely will be lucrative.

Not everybody is willing to pay for something they can potentially see for free, however, and earlier this week HBO and ShowTime sought to launch pre-emptive strikes against sites that were planning to stream the fight to viewers for free.

In a complaint filed in a federal court in Florida, they accuse boxinghd.net and sportship.org of advertising the fight with the intent to stream it to fans for free, whilst they profit from advertisements.

"There are no authorized online streams of the Coverage for delivery to United States audiences," the complaint reads. It sought a temporary restraining order against the sites in order to protect the parties from irreparable damage.

It seems to have worked too, as BoxingHD removed references to the event and sportship.org is unreachable at the moment.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

YouTube turns 10; will celebrate throughout May with memorable content

Written by James Delahunty @ 02 May 2015 7:13

YouTube turns 10; will celebrate throughout May with memorable content YouTube is celebrating its tenth birthday this month, and will celebrate the milestone by dipping into its vast collection of content for some of its most memorable moments.

As a reminder that we are all rapidly ageing with no relief in sight, YouTube will blast us with an A-Z selection of memorable content uploaded to the service over the past decade.

"Every day over the next 26 days, we'll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments, from the silly to the profound, that you've shared on YouTube in the last 10 years. It's YouTube from A to Z. Literally." YouTube announced on its blog this week.

On April 23, 2005, the first ever video was uploaded to an largely-unknown private site called YouTube. The 18-second long clip showed elephants at the San Diego zoo. The next month, the little video project went into beta, and became available for use by the wider public later on that year.

Since then of course, YouTube was acquired by Google and has become a household name. It is consulted for almost all types of video content imaginable, from music videos, to comedy, to idiots faceplanting into the turf for our amusement, to conspiracy theories and almost anything else you can think of that isn't pornographic - although the latter has been known to get spammed to YouTube.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Windows 10 will not be ready for phones this summer

Written by Matti Robinson @ 02 May 2015 10:34

Windows 10 will not be ready for phones this summer Microsoft is readying its Windows 10 launch this summer and has been promoting its new features this week at its Build conference in San Francisco. According to The Verge the operating system will not be ready for phones quite as soon though.

Windows 10 is an operating system that by large is the same for both mobile devices as well as desktop and laptop computers. Microsoft says that much of the underlying technology is shared by all of the Windows 10 versions. However the phone OS release will have to wait until early fall.

This will also probably mean that the new Lumia hardware powered by the new version of Microsoft's operating system will be released in fall as well. The official word from Microsoft's Joe Belfiore is that phone version will arrive "after PC version". Thus no dates have been revealed as of yet.




AfterDawn: News

Sony PlayStation 4 sales reach 22 million

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 01 May 2015 12:33

Sony PlayStation 4 sales reach 22 million Sony has announced today that the company has sold 22.3 million PlayStation 4 units worldwide, having sold about 15 million of those in the last 12 months alone.

Thanks to the strong sales, Sony's Game and Network Services division saw revenues increase 33 percent year-over-year, making it easily the largest contributor of revenue for the company so far.

"This significant increase was primarily due to an increase in PS4 hardware unit sales, a significant increase in network services revenue, the impact of foreign exchange rates and an increase in PS4 software sales, partially offset by a decrease in PlayStation®3 ("PS3") hardware and PS3 software sales," read the report.

The PS3 is on its last legs, but the PS4 is more than happy to pick up the slack.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

'Watch Dogs 2' accidentally outed by Ubisoft

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Apr 2015 11:38

'Watch Dogs 2' accidentally outed by Ubisoft Ubisoft has unintentionally outed the fact that 'Watch Dogs 2' is real and it has developers.

Thanks to the LinkedIn profile of Senior Gameplay Programmer Julien Risse, we know that the game is in development, as Risse has been working on it.

There is little else known about the upcoming game, but it is expected we will see more at this year's E3 event in June.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Music sharing service Grooveshark officially shuts down following legal defeat

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Apr 2015 10:39

Music sharing service Grooveshark officially shuts down following legal defeat Although most people probably thought it was shuttered years ago anyways, the music sharing service Grooveshark has officially shut down.

The record labels will take over control of the Grooveshark name, its patents and copyrights, and the existing database will be completely wiped. The decision comes on the heels of a court ruling this year in which Grooveshark was defeated, and could have faced damages of up to $150,000 for 5000 different infringing songs.

Grooveshark also apologized for its copyright infringements, and recommending popular services like Spotify.

Here is the full statement from Grooveshark:

Today we are shutting down Grooveshark.

We started out nearly ten years ago with the goal of helping fans share and discover music. But despite best of intentions, we made very serious mistakes. We failed to secure licenses from rights holders for the vast amount of music on the service.

That was wrong. We apologize. Without reservation.

As part of a settlement agreement with the major record companies, we have agreed to cease operations immediately, wipe clean all the data on our servers and hand over ownership of this website, our mobile apps and intellectual property, including our patents and copyrights.

Read more...


AfterDawn: News

Microsoft wants to guess how old you are from the pic you upload

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Apr 2015 9:59

Microsoft wants to guess how old you are from the pic you upload Microsoft has launched the fun and likely inaccurate website that uses facial recognition to guess your age.

You upload a picture to the site and Microsoft will spit back out your gender and your age, although some viral pictures show responses that have been hilariously wrong.

Microsoft is using machine learning to recognize millions of photos across the Web, with the end goal being "obtaining real time insights" on the data.

Says the Microsoft blog post: "We were playing with Microsoft's newly released Face detection API's through a webpage called http://how-old.net. This page lets users upload a picture and have the API predict the age and gender of any faces recognized in that picture. We sent email to a group of several hundred people asking them to try the page for a few minutes and give us feedback – optimistically hoping that at least 50 people would give it a shot. We monitored our real time analytics dashboard to track usage and, within a few minutes, the number of people using the site vastly exceeded the number of people we had sent our email to...We were shocked. Within a few hours, over 35,000 users had hit the page from all over the world (about 29k of them from Turkey, as it turned out – apparently there were a bunch of tweets from Turkey mentioning this page). What a great example of people having fun thanks to the power of ML!"

Read more...



  Newer entries Older entries  

News archive