techtimes24

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Apple launched trade-in program "iPhone Reuse and Recycle"

Summary: Apple Inc. said Friday that it has launched an iPhone trade-in program at its U.S. retail locations. The program will allow consumers to trade in older devices for credit on new products.

If you're worried you won't have enough cash saved up before the imminent release of the iPhone 5S, you're in luck. Apple is reportedly introducing a trade-in program ahead of the next iPhone's release, which would get your old iPhone off your hands and take a few bucks off the new one.

(Morefrom Techtimes24: Twitter’s new update conversation Apps for iPhone and Android)

Values can range depending on a variety of factors, including device color, physical damage and liquid damage. Though the prices could very well be tweaked before the program goes wide, the range is said to be around $120-200 for 16GB iPhone 4 and 4S models. A 16GB iPhone 5 in good condition could go for around $250

Maximum trade-in values

*Company offers gift card, not cash

Once the paperwork is done, the value is added to a gift card. The balance is applied to a new device, and the customer keeps the gift card if there’s money left over. The store keeps the old phone. The trade-in program is only applicable if you’re in the store to get a new phone, so you can’t just trade it for a gift card.

Source: techcrunch, cnbc, huffingtonpost, apple recycling program

Friday, August 30, 2013

China's Xiaomi Hires Google Executive Hugo Barra

Vice president of Android product management Mr. Hugo Barra has announced he’s joining Android smartphone maker Xiaomi as vice president of its global team to expand the device-maker’s product portfolio and worldwide reach.

The news, which was first reported by AllThingsD, followed closely reports about a split between Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki. The reports suggest that Brin is now seeing another Google employee who was previously seeing Barra. The third Google employee has not been named. Barra tendered his resignation before the drama involving Brin unfolded.

Xiaomi is one of a number of Chinese smartphone makers that have been gaining market share in China against foreign rivals like Apple and Nokia. Until recently, these Chinese companies seemed happy with their rising sales in China, the biggest smartphone market, but now companies like Xiaomi, Lenovo and Huawei seem intent on expanding internationally.

Mr. Barra said in a statement posted on a Google social networking service that he intended to help Xiaomi “expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally.”

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem,” he wrote.

“We wish Hugo Barra the best,” Google said in a statement. “We’ll miss him at Google and we’re excited that he is staying within the Android ecosystem.”

Source: Android’s Hugo Barra Departs Google for China’s Xiaomi

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Twitter’s new update conversation Apps for iPhone and Android

Twitter has taken note and a new update to the website, iOS and Android apps available today makes engaging in conversations on Twitter a much more intuitive process. Using this App user can make it easier to discover and follow conversations in their home timeline.

When browsing your Twitter stream, some tweets will now be connected with a blue line, letting you know they're part of a conversation. If you want to view the rest of the associated tweets, just tap on "more replies" and you'll launch the conversation view.

All users will now be able to flag tweets as inappropriate or spammy directly from the app or web interface (iOS users have had this ability for a while) — a change made partially in response to a popular petition with over 100,000 signatures calling for the feature.

Source: Keep up with conversations on Twitter

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Apple snaps up AlgoTrim, a data compression startup

Summary: Apple acquires Swedish codec and compression algorithm maker AlgoTrim.

According to a new report by Swedish emerging industry news service Rapidus, Apple has acquired AlgoTrim, a Swedish company specialising in compression technologies to optimise memory handling in mobile devices. AlgoTrim develops advanced solutions for mobile devices within the fields of data compression, mobile imaging and video, and computer graphics.

AlgoTrim was founded in 2005 by Anders Berglund, Anders Holtsberg and Martin Lindberg, and according to the report, Holstberg recently moved to California, near Apple's headquarters. While confirming to Rapidus he now works for Apple, Holstberg declined to comment on the acquisition to the publication.

According to AlgoTrim's website, its imaging codecs are used in Google's Gallery app while other compression technology is used to compress firmware updates in some Android devices.

It also has several image codecs to for JPEG, PNG, GIF and BMP files in addition to other imaging solutions for "modern computational photography". The company's products are based on a patented lossless compression method that is used for compressing processor instructions.

Source: Apple acquires Swedish software start-up

New York Times Website Hacked by Syrian Electronic Army

Second time in this month The New York Times Web site was unavailable to readers on Tuesday afternoon after an online attack on the company’s domain name registrar. A hacker group calling itself the "Syrian Electronic Army" claimed responsibility.

Within minutes of the attack, the New York Times quickly set up alternative websites, posting stories about chemical attacks in Syria. "Not Easy to Hide a Chemical Attack, Experts Say," was the headline of one. The service was restored early Wednesday.

Source: Times Site Is Disrupted in Attack by Hackers

Facebook Global Government Requests Report for user data

Every year, Facebook gets thousands of requests from governments for access to its users’ data. According to a new company report, the tech giant has an easier time fending off requests from foreign governments than from U.S. law enforcement agencies

Image from facebook

Facebook's Global Government Requests Report, released on Tuesday for the first time, offered details on official requests from 74 countries.

Facebook said "We are pleased to release our first Global Government Requests Report"

The report details the following:

· Which countries requested information from Facebook about our users

· The number of requests received from each of those countries

· The number of users/user accounts specified in those requests

· The percentage of these requests in which we were required by law to disclose at least some data

The US made by far the most requests, asking for information on between 20,000 and 21,000 users. UK authorities requested Facebook hand over data on 2,337 users.

Report made to Facebook click

Source: Global Government Requests Report

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Microsoft eyes Xbox One launching November-8

A leaked email supposedly originating from a Walmart marketing firm marks the Xbox One with a Friday, November 8 launch date.

The company has yet to announce when the Xbox One will be available, but Microsoft may decide to launch the high-powered console on November 8, gaming site Kotaku reported on Monday, citing a person who has knowledge of Microsoft's plans.

Source: The Xbox One Might Be Out On November 8

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Computer backup make it free, find free online storage websites for individual or business purpose

Summary: Online storage is now popular for its easy maintenance, save and secure uploading and downloading files from everywhere you want. Find popular free cloud storage websites.

What is cloud/online storage?

Cloud storage is a model of networked enterprise storage where data is stored in the webhost which are generally hosted by third parties. User requires their data to be hosted free, buy or lease storage capacity from online storage providers.

There are many online backup service providers; here some free well-liked cloud storage websites;

1. Google Drive

2. SkyDrive

3. Mega

4. Dropbox

5. iCloud

6. IDrive

7. Just Cloud

8. Box2

9. Bitcasa

10. Evernote

11. Humyo

12. Binfire

13. More cloud storage providers are at the tail of the page

How does it work?

Online Backup involves downloading a company’s software application which will be installed on your computer or laptop. The application will run in the background backing up your files to their secure storage servers. Most companies use 256 bit SSL encryption which is classed as “Bank Grade Security” Most companies provide and online control panel so you can search your files online and download, or share these files. The purpose of the software is to allow you to easily restore your computer if at any point it crashes from hard drive failure, you accidently delete a file or if your laptop is stolen. Restoring files should be easy with just a few clicks but will take some time to download all your files depending on your internet connection speed

Why cloud storage?

What happen if your hard drive crash, theft, fire, accidental deletion or hardware failure? All these can contribute to lost files. That means our valuable documents are always in risk. Online backup is now a must have for all computer users, as we now live in a digital age where our whole digital life is store online.

Is cloud storage secure?

All online storage providers use 256 bit SSL encryption which is sometimes referred to as “Bank Grade” security. Encryption is the process where data is scrambled into a long series of characters and a key is then needed to unscramble the information again. Encryption is one of the major reasons why online backup is the preferred choice for computer storage. Encryption prevents malicious parties from attempting to access, change or damage files by storing them in a why which is inaccessible without the key. In this aspect its save and secure.

Other online storage websites;

Zip Cloud, MyPC Backup, SOS, SugarSync, Mozy, BackupGenie, Crash Plan, Carbonite, IBackup, BackBlaze, Backupify, Jungledisk, LiveDrive, keepit, Elephant Drive, ADrive, OpenDrive, Vault Logix, Druva, PennyBackup, Concentsus, Genie Backup, Yousendit.com, CloudBerry, Egnyte Backup, Yotta Vault, MiMedia, Kinetic D, Amazon Online Backup, NovaBackup, SafeCopyBackup ,Backupandshare, 4Shared, Sharefile Backup, Fileswap, Mediafire

Friday, August 23, 2013

Hon Hei (Foxconn) sells Wearable Technology Patents to Google

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. released a statement today, saying that it has sold a portion of its patent portfolio to Google Inc., as part of its business strategy.

Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, a key Apple Inc. (APPL) supplier. Foxconn confirmed on Friday it had sold technologies to Google that generate "a virtual image and is superimposed on a real-world view," according to The Wall Street Journal.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Foxconn said the patents were “commonly used in aviation and tactical/ground displays, engineering and scientific design applications, gaming and video devices as well as training and simulation tools”.

Source: Hon Hai Says It Sold Some Display Patents to Google

MakerBot Digitizer 3D scanner released

Summary: MakerBot Digitizer a desktop 3D scanner which allows users to scan objects and print them out has been developed by an American company, which goes on sale; it costs $1,400 (£900) and will be sent to those who order now in October.

MakerBot Digitizer takes around 12 minutes to scan an object up to eight inches (20.3cm) in height or diameter without any need for the user to learn any 3D modeling software or have any other special expertise. It works by training lasers on the object the user wishes to recreate to gauge its measurements. These measurements can then be sent to a 3D printer to print out, or uploaded to Thingiverse, a website for sharing 3D designs.

MakerBot, which was acquired by Stratasys in June 2013, has risen to prominence with its 3D printing business. It currently has two 3D printers on offer: The MakerBot Replicator 2 and the MakerBot Replicator 2X.

(More from techtimes24: Yahoo Beats Google To top in U.S. Web Traffic)

Here’s what you can do with MakerBot Digitizer;

· The MakerBot Digitizer runs on our simple, yet sophisticated software that creates clean, watertight 3D models with just two clicks

· Turn physical objects into 3D digital design files in approximately 12 minutes

· You don’t need any design skills, 3D modeling, or CAD expertise to get started

· The output is a standard 3D model file format (STL) and can be modified and improved in third-party 3D modeling programs, like Autodesk’s free software MeshMixer

· MakerBot Digitizer works seamlessly with MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printers to let you make your freshly scanned models

· Easily upload your scans to Thingiverse.com

Source: MakerBot Digitizer Lets You Turn Objects Into 3D Models for $1,400

Another Mapping App Embark Acquires by Apple Inc.

Apple has purchased a small mapping company Embark Inc. that offers mass transit information, another in a long line of mapping-related acquisitions aimed at improving the Maps app it released for the iPhone last year to universal disdain.

Apple has confirmed to various news sites that it has purchased San Francisco startup Embark, the acquisition was first reported on JessicaLessin.com.

Embark, founded in 2011, builds apps for mobile devices powered by Android and Apple’s iOS with information about transit systems in about half a dozen U.S. cities such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Its iOS apps are still available for download, but its Android apps aren’t, according to our checks.

(More from techtimes24: Yahoo Beats Google To top in U.S. Web Traffic)

Source: Apple Buys (Another) Map App, Embark

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Yahoo Beats Google To top in U.S. Web Traffic

Summary: According to comScore Media Metrix Ranks Yahoo Tops Google in U.S. for Web Traffic in July

According to comScore's Media Metrix ranking released on Wednesday, Yahoo's sites had 196.6 million unique U.S. visitors while Google's sites -- which had held the top position for long -- received 192.3 million unique visits in July. The last time Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo surpassed Google’s traffic and topped the chart was in May 2011, and its web traffic increased 20 percent year-on-year in July, comScore data showed.

Top 10 comScore's Media Metrix ranking;

1. Yahoo! Sites

2. Google Sites

3. Microsoft Sites

4. Facebook

5. AOL, Inc.

6. Amazon Sites

7. Glam Media

8. Wikimedia Foundation Sites

9. CBS Interactive

10. Turner Digital

Source: Yahoo Tops Google in U.S. Web Traffic