Short Bytes: Taking part in the Star Wars hysteria, Google has released another Easter egg. All you need to do is Google “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” and see the hidden surprise.
To celebrate the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Google has just launched an excellent Easter egg focused on Star Wars theme.
All you need to do is open Google and search A long time ago in a galaxy far far away in Google and see the hidden surprise.
Just a couple of days ago, Google released a tool that lets you choose a side of the force and paint your Google apps into the Star Wars color. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away is another similar attempt.
Go ahead, give it a try and search A long time ago in a galaxy far far away in Google.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on December 18.
Apple
Music has finally landed on Android on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Can Apple
manage to entice Android users to try out its music streaming service?
In an Interview of TechCrunch with Eddy Cue of Apple, he admits that
one of the biggest challenges of unveiling Apple Music on Android is to
convince Android users to give the app a chance.
"One of the things is that we obviously don't know a lot of these
Android customers and we're excited to hear what they'd like us to go
do," says Cue. He goes on to say that the fun part, however, is bringing its app to several people.
"We hope customers will try it out and make a judgment based on how it is," he adds. Apple
Music is Apple's very first real Android App. Its other apps include a
migration tool and Beats' products; however these are not Apple-branded.
He says the company really tried hard to produce a great app for
Android. Cue says Apple tried to make Apple Music's interface look and
feel like an Android app. Perhaps what sets Apple Music apart
from its archrivals Spotify and YouTube Red are the app's Beats 1 Radio
and curated playlists and recommendations.
It is worth noting that the app is available in every single region
that Apple Music presently serves, except for China, which will be
launching in the near future.
Almost all the functionalities of Apple Music have been made
available on the Android beta version. These include Connect, Beats 1
and custom music suggestions. The features which have not yet made the
jump include the music videos and capability to sign up for the
service's family plan.
In the meantime, an Apple ID will still be needed to sign up.
Existing subscribers can still use their account to synchronize every
song that they've already set up on iTunes. Apple, however, is already
working on simplifying the sign-up process for those who do not have
Apple IDs. Interestingly, if users pay for the Apple Music
subscription in the Android application, Google will get a 30 percent
chunk of the fee. In June 30, this music streaming service was first launched for
iOS users. On its home turf, Apple Music comes packed with a handful of
amazing features, including curated playlists (playlists that are
created based on users' preferences) and Beats 1 (the company's live
radio station).
The internet is still in trouble, and now we know how it’s going to get worse.
T-Mobile has just announced "Binge On,"
a deal that gives customers unlimited access to Netflix, HBO Go, ESPN,
Showtime, and video from most other huge media brands (but not
YouTube!). It’s just like T-Mobile’s "Music Freedom" promotion,
which gives customers unlimited high-speed data, as long as they’re
listening to music from Spotify, Google Play Music, or one of T-Mobile’s
other partners. It sounds like a sweet deal, and many customers will
benefit! But it’s dangerous for the internet. When John Herrman writes that the next internet is TV
— and you should believe him — this is part of how we get there. You
know that viral picture that shows ISP internet bundles being sold as
cable packages? That’s basically what’s happening here, except it’s more
difficult to stop because, as the FCC might say, there’s "no obvious
consumer harm" in giving people free stuff.
Of course, "free" isn’t really free, is it? This scheme is called
"zero rating," and people like Susan Crawford have been warning us for a
while about the risk it poses for the open internet.
The only reason Binge On and Music Freedom sound like such a great
pro-consumer deal is because the top four mobile ISPs — Verizon,
AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile — have manufactured a market based
completely on artificial scarcity. For years ISPs have clamored about a
mobile data crunch that never materialized to justify data caps and
outrageous prices, and wouldn’t you know it, now they have the solution.
After years of aggressively trying to cull the herd of people who still remember the meaning of the word "unlimited," they’re rebranding it as something special and new. It’s, like, so un-carrier, man. It's, like, so un-carrier, man
Even the landline ISPs are using the same spin now, because their
siblings in the mobile business have perfected the art of squeezing
customers for access to data. Comcast, likely terrified of losing
margins in the TV business, is experimenting with ways to arbitrarily
tax its broadband customers by offering them "unlimited" data plans.
These caps have nothing to do with network congestion and everything to do with collecting as much rent as possible from tenants who often have no choice.
Verizon is so desperate to impart the logic of limitation that it now
offers data plans in "small, medium, large, extra large, and
extra-extra large" sizes. Each metaphor is more inane and unnecessary
than the last, but it doesn’t really matter, because only a few
companies really own the internet, and they succeed most when they
cooperate without acting like they’re cooperating. It’s all as
meaningless as the wireless puffery about who's "most reliable." The
only reason T-Mobile's plan makes sense is because it exists in this
world of hollow language and artificial constraints.
T-Mobile CEO John Legere today claimed that the mobile industry has
collected $45 billion from customers who "overbought" data they didn’t
need to use. He wants you to think T-Mobile is blowing this model of
theft up, but it’s actually just playing the same game
as everyone else. That doesn't mean T-Mobile is trying to gouge
customers, but BingeOn is bad for different reasons. It's bad for net
neutrality. Binge On gives T-Mobile too much power
Binge On is bad because it gives T-Mobile too much power. It’s really
that simple. And yes, it’s bad for net neutrality. If net neutrality
has a core idea, it’s that regular people ought to be in charge of the
internet — especially since the internet is mostly just people. That
means companies like T-Mobile shouldn’t be picking winners and losers,
even if customers appear to be winning in the short term. And there are
definitely going to be losers. Legere insists that anybody who wants to
be a part of Binge On can be, as long as they meet T-Mobile’s technical
specifications. It’s not clear what those specifications are yet, though
Legere used words like "optimized video" and "DVD quality or better."
But that just sounds a lot like another type of managed network: cable
television.
"This is not a net neutrality problem," Legere insisted on stage
today at his company’s Uncarrier X event. "This is similar to Music
Freedom. It’s free!" Free, free, free.
It's not clear if Legere understands what net neutrality means. To
understand why free is a problem, we need to look at net neutrality in
the context of the scarcity the ISPs have created. Consider T-Mobile and
Sprint’s basic "unlimited" data plans: each technically include
unlimited data, but only 1GB at 4G speeds. (T-Mobile announced today it
had "amped" that minimum plan to 2GB.) As soon as you reach that cap,
you’re kicked down to 2G speeds which are basically unusable for most
things worth doing on the internet. When I was on T-Mobile’s 1GB plan
before it announced Music Freedom, I nearly used my entire data
allowance listening to Google Play Music on a one-way bus ride from New
York to DC. But since T-Mobile now gives me all that data for "free,"
it’s a huge competitive advantage against T-Mobile’s rivals. It’s too
bad the cost is competition at large.
Remember when Netflix accused Comcast and other ISPs of holding their
customers hostage for payment? Netflix paid up, and depending on who
you ask, it looks like the ISPs won big time. But Netflix also won!
Despite arguments that Netflix was an underdog, it’s doing huge
business, and it’s going to be fine. Netflix is not the problem — it’s
even going to enjoy unlimited access to customers as part of Binge On,
along with all the other big media brands that were called out by name
today at T-Mobile's event. It’s the next Netflix that’s going to suffer. Or maybe even just the next website.
Have you noticed that all these zero-rating programs privilege video
and sound? What about everything else? The network isn't open if this
kind of discrimination exists.
One of the worst possible worlds for the internet is one in which
suits at companies like Comcast or T-Mobile have to meet in a boardroom
before you’re allowed to experience something without limits. That
future looks more and more likely as media companies, technology
companies, and telecommunications companies become more tightly
integrated in complicated layers of cartel-style ownership — the same
way the TV business has operated for decades. John Legere is doing the same thing everyone else is doing
So Binge On is a bad idea. It gives T-Mobile too much power in
deciding winners and losers on the internet, and it gives other ISPs
incentive to adopt similar measures to stay competitive. Worse, its spin
as a pro-consumer benefit obscures the manipulation of the broadband
market that’s happening right under our noses. John Legere even
breathlessly talked trash about Verizon "curating" what people should
watch under Go90, even though he’s basically doing the same thing with a
different name.
It’s the FCC’s job to scrutinize Binge On and other zero-rating
services, but the agency hasn’t done anything about it yet. When the
FCC’s new net neutrality rules debuted this year, the Music Freedom plan
was called a "lesser concern" because it posed no obvious harm to
customers. But the harm is obvious — it transfers power from consumers
and small companies to gatekeepers.
Next time you see a gold-plated Monster cable at Best Buy, remember
that we’re living in a new Gilded Age whose stark inequalities are often
masked by corporate spin and demagoguery. If there’s one thing you need
to know to understand the shape of things to come — and that definitely
includes the internet — it’s that the rich are getting richer and more
powerful, and fast. There’s no conspiracy theory here, just hard data
about who owns what. The thing we conveniently call the internet, which
is really just varying combinations of you, and me, and the phones and
wires and media that are all connected by them, are owned and operated
by very few people. Those people are going to keep making a lot of
decisions for you, both because they can and because they think they
know best. And they’re going to try to sell you on the idea that it’s
good for you.
John Legere loves to brag about how much he’s disrupting the
industry. "Dumb and dumber are really gonna lose their shit over this
one," Legere said today, talking about AT&T and Verizon. "The other
guys can’t keep up." In this case, we really hope the other guys don’t
keep up. These bad ideas should die at T-Mobile before they turn the
internet into just another zone of total corporate control.
The truly simple solution is to just offer unlimited data access for
everything. But maybe T-Mobile is content to just keep playing the
barking dog in AT&T and Verizon's backyard.
Need to Spy on Cell Phone? Here’s a Complete Guide to Spy on Calls, SMS, Contacts & More…
With
the advancement in the technology, cell phones have just turned
themselves into powerful mini-computers. While some people use cell
phones to exchange secret messages and maintain illicit relationships,
many children also misuse cell phones for storing and watching
inappropriate content. Therefore, in order to investigate the truth it
becomes inevitable for people to spy on cell phones of their loved ones
or children.
What’s the Best Software to Spy on Cell Phone?
To spy on cell phones, there exists
hundreds of spy programs on the market where a majority of them are
nothing more than a crap. However, there are a few genuine spy programs
as well and MobiStealth
is one among them. After testing a handful of popular cell phone spy
programs, I conclude MobiStealth as the clear winner and best among all.
MobiStealth is one of
the best and most popular software out there to spy on cell phones. It
offers an effective means to monitor the target cell phone and record
activities like phone calls, text messages, GPS location, emails, web
activities and much more. All the monitoring/recording process takes
place in a complete stealth mode, so that the target user never gets to
know that he/she is under surveillance. MobiStealth has every feature
that a true spy software should have. This makes it a complete cell
phone spying kit.
MobiStealth Features:
Here is a list of mobile spying features that you get with MobiStealth:
Phone Call Logs – Spy on each incoming and outgoing call number on the target cell phone along with time stamp.
SMS Logging – Spy on both incoming and outgoing SMS.
Phone Book Spy – Gain access to all the contacts that is stored on the target cell phone.
Spy on Web Web Activity – The program records all web activities including emails, websites visited, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and more.
GPS Location Tracking – Track the exact location of the cell phone user at any given time.
Cell ID Tracking: – With this option, it is possible to track the cell phone’s location during the absence of GPS.
SMS Commands – Remotely send SMS commands to
lock/unlock the cell phone usage or delete call history, SMS logs,
photos and videos from the target phone at any time.
Remote Device Lock or Wipe – You can remotely lock the target cell phone or wipe all its data at anytime you wish.
Keylogging – Records keystrokes typed which includes passwords and other sensitive information.
Stealth Operation – Operates in a covert mode so that the presence of the spy software remains unnoticed.
No Jail-Break Required – Unlike most other spy programs, MobiStealth can operate successfully without the need to jail-break the cell phones.
If you are a parent, MobiStealth can offer you an additional help as it supports a handful of control features as well:
Application Blocking – You have the option to block certain applications from being accessed on the target cell phone.
Incoming Call Blocking – Block unwanted incoming calls on the target cell phone.
How it Works?
After
your purchase, you can directly download MobiStealth onto the target
cell phone. Installation process takes only a few minutes (2-3 min
approx).
After the installation, each activity on
the target cell phone is recorded and uploaded to the MobiStealth
servers. You can login to your MobiStealth online account from your PC
(or any computer in the world) to spy on the logs at any time. The logs
contain Text messages, Contacts List, Call History, GPS Locations and many other information as mentioned above.
Compatible Cell Phones:
MobiStealth is compatible with most types of cell phones currently available in the market including:
Android Phones
iPhone
iPod and Tablets
Blackberry
You can download MobiStealth from the following link:
Japanese scientists create unbreakable hybrid glass that’s as strong as steel
How
would it be if there could be a glass that is unbreakable when it falls
down. If this happens, it could be used to make break-resistant
drinking glasses; to shatterproof screens for devices such as
smartphones, tablets, laptops, and e-readers; to stronger windows for
vehicles and buildings. Looks like this may become a reality very soon.
Scientists
in Japan have created a new type of hybrid glass that’s almost as
strong as steel and as light and thin as regular glass and nearly
unbreakable. This discovery could radically change the commercial use of
the new glass in phones, cars, buildings and technology.
Researchers
at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science have
published their findings of their experiments in the journal Nature and the new glass should be available for use within five years.
The
glass contains aluminum oxide compounds, which are well known for their
toughness. Glass is based on silica (silicon dioxide), which is the
main component of sand. The Tokyo team of researchers have come up with
an innovative way of creating durable glass by increasing in the mix the
amount of alumina, which is an oxide of aluminum. When mixed with
silicon dioxide, it results in an exceptionally safe, tough and
indestructible glass.
However, when the material scientists
previously tried to mix alumina with glass, they found little success,
as the raw mixture used to crystalize when it came in contact with the
container.
The scientists explain that they have used a technique
called aerodynamic levitation, which has managed to address that
problem. The Japanese team manufactured their glass without a container
to avoid the formation of any pesky crystals. They crushed alumina and
tantalum oxide powders together at high pressure, applied heat, and then
they used oxygen gas to levitate their samples in air and allowed the
chemical elements to synthesize together. The result is a transparent
glass, made from 50 percent alumina that they say is as strong as steel.
The
glass underwent hardness, strength, and elasticity tests including
Young’s modulus and Vickers methods. According to the tests, the glass
was twice as strong as typical glass and is obviously competent to that
of iron and steel.
According to the scientists, the new method can
produce a “perfectly transparent, thin, light, optically-excellent
glass.” Currently, only a small quantity of the glass has been
manufactured but the scientists are working on a way to bring it to
market.
“We will establish a way to mass-produce the new material
shortly,” Atsunobu Masuno, an assistant professor at the University,
told The Asahi Shimbun. “We are looking to commercialise the technique within five years.”
Google’s New AI Will Reply to Your Gmails so You Don’t Have To
Google
is planning to launch a new feature that aims to write artificially
intelligent responses to your email, which is also called automated
reply. In other words, the search giant is planning to come up with a
new tool that can rapidly reply to someone while traveling without
having to type a fresh message manually into your smartphone keyboard.
The
new technology called Smart Reply uses “deep learning” — a form of
artificial intelligence – to its Inbox by Gmail app that will analyze
email conversations from across Google’s Gmail service and suggest a
few, brief responses.
“The network will tailor both the tone and
content of the responses to the email you’re reading”, says Alex Gawley,
Product Management Director at Google.
“Smart Reply suggests up
to three responses based on the emails you get”, said Google. Users then
simply tap on the Smart Reply suggestion of choice to start editing and
adding to it, if required. “For those emails that only need a quick
response, it can take care of the thinking and save precious time spent
typing. And for those emails that require a bit more thought, it gives
you a jump start so you can respond right away,” added Google.
Smart
Reply technology is a part of an update to Google’s Inbox app for
managing and organizing email. It uses a deep learning service that
feeds information into a neural network that is designed to act like the
web of neurons in a human brain, and the network then takes that
information and “learns” a task.
“A naive attempt to build a
response generation system might depend on hand-crafted rules for common
reply scenarios,” Greg Corrado, senior research scientist at Google,
writes. “But in practice, any engineer’s ability to invent ‘rules’ would
be quickly outstripped by the tremendous diversity with which real
people communicate.
“The machine-learned system, by contrast,
implicitly captures diverse situations, writing styles, and tones. These
systems generalize better, and handle completely new inputs more
gracefully than brittle, rule-based systems ever could.”
However,
the experts on deep learning say that such systems have their
limitations. “With a finite amounts of data, you can create a
rudimentary understanding of the world,” says Andrew Ng, chief scientist
at Baidu, the Chinese search giant that also sits at the forefront of
the deep learning movement, “but humans learn about the world in all
sorts of ways [we can’t yet duplicate].”
Google expects its new
“smart reply” option to be particularly popular when people are checking
emails on smartphones equipped with smaller, touch-screen keyboards.
The new feature is available to all consumers who use the free version
of Inbox, as well as the more than 2 million businesses who pay for
Google’s suite of applications designed for work.
The Smart Reply
feature is slated to roll out across Google’s Inbox for Android and iOS
apps later this week and will be available on both Google Play and the
App Store in English. So, if you have got a lot of emails to reply, then
it may not be a bad idea to try out the new feature.
Short Bytes: Taking part in the Star Wars hysteria, Google has released another Easter egg. All you need to do is Google “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” and see the hidden surprise. 
With
the advancement in the technology, cell phones have just turned
themselves into powerful mini-computers. While some people use cell
phones to exchange secret messages and maintain illicit relationships,
many children also misuse cell phones for storing and watching
inappropriate content. Therefore, in order to investigate the truth it
becomes inevitable for people to spy on cell phones of their loved ones
or children.
After
your purchase, you can directly download MobiStealth onto the target
cell phone. Installation process takes only a few minutes (2-3 min
approx).
