CES 2013 will be Google's show
Not that many years ago, nearly every computing product on the CES exhibit floor ran Windows. This year, that was not the case. Sure, the new "ultrabooks" are Windows-powered, but Android is everywhere else: in tablets, in phones, and in TVs.Even though Microsoft Windows still dominates the PC and laptop markets, Microsoft itself is no longer the leader in consumer tech innovation. It's sad but appropriate that the company will no longer be kicking off the leading consumer electronics trade show. After Apple, Google is leading the charge in consumer electronics. Apple doesn't officially participate in CES, leaving Google as the most influential platform company there. The most interesting tabletproducts at CESran Android (examples: Asus 370T; Asus Transformer Prime; Samsung Galaxy Note, while the the Windows-powered ultrabooks appeared pedestrian in comparison (except perhaps for Lenovo's Yoga). And it's a safe bet that most of the smartphone manufacturers see Google Android as their only feasible defense against the iPhone juggernaut. Windows Phone 7, good as it is, is too late. Other opinionsPCs take the lead at CES 2012: Laptops, desktops, and hardwareTablets: Bruised and confused at CES 2012Ultrabooks: A new era for PCs or Wintel innovation bankruptcy?It would make sense for Google to get the 2013 CES keynote spot. It was the most important vendor at this year's show and it's likely to be even more critical to the CE industry next year.Google rose to this position in CE by using the same playbook as the company it's displacing. As Microsoft did with Windows, Google now makes the operating system that every manufacturer knows how to bake into its hot products and that developers like to build for due to its expanding market footprint and technical flexibility. In consumer computing, Microsoft perfected this virtual cycle, but in the new era of mobile devices, it's Google that's doing the best job implementing the model.Will it be Google?Jason Oxman, senior vice president of Industry Affairs at the Consumer Electronics Association, wouldn't tell me who has been invited to give the keynote at CES 2013. But he did discuss with me the process. CEA execs will decide on the "thematic direction" for the 2013 show shortly after the 2012 show closes. Then they'll extend invitations to speakers. Another safe bet: the CEA isn't going to determine that the thematic direction for CES 2013 will in any way relate to portable PCs running Windows 8. Nor for any sensible 2013 theme (mobile computing, search, social computing, the cloud, or media), does Microsoft sit at the head of the class. At some point, a major manufacturer like Samsung, Sony, LG, or Toshiba may manage to get real traction with an integrated media-sharing platform that competes with Apple (they are all building them). If it does, it could end up as a good keynote candidate. But as of CES 2012, these initiatives all seem secondary to these manufacturers' hardware lines. They're not as well integrated, or nearly as good, asiTunes is with Apple TV, its iOS devices, and the Macs. CES 2013 keynoteWhich company should keynote the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show?Apple, for its part, does participate in CES. The company sent hundreds of employees to CES this year. Some reports called them "spies" because they were quiet deal-makers and observers, not press-facing flag-wavers. But if Apple sent spies, Google sent generals. Eric Schmidt and Marissa Meyer, for example, both appeared on CNET livestreamed events. Google is already laying the groundwork to dominate CES.Next year, when Microsoft has neither the keynote slot nor its mega-booth in the Central Hall (which it did not renew), the company will do a similar thing: It will send hundreds of employees and likely "embed" them in the booths where Windows 8-running products are being pushed. But no matter how ever-present Microsoft is in partner booths, it won't be able to control the message to the same extent it would if it had a native exhibit. Microsoft will be Apple-like in 2013.The 2013 CES will belong to Google even if it doesn't get (or accept) the keynote spot. Google was the most influential company at CES 2012, it's arguably the most important company for other CE vendors to work with, and it deserves the top billing at CES 2013.(Tidbit: No matter who gets the nod as the kick-off company for CES 2013, it's not clear if they'll get what the CEA calls the "Microsoft keynote," the talk the night before the show officially opens. In fact, no one might. That pre-show kickoff slot was created 14 years ago specifically for Microsoft. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer have anchored that talk, but no other company has. The CEA is considering eliminating that slot and pushing the media to treat the official opening-day keynote as the show launch instead. This year, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs had that spot.)
Red Handed app crowd-sources crime reporting
Red Handed app crowd-sources crime reporting
Head over to LiveLeak and you'll find a cornucopia of user-uploaded videos â€" many of which, filmed on smartphones, depict someone behaving in a less-than-legal fashion.It is this aspect of the smartphone age that Sydney-based Red Handed wants to tap into with its new app. Using a built-in camera function, it allows you to upload videos live to its platform so that other users can see where crime is occurring â€" and appropriate, hopefully police, action can be taken.The developer refers to Red Handed as, rather than social network, "social awareness", and it has several functions to this end. First, anyone can film and upload videos, either with a log-in or anonymously. Before you start shooting, you can choose the type of crime from a wheel, and add comments when you are done to provide a more full description of the incident. Videos are also automatically geo-tagged and populated on the app's map so that users can search for videos by location.You can also set up the app so that you receive alerts when a video is uploaded, whether it be all reports, reports in your area (as defined by your phone's GPS), or an area defined by you (called your "Hood"). You can also set it so that you only receive notices of reports of apps that have been voted on.Voting is one method the app uses to help discourage misuse. When a user uploads a video, other users can view the video and "vote" on whether it is criminal activity or not. It's making a gamble â€" presupposing that most users will be using the app as intended â€" but the developer feels the issue is important enough that most users will take it seriously.(Credit: Red Handed)Red Handed marketing director Dave Malcolm told us that the potential for misuse was pretty low. When most people see a crime taking place, their instinct is not to get involved; and if anyone tries filing false reports, the app's admins can remove the videos.But anonymous reporting is kind of a necessity, he said. Many people don't feel comfortable being contactable as a witness, or potentially found out by the people they report. Also, it allows people on tight schedules â€" who might witness a crime on a bus, but not want to spend an hour making a police report â€" flag the incident with a service that can escalate it to the authorities and carry on their day.Red Handed has yet to confirm a partnership with the police â€" this is one aspect of the app that is still in progress â€" but other users, or even the Red Handed team, can make a call if they see anything that requires intervention.The app also has a supporting web app that lets you view, comment and vote on videos, as well as view a Google map that shows at-a-glance crime statistics for the area based on the number of video uploads the app has received. This part, admittedly, still requires a kink or two to be ironed out (for example, multiple people filming the same incident will be filed as separate crime reports), but the developers are planning an update in the next few weeks that adds functionality and sorts out a few bugs.What will be really interesting to see is if the app comes to be used in a quis custodiet ipsos custodes sort of fashion, with the watched becoming the watchmen when it comes to incidents of potential police brutality.You can check out more info on the Red Handed website, and download the app for free from the iTunes app store. Android users should keep their eyes open in the coming weeks â€" a version is on the way.
Head over to LiveLeak and you'll find a cornucopia of user-uploaded videos â€" many of which, filmed on smartphones, depict someone behaving in a less-than-legal fashion.It is this aspect of the smartphone age that Sydney-based Red Handed wants to tap into with its new app. Using a built-in camera function, it allows you to upload videos live to its platform so that other users can see where crime is occurring â€" and appropriate, hopefully police, action can be taken.The developer refers to Red Handed as, rather than social network, "social awareness", and it has several functions to this end. First, anyone can film and upload videos, either with a log-in or anonymously. Before you start shooting, you can choose the type of crime from a wheel, and add comments when you are done to provide a more full description of the incident. Videos are also automatically geo-tagged and populated on the app's map so that users can search for videos by location.You can also set up the app so that you receive alerts when a video is uploaded, whether it be all reports, reports in your area (as defined by your phone's GPS), or an area defined by you (called your "Hood"). You can also set it so that you only receive notices of reports of apps that have been voted on.Voting is one method the app uses to help discourage misuse. When a user uploads a video, other users can view the video and "vote" on whether it is criminal activity or not. It's making a gamble â€" presupposing that most users will be using the app as intended â€" but the developer feels the issue is important enough that most users will take it seriously.(Credit: Red Handed)Red Handed marketing director Dave Malcolm told us that the potential for misuse was pretty low. When most people see a crime taking place, their instinct is not to get involved; and if anyone tries filing false reports, the app's admins can remove the videos.But anonymous reporting is kind of a necessity, he said. Many people don't feel comfortable being contactable as a witness, or potentially found out by the people they report. Also, it allows people on tight schedules â€" who might witness a crime on a bus, but not want to spend an hour making a police report â€" flag the incident with a service that can escalate it to the authorities and carry on their day.Red Handed has yet to confirm a partnership with the police â€" this is one aspect of the app that is still in progress â€" but other users, or even the Red Handed team, can make a call if they see anything that requires intervention.The app also has a supporting web app that lets you view, comment and vote on videos, as well as view a Google map that shows at-a-glance crime statistics for the area based on the number of video uploads the app has received. This part, admittedly, still requires a kink or two to be ironed out (for example, multiple people filming the same incident will be filed as separate crime reports), but the developers are planning an update in the next few weeks that adds functionality and sorts out a few bugs.What will be really interesting to see is if the app comes to be used in a quis custodiet ipsos custodes sort of fashion, with the watched becoming the watchmen when it comes to incidents of potential police brutality.You can check out more info on the Red Handed website, and download the app for free from the iTunes app store. Android users should keep their eyes open in the coming weeks â€" a version is on the way.
Facebook 3.0 for iPhone pours on the features
Facebook 3.0 for iPhone pours on the features
The third major edition of Facebook for iPhone has just crept into the iTunes App Store. It's a huge update, with numerous advanced features that make Facebook more interactive than before and which bring the app as close to the desktop experience as it's ever been.Facebook for iPhone opens on your news feed as usual, but the upper left corner now sports a tiny grid icon that serves as the main organizing feature for this new build. Click it to see a screen equipped with a search bar on top, a notification alert area on the bottom, and a grid of nine activities you can perform in the middle. These include the news feed, your profile details, your message in-box, Facebook chat, friend requests, events, photo albums, and notes.Those who use Facebook on the iPhone frequently will notice that quite a few of these actions are brand new, like viewing events and submitting an RSVP from your phone. You'll also be able to view friends' birthdays and upload photos to any album. Anyone sporting an iPhone 3GS gets the added bonus of uploading video. Photos received a lot of attention in this update. You'll now be able to zoom into photos, create albums and delete them, as well as upload and delete photos and photo tags, all from the Facebook interface. In addition, you can upload a new profile picture.Facebook has also poured energy into how it deals with friends. You're now able to call or text friends from the interface, which brings Facebook's social connectivity into the real world. You can see friends of friends and mutual friends from the app, too, as well as the Pages you subscribe to. If you're trying to locate a friend from within a page, Facebook has thought of that too, by equipping the page with search. To top it off, you can subscribe to Pages from the phone, not merely view them passively.The new built-in Web browser is one feature addition that some may miss at first, but which is ultimately one of the most practical and useful for keeping the Facebook experience on iPhone firmly within the Facebook app. Before this integration, clicking a link would kick you out of the app and open a Safari browser. You would have to restart Facebook to resume your place.There are more additions besides, but we thought we would start you off with a little taste and some first impressions. To see the full list, visit the Facebook page on iTunes.So far, this app impresses, but we'll keep you up to date on any quibbles we develop as we spend more time with this it and really get to know both its strong points and its flaws. iPhone and iPod Touch users, what do you think? How to see version 3.0 in iTunes.Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNETTip: If iTunes is still showing version 2.5 on your desktop, click the "Facebook" breadcrumb on the page's top navigation. Refreshing the Web page won't necessarily do the trick. On the iPhone, delete the Facebook application and download it anew from the App Store on your phone. Even if the app page does not say it's version 3.0, the new version should install.
The third major edition of Facebook for iPhone has just crept into the iTunes App Store. It's a huge update, with numerous advanced features that make Facebook more interactive than before and which bring the app as close to the desktop experience as it's ever been.Facebook for iPhone opens on your news feed as usual, but the upper left corner now sports a tiny grid icon that serves as the main organizing feature for this new build. Click it to see a screen equipped with a search bar on top, a notification alert area on the bottom, and a grid of nine activities you can perform in the middle. These include the news feed, your profile details, your message in-box, Facebook chat, friend requests, events, photo albums, and notes.Those who use Facebook on the iPhone frequently will notice that quite a few of these actions are brand new, like viewing events and submitting an RSVP from your phone. You'll also be able to view friends' birthdays and upload photos to any album. Anyone sporting an iPhone 3GS gets the added bonus of uploading video. Photos received a lot of attention in this update. You'll now be able to zoom into photos, create albums and delete them, as well as upload and delete photos and photo tags, all from the Facebook interface. In addition, you can upload a new profile picture.Facebook has also poured energy into how it deals with friends. You're now able to call or text friends from the interface, which brings Facebook's social connectivity into the real world. You can see friends of friends and mutual friends from the app, too, as well as the Pages you subscribe to. If you're trying to locate a friend from within a page, Facebook has thought of that too, by equipping the page with search. To top it off, you can subscribe to Pages from the phone, not merely view them passively.The new built-in Web browser is one feature addition that some may miss at first, but which is ultimately one of the most practical and useful for keeping the Facebook experience on iPhone firmly within the Facebook app. Before this integration, clicking a link would kick you out of the app and open a Safari browser. You would have to restart Facebook to resume your place.There are more additions besides, but we thought we would start you off with a little taste and some first impressions. To see the full list, visit the Facebook page on iTunes.So far, this app impresses, but we'll keep you up to date on any quibbles we develop as we spend more time with this it and really get to know both its strong points and its flaws. iPhone and iPod Touch users, what do you think? How to see version 3.0 in iTunes.Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNETTip: If iTunes is still showing version 2.5 on your desktop, click the "Facebook" breadcrumb on the page's top navigation. Refreshing the Web page won't necessarily do the trick. On the iPhone, delete the Facebook application and download it anew from the App Store on your phone. Even if the app page does not say it's version 3.0, the new version should install.
The 404 689- Where it's a work in progress (podcast)
The 404 689: Where it's a work in progress (podcast)
The vouchers are delivered in the form of a text message, and the technology relies on GPS satellites to keep track of your location in relation to the partnered storefronts. Britain's O2 network is the first to test out the opt-in service, where customers can sign up for a six-month trial that releases information about their age, gender, and interests to relevant retailers. We're all in agreement that this crosses the privacy line, but is anyone else worried that tech companies are just poaching ideas straight from "Minority Report?"While other fathers teach their sons how to throw a baseball or catch a fish, Luke Geissbuhler went the NASA route and helped his son send an iPhone into space. They fitted a small weather balloon with an HD camera, an Apple iPhone (to track GPS location), and several handwarmers before launching the contraption into space.Sixty minutes and 90,000 feet later, the balloon actually broke the thermal wind barrier and burst after 10 more minutes, but not before it recorded 100 minutes of footage from take-off to landing. In their self-shot video, the father/son team reported that the contraption had to survive "100 mph winds, temperatures of 60 degrees below zero, speeds of over a 150 mph, and the high risk of a water landing." Somebody needs to give Papa Geissbuhler the official "Best Father of All Time" award, right now. Check out the rest of the full show below for more stories, including Sprint adding 4G access in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and don't forget to add @BlakeStevenson and RT this message for a chance to win Blake's awesome 404 Halloween poster!Episode 689PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
The vouchers are delivered in the form of a text message, and the technology relies on GPS satellites to keep track of your location in relation to the partnered storefronts. Britain's O2 network is the first to test out the opt-in service, where customers can sign up for a six-month trial that releases information about their age, gender, and interests to relevant retailers. We're all in agreement that this crosses the privacy line, but is anyone else worried that tech companies are just poaching ideas straight from "Minority Report?"While other fathers teach their sons how to throw a baseball or catch a fish, Luke Geissbuhler went the NASA route and helped his son send an iPhone into space. They fitted a small weather balloon with an HD camera, an Apple iPhone (to track GPS location), and several handwarmers before launching the contraption into space.Sixty minutes and 90,000 feet later, the balloon actually broke the thermal wind barrier and burst after 10 more minutes, but not before it recorded 100 minutes of footage from take-off to landing. In their self-shot video, the father/son team reported that the contraption had to survive "100 mph winds, temperatures of 60 degrees below zero, speeds of over a 150 mph, and the high risk of a water landing." Somebody needs to give Papa Geissbuhler the official "Best Father of All Time" award, right now. Check out the rest of the full show below for more stories, including Sprint adding 4G access in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and don't forget to add @BlakeStevenson and RT this message for a chance to win Blake's awesome 404 Halloween poster!Episode 689PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Nokia's music service- DRM still equals fail
Nokia's music service: DRM still equals fail
Yesterday we inflated a very appealing balloon. We told you Nokia was launching a new music service that offered the very attractive "unlimited downloads" model of purchasing music. Disappointingly, it turns out that Nokia's free lunch comes with a big fat side order of fail.We knew the unlimited downloads would be DRMed, and we accepted that, with some skepticism. But it transpires that although your music is still valid when your "subscription" ends, in order to acquire more music you'll need to purchase a whole new device! This is because the subscription is between Nokia and Universal, not the record label and the consumer. Not only that, but in order to put those downloads on a consumer-friendly CD you'll need to pay additional fees for every single blinkin' track.What's more, none of these downloads will be transcodable into other formats thanks to the DRM, so be prepared for a hard time listening to your "free" music on your favorite MP3 player or in the car.Ars Technica dug up some further info so pop over and take a glance if you're after some more details, but forget about Nokia's new service offering anything more than a crippled train wreck of a service. Just stick to whatever you're doing now, which hopefully involves not supporting DRMed media with your money. We recommend checking out iTunes Plus, eMusic or 7digital, supporting EMI's releases (it's the only major label that understands DRM) and buying major-label releases from used CD outlets, sellers and online stores, such as Amazon's Marketplace.Update: Nokia has responded to some of the specific criticisms of the service raised by Ars Technica's piece. It confirmed that consumers would have to buy a new device at the end of the year's subscription period if they wanted to continue downloading music, but added that it was in negotiations with several record labels over this business model.Nokia also said that handsets with the "Comes With Music" service will be available SIM-free from Nokia stores at a "competitive" price, but made no comment on whether it would be available on contracts.(Source: Crave UK)
Yesterday we inflated a very appealing balloon. We told you Nokia was launching a new music service that offered the very attractive "unlimited downloads" model of purchasing music. Disappointingly, it turns out that Nokia's free lunch comes with a big fat side order of fail.We knew the unlimited downloads would be DRMed, and we accepted that, with some skepticism. But it transpires that although your music is still valid when your "subscription" ends, in order to acquire more music you'll need to purchase a whole new device! This is because the subscription is between Nokia and Universal, not the record label and the consumer. Not only that, but in order to put those downloads on a consumer-friendly CD you'll need to pay additional fees for every single blinkin' track.What's more, none of these downloads will be transcodable into other formats thanks to the DRM, so be prepared for a hard time listening to your "free" music on your favorite MP3 player or in the car.Ars Technica dug up some further info so pop over and take a glance if you're after some more details, but forget about Nokia's new service offering anything more than a crippled train wreck of a service. Just stick to whatever you're doing now, which hopefully involves not supporting DRMed media with your money. We recommend checking out iTunes Plus, eMusic or 7digital, supporting EMI's releases (it's the only major label that understands DRM) and buying major-label releases from used CD outlets, sellers and online stores, such as Amazon's Marketplace.Update: Nokia has responded to some of the specific criticisms of the service raised by Ars Technica's piece. It confirmed that consumers would have to buy a new device at the end of the year's subscription period if they wanted to continue downloading music, but added that it was in negotiations with several record labels over this business model.Nokia also said that handsets with the "Comes With Music" service will be available SIM-free from Nokia stores at a "competitive" price, but made no comment on whether it would be available on contracts.(Source: Crave UK)
Epoch 2- the robot shooter action continues
Epoch 2: the robot shooter action continues
Uppercut Games' Epoch, released two years ago, seemed to come out of nowhere: a third-person shooter, based on the Unreal Engine, starring a robot in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following a directive to get to the country's princess â€" the person he was charged to protect.Epoch 2 picks up the story where Epoch left off. Having reached Princess Amelia, Epoch must collect the resources to revive her from cryosleep â€" all while the battle between the warring Omegatroniks and Alphatekk robot factions rages.(Credit: Uppercut Games)What made Epoch so great in the first game was a combat system designed specifically for touchscreens, and the gameplay in Epoch 2 is every bit as slick. The gameplay is based around cover, with automatic targeting and firing so that you don't have to stress about aiming and shooting while dodging enemy fire.If this makes the game sound easy, it's no pushover. When you have several enemy bots firing on you at once from different directions, you'll need all your concentration and dexterity to dodge, cover and reload without being killed. Swiping up and down on the screen lets you pop out to shoot, take cover or perform acrobatic leaps out of the firing zone, and swiping from side to side lets you roll into a new position.You can also throw weapons, such as grenades, to give your firepower a bit of a boost. New weapons have been added, as well as new pieces you can find on the battlefield to upgrade Epoch. The combat itself also has some new moves, such as the Smackdown, which allows you to leap in and deliver a finishing move to a damaged enemy, and the Fast Reload system, which allows you to, well, reload your gun quickly, saving precious seconds under fire.(Credit: Uppercut Games)New moving stages, such as barges and trains, provide a dynamic platform for the action, and new bosses with new abilities provide interesting challenges. It's a lot bigger and a lot longer: Uppercut Games said that the story campaign is three to four times as long as the original Epoch; and, like the original game, the graphics are utterly superb.Epoch 2 is available now from the iTunes App Store for AU$6.49. We expect, like Epoch, it will be available for Android on Google Play in the coming months; in the meantime, you can install update 1.5 for a new arena map.
Uppercut Games' Epoch, released two years ago, seemed to come out of nowhere: a third-person shooter, based on the Unreal Engine, starring a robot in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following a directive to get to the country's princess â€" the person he was charged to protect.Epoch 2 picks up the story where Epoch left off. Having reached Princess Amelia, Epoch must collect the resources to revive her from cryosleep â€" all while the battle between the warring Omegatroniks and Alphatekk robot factions rages.(Credit: Uppercut Games)What made Epoch so great in the first game was a combat system designed specifically for touchscreens, and the gameplay in Epoch 2 is every bit as slick. The gameplay is based around cover, with automatic targeting and firing so that you don't have to stress about aiming and shooting while dodging enemy fire.If this makes the game sound easy, it's no pushover. When you have several enemy bots firing on you at once from different directions, you'll need all your concentration and dexterity to dodge, cover and reload without being killed. Swiping up and down on the screen lets you pop out to shoot, take cover or perform acrobatic leaps out of the firing zone, and swiping from side to side lets you roll into a new position.You can also throw weapons, such as grenades, to give your firepower a bit of a boost. New weapons have been added, as well as new pieces you can find on the battlefield to upgrade Epoch. The combat itself also has some new moves, such as the Smackdown, which allows you to leap in and deliver a finishing move to a damaged enemy, and the Fast Reload system, which allows you to, well, reload your gun quickly, saving precious seconds under fire.(Credit: Uppercut Games)New moving stages, such as barges and trains, provide a dynamic platform for the action, and new bosses with new abilities provide interesting challenges. It's a lot bigger and a lot longer: Uppercut Games said that the story campaign is three to four times as long as the original Epoch; and, like the original game, the graphics are utterly superb.Epoch 2 is available now from the iTunes App Store for AU$6.49. We expect, like Epoch, it will be available for Android on Google Play in the coming months; in the meantime, you can install update 1.5 for a new arena map.
Entertainment-discovery app Shazam raises $30M on $1B valuation
Entertainment-discovery app Shazam raises $30M on $1B valuation
Entertainment-discovery app Shazam is worth a serious sum of cash, the company revealed on Tuesday.Shazam raised $30 million on a $1 billion valuation in its latest funding round, the company announced in a blog post Tuesday. While Shazam has not revealed who provided the funding, the company's chairman, Andrew Fisher, told Bloomberg Television in an interview on Tuesday that there were "a couple of billionaires who participated in the funding round."In 2013, the company received $40 million in funding from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim."Shazam's new investors are a combination of institutional investors and family offices, some of whom like to keep a low profile," a company spokesperson told CNET. "Therefore, due to confidentiality agreements we cannot give any further details."Shazam was founded in 1999 and launched in the UK in 2002 on PCs and Macs, but rose to prominence on mobile devices soon after the iPhone 2 launched in 2008. Shazam was capable of "listening" to a song being played on a radio and identifying it for the user. Starting in 2008, Shazam allowed users to instantly buy those songs via iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store, giving users quick access to tracks.Since then, Shazam has grown in leaps and bounds and now has 100 million monthly active mobile users. The company's app has also expanded beyond just music to identify television shows. Upon recognizing the item, users are provided with everything from the name of the track or show to videos, biographies, and lyrics. Users can also buy the particular item from online marketplaces. The service also now integrates with streaming-music offerings Spotify and Rdio, as well as Apple's iOS 8 and Siri.Shazam's latest funding round comes in the wake of the company's CEO Rich Riley saying in July that he had hopes of taking the company public at some point in the next couple of years. In his interview with Bloomberg, Fisher said that the cash infusion will provide a boost to the company's balance sheet as it looks towards an initial public offering.Though valuations are based partly on guesswork, investors are obviously seeing value in Shazam. Last March, the company announced that it had raised $20 million on a $500 million valuation. At that time, its total funding had hit $92 million since its founding.Update, 9:51 a.m. PT: Adds statement from Shazam.
Entertainment-discovery app Shazam is worth a serious sum of cash, the company revealed on Tuesday.Shazam raised $30 million on a $1 billion valuation in its latest funding round, the company announced in a blog post Tuesday. While Shazam has not revealed who provided the funding, the company's chairman, Andrew Fisher, told Bloomberg Television in an interview on Tuesday that there were "a couple of billionaires who participated in the funding round."In 2013, the company received $40 million in funding from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim."Shazam's new investors are a combination of institutional investors and family offices, some of whom like to keep a low profile," a company spokesperson told CNET. "Therefore, due to confidentiality agreements we cannot give any further details."Shazam was founded in 1999 and launched in the UK in 2002 on PCs and Macs, but rose to prominence on mobile devices soon after the iPhone 2 launched in 2008. Shazam was capable of "listening" to a song being played on a radio and identifying it for the user. Starting in 2008, Shazam allowed users to instantly buy those songs via iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store, giving users quick access to tracks.Since then, Shazam has grown in leaps and bounds and now has 100 million monthly active mobile users. The company's app has also expanded beyond just music to identify television shows. Upon recognizing the item, users are provided with everything from the name of the track or show to videos, biographies, and lyrics. Users can also buy the particular item from online marketplaces. The service also now integrates with streaming-music offerings Spotify and Rdio, as well as Apple's iOS 8 and Siri.Shazam's latest funding round comes in the wake of the company's CEO Rich Riley saying in July that he had hopes of taking the company public at some point in the next couple of years. In his interview with Bloomberg, Fisher said that the cash infusion will provide a boost to the company's balance sheet as it looks towards an initial public offering.Though valuations are based partly on guesswork, investors are obviously seeing value in Shazam. Last March, the company announced that it had raised $20 million on a $500 million valuation. At that time, its total funding had hit $92 million since its founding.Update, 9:51 a.m. PT: Adds statement from Shazam.
Samsung claims iPad Mini, latest iPod violate its patents
Samsung claims iPad Mini, latest iPod violate its patents
Samsung charged Wednesday that Apple's iPad Mini, fourth-generation iPad and fifth-generation iPod Touch violate its patents. The company asked a federal district court to add the products to its latest patent fight with the Cupertino, Calif., computer giant.The Samsung complaint, which we've embedded below, alleges that Apple's latest products infringe the same patent as previous versions of its devices. Samsung essentially claims that "all Apple products including a built-in speaker and an external audio output port" infringe this particular patent, and thus argues that the newest Apple products should be included in the case.Samsung previously moved to expand the case to include the iPhone 5, which Apple released after the initial suit was filed. The court agreed on Nov. 15.Apple, of course, previously claimed that a slew of Samsung devices, including Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Nexus smartphones, infringe its patents. The current case is separate from a similar lawsuit that concluded in August with a verdict in Apple's favor that, should it withstand challenge, would require Samsung to pay more than $1 billion to its rival.Yesterday, the judge in this case ruled that Samsung can review the details of a settlement between Apple and Taiwanese handset maker HTC that ended a similar patent battle between those companies.Apple and Samsung are due back in court on Dec. 6 for follow-up action on their earlier trial. Some of the issues at stake in that hearing include Apple's request to ban U.S. sales of at least eight Samsung devices and Samsung's motion to toss out the jury verdict entirely.Here's the Samsung filing from Wednesday:Hat tip: The Verge
Samsung charged Wednesday that Apple's iPad Mini, fourth-generation iPad and fifth-generation iPod Touch violate its patents. The company asked a federal district court to add the products to its latest patent fight with the Cupertino, Calif., computer giant.The Samsung complaint, which we've embedded below, alleges that Apple's latest products infringe the same patent as previous versions of its devices. Samsung essentially claims that "all Apple products including a built-in speaker and an external audio output port" infringe this particular patent, and thus argues that the newest Apple products should be included in the case.Samsung previously moved to expand the case to include the iPhone 5, which Apple released after the initial suit was filed. The court agreed on Nov. 15.Apple, of course, previously claimed that a slew of Samsung devices, including Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Nexus smartphones, infringe its patents. The current case is separate from a similar lawsuit that concluded in August with a verdict in Apple's favor that, should it withstand challenge, would require Samsung to pay more than $1 billion to its rival.Yesterday, the judge in this case ruled that Samsung can review the details of a settlement between Apple and Taiwanese handset maker HTC that ended a similar patent battle between those companies.Apple and Samsung are due back in court on Dec. 6 for follow-up action on their earlier trial. Some of the issues at stake in that hearing include Apple's request to ban U.S. sales of at least eight Samsung devices and Samsung's motion to toss out the jury verdict entirely.Here's the Samsung filing from Wednesday:Hat tip: The Verge
Samsung chip architect leaves for Apple
Samsung chip architect leaves for Apple
Apple taps Samsung for the processors inside its popular portable devices, and it's apparently fond of the company's employees as well.The Wall Street Journal notes that Jim Mergard, who joined Samsung last June to be its chief system architect, has left to go work at Apple. Before Samsung, Mergard spent 16 years at Advanced Micro Devices, where he was a vice president and chief engineer. The move is the latest in a series of behind the scenes shuffles among some heavy hitters in the chip market. In early August Advanced Micro Devices hired former Apple chip architect Jim Keller to be its corporate vice president and chief architect, reporting to former Apple hardware chief Mark Papermaster. The month before it was AMD chip designer John Bruno, who left AMD to go to Apple as a system architect. Related storiesIn tit for tat, AMD grabs Apple chip designerAnother AMD engineer goes to AppleApple, of course, uses Samsung's technology in its devices, part of a multibillion-dollar a year relationship. Besides screens and system memory, Apple also uses the company's processors -- that includes the A6, the custom ARM-based processor inside the iPhone 5, which Apple promotes as one of its headlining features. Apple designs those chips, while Samsung manufactures them. Apple's last big investment into semiconductors was in early 2010 with the acquisition of Texas-based Intrinsity. Before that it was the 2008 buy of chip-design firm P.A. Semi.Updated at 4:02 p.m. PT to clarify Apple's A6 processor design.
Apple taps Samsung for the processors inside its popular portable devices, and it's apparently fond of the company's employees as well.The Wall Street Journal notes that Jim Mergard, who joined Samsung last June to be its chief system architect, has left to go work at Apple. Before Samsung, Mergard spent 16 years at Advanced Micro Devices, where he was a vice president and chief engineer. The move is the latest in a series of behind the scenes shuffles among some heavy hitters in the chip market. In early August Advanced Micro Devices hired former Apple chip architect Jim Keller to be its corporate vice president and chief architect, reporting to former Apple hardware chief Mark Papermaster. The month before it was AMD chip designer John Bruno, who left AMD to go to Apple as a system architect. Related storiesIn tit for tat, AMD grabs Apple chip designerAnother AMD engineer goes to AppleApple, of course, uses Samsung's technology in its devices, part of a multibillion-dollar a year relationship. Besides screens and system memory, Apple also uses the company's processors -- that includes the A6, the custom ARM-based processor inside the iPhone 5, which Apple promotes as one of its headlining features. Apple designs those chips, while Samsung manufactures them. Apple's last big investment into semiconductors was in early 2010 with the acquisition of Texas-based Intrinsity. Before that it was the 2008 buy of chip-design firm P.A. Semi.Updated at 4:02 p.m. PT to clarify Apple's A6 processor design.
Samsung asks judge to lift ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung asks judge to lift ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung, aiming to find a silver lining in its devastating court loss to Apple, has asked a court to remove its previously ordered sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet.The company yesterday filed that motion with a federal court in San Jose, according to Bloomberg, which obtained the court documents. The company cited Friday's landmark ruling, in which a jury found that Samsung had not actually violated a patent that caused a ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1.Back in June, Apple posted a $2.6 million bond that paved the way for it to enforce a preliminary injunction against Samsung's tablet in the U.S. Since then, Samsung has tried to lift that ban, saying that the infringement didn't hold up. Until now, it didn't have enough firepower to win that argument. It's possible now that it might.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plansThe possibility of reinstating sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 might be the sole good news Samsung has seen since last Friday. That's when a jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages from Samsung. The jury found Samsung in violation of five of six Apple patents.According to Bloomberg, Samsung has requested damages from Apple since its Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been banned without cause. The company also asked Judge Lucy Koh to rule on the request without a hearing, according to Bloomberg.CNET has contacted Samsung for comment on the Bloomberg report. We will update this story when we have more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung, aiming to find a silver lining in its devastating court loss to Apple, has asked a court to remove its previously ordered sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet.The company yesterday filed that motion with a federal court in San Jose, according to Bloomberg, which obtained the court documents. The company cited Friday's landmark ruling, in which a jury found that Samsung had not actually violated a patent that caused a ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1.Back in June, Apple posted a $2.6 million bond that paved the way for it to enforce a preliminary injunction against Samsung's tablet in the U.S. Since then, Samsung has tried to lift that ban, saying that the infringement didn't hold up. Until now, it didn't have enough firepower to win that argument. It's possible now that it might.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plansThe possibility of reinstating sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 might be the sole good news Samsung has seen since last Friday. That's when a jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages from Samsung. The jury found Samsung in violation of five of six Apple patents.According to Bloomberg, Samsung has requested damages from Apple since its Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been banned without cause. The company also asked Judge Lucy Koh to rule on the request without a hearing, according to Bloomberg.CNET has contacted Samsung for comment on the Bloomberg report. We will update this story when we have more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung appoints Kwon Oh-hyun new CEO
Samsung appoints Kwon Oh-hyun new CEO
Samsung has replaced CEO Choi Gee-sung with the head of its components operation.Samsung's components business chief, Kwon Oh-hyun, will now head up the company as chief executive officer. Kwon will continue to run Samsung's component business, but will now be tasked with handling "corporate-wide affairs," Samsung said today. However, the presidents of Samsung's TV and appliances and telecom and IT divisions will not report to Kwon.Although Choi is no longer chief executive, he hasn't been let go. Quite the contrary, he will now head up the Samsung Group Corporate Strategy Office, a central body that rules over the organization's dozens of companies. Samsung Group is controlled by the chairman of Samsung Electronics, Lee Kun-hee.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plansAccording to Reuters, Choi has acted as a mentor to Lee Kun-hee's son Jay Y. Lee, who is expected to take over the group when he's ready for the job. One source, speaking to Reuters, said that Choi will aid Jay Y. Lee in understanding the strategy behind Samsung's many businesses, not just electronics.Choi made headlines last month after meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook in San Francisco to discuss their patent lawsuit battles. Although the discussions were meant to help the companies come to some form of an agreement, that apparently hasn't happened. Whether Kwon will be actively involved in the legal cases surrounding patents and Apple is unknown at this point.Updated at 7:15 a.m. PTto include Samsung's confirmation of its executive changes to CNET.(Via The Wall Street Journal and Reuters)
Samsung has replaced CEO Choi Gee-sung with the head of its components operation.Samsung's components business chief, Kwon Oh-hyun, will now head up the company as chief executive officer. Kwon will continue to run Samsung's component business, but will now be tasked with handling "corporate-wide affairs," Samsung said today. However, the presidents of Samsung's TV and appliances and telecom and IT divisions will not report to Kwon.Although Choi is no longer chief executive, he hasn't been let go. Quite the contrary, he will now head up the Samsung Group Corporate Strategy Office, a central body that rules over the organization's dozens of companies. Samsung Group is controlled by the chairman of Samsung Electronics, Lee Kun-hee.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plansAccording to Reuters, Choi has acted as a mentor to Lee Kun-hee's son Jay Y. Lee, who is expected to take over the group when he's ready for the job. One source, speaking to Reuters, said that Choi will aid Jay Y. Lee in understanding the strategy behind Samsung's many businesses, not just electronics.Choi made headlines last month after meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook in San Francisco to discuss their patent lawsuit battles. Although the discussions were meant to help the companies come to some form of an agreement, that apparently hasn't happened. Whether Kwon will be actively involved in the legal cases surrounding patents and Apple is unknown at this point.Updated at 7:15 a.m. PTto include Samsung's confirmation of its executive changes to CNET.(Via The Wall Street Journal and Reuters)
Samsung aims to overtake Apple as top tablet maker
Samsung aims to overtake Apple as top tablet maker
Samsung has overpowered Apple in the smartphone market and now it has its sights set on the tablet arena.In an Analysts Day event held Wednesday in Seoul, Korea, JK Shin, head of Samsung's mobile division, said that the company wants to steal the No. 1 tablet crown from Apple, according to the Associated Press. The executive didn't reveal a specific deadline for this goal, but did add that Samsung aims to be the "most beloved" company in mobile.Shin said that Samsung's tablet sales are expected to shoot past 40 million this year, doubling the amount in 2012. Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM "Samsung tablet shipments started to grow remarkably since the second half of last year," Shin said, according to the AP.Samsung does have its work cut out if it expects to outshine Apple anytime soon.Apple has sold 48.2 million iPads in the first three quarters of 2013, and analysts predict sales of anywhere from 24 million to 27 million for the holiday quarter. Even at the low end, that would add up to more than 72 million iPads sold this year. In 2012, Apple sold 65.7 million tablets.But Apple's firm grip among tablet buyers has been slipping. Still the top player, it continues to shed market share to its Android rivals, most notably Samsung. Last quarter, Apple's slice of the market fell to 29.7 percent, from 33.5 percent in the prior year's quarter, according to research firm IHS. Over the same time, Samsung's share rose from 19.9 percent to 22.2 percent.
Samsung has overpowered Apple in the smartphone market and now it has its sights set on the tablet arena.In an Analysts Day event held Wednesday in Seoul, Korea, JK Shin, head of Samsung's mobile division, said that the company wants to steal the No. 1 tablet crown from Apple, according to the Associated Press. The executive didn't reveal a specific deadline for this goal, but did add that Samsung aims to be the "most beloved" company in mobile.Shin said that Samsung's tablet sales are expected to shoot past 40 million this year, doubling the amount in 2012. Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM "Samsung tablet shipments started to grow remarkably since the second half of last year," Shin said, according to the AP.Samsung does have its work cut out if it expects to outshine Apple anytime soon.Apple has sold 48.2 million iPads in the first three quarters of 2013, and analysts predict sales of anywhere from 24 million to 27 million for the holiday quarter. Even at the low end, that would add up to more than 72 million iPads sold this year. In 2012, Apple sold 65.7 million tablets.But Apple's firm grip among tablet buyers has been slipping. Still the top player, it continues to shed market share to its Android rivals, most notably Samsung. Last quarter, Apple's slice of the market fell to 29.7 percent, from 33.5 percent in the prior year's quarter, according to research firm IHS. Over the same time, Samsung's share rose from 19.9 percent to 22.2 percent.
Special Effects Master Greg Nicotero Tells Us How He Reinvented Vampires for 'From Dusk till Dawn: The Series
The vampires on From Dusk till Dawn: The Series aren;t like the vampires you;re used to seeing on TV. In fact, they;re not even like the vampires in Robert Rodriguez; original movie. The show fully integrates the Aztec mythology hinted at in the movie, and this time around they;ve got this whole serpent thing going on that;s just plain cool. If you don;t believe us, just look above. The show;s first big, vampire-heavy episode airs tonight (April 29, at 9 p.m. EST), and it is a doozy. Remember the Salma Hayek snake dance in the original film? Well, that happens here (get a look at in the video below), and then things really get out of control and the body parts start flying. It;s pretty great and we spoke with special effects and makeup legend Greg Nicotero about how they managed to not only make great makeup effects on a TV-show budget, but how they reinvented vampires in the process. Movies.com: Did the decision to make the vampires more serpentlike this time around attract you even more to the project? Greg Nicotero: The project was attractive to me because it was the first time I;ve ever been involved in a remake of an original that we had done. There are hints to the Aztec culture in the original movie that Robert interjected in the end of the film when you see the Aztec temple underneath the Titty Twister. When you have the opportunity to tell a story over10 or so hours versus90 minutes, you really can delve into that stuff more, so Robert;s intent all along was to expand on that universe and really ground the creature design in this mythological world by going with a very different look. And that was really excited to me because I wasn;t interested in just redoing the same vampires we had seen already. Going with the snake motif, which is in the original movie when Salma does the snake dance, and doing it much more literally with regard to the creature effects really made a big difference. We;ve seen a lot of vampire projects on TV and in movies, and they had to look different. They had to look fresh. Why do the same vampires everyone else has seen? Movies.com: Since you;ve spent so much time on The Walking Dead and now From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, is there something that attracts you to doing effects on TV shows now that maybe wasn;t true a few years ago? Nicotero: The format isvery interesting. If someone told me five or10 years ago that I was going to be the executive producer on a television show about zombies, I would have f**king laughed them out of the room. But The Walking Dead was a really good proving ground for me to know I could do From Dusk till Dawn. Television is very different from the process in movies. On the original movie we had six months to build all of the creatures. On television you get story outlines, then scripts, and then the scripts are rewritten, and you really don;t have very much time at all. If I hadn;t done Walking Dead, I probably wouldn;t have been able to approach From Dusk till Dawn the same way. Knowing you have to get ahead of the game by doing test makeups and designing things two months before you even have a script so you can put some looks in front of a director and a showrunner is something I;d have never known had I not been involved with Walking Dead. So we were really able to fine-tune that stuff. In early December we were doing test makeups for the episode that shot at the end of January so people could look at it and respond to things. It really made a difference and helped us successfully approach From Dusk till Dawn. Movies.com: Did the truncated timeline lead to any happy accidents where you ended up going in a direction you might not have otherwise? Nicotero: I think we had a pretty clear vision. I have a great shorthand with Robert that we;ve developed over the last 19 years. I know what he;s going to respond to and what he won;t like, we;ve collaborated on 22 projects, so I don;t think happy accidents would be the right word. Being the executive producer on The Walking Dead has given me the creative freedom to be able to do what I do, and I approached From Dusk till Dawnas if it were my show. I;d say It;d be really cool if we had this snake chest with this underbelly and all this patterning and we;d spend three weeks sculpting stuff that I wanted to see and hadn;t done before. When we did our first round of tests, it was a mix of what Robert and I had talked about and then what my vision was for their look, and all of those pieces ended up on the show. Robert was on set sending me photos of different vampire makeups while he was shooting. The first night the vampires were being filmed, I didn;t get a call, just a text with a photo of the vampire with blood flying out of her mouth. It was an amazing photo and that said it all. He didn;t need to say Good work! or I have a question about this? he just sent a photo that spoke volumes. It was really great. I was so excited about that. Read the first part of our interview with Nicotero, where he tells us about how sad he is he couldn;t make The Stand, here.
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