Apple May Give You A New iPhone Battery For Free

Apple May Give You A New iPhone Battery For Free

Alexander C. Kaufman

The Huffington Post 

Is your game draining your iPhone battery too quickly? You may be eligible for a replacement from Apple.
In a post on its website, the company announced that it will replace the battery packs for free in some phones sold between September 2012 and January 2013. A flaw in a "very small percentage" of devices sold during that window causes the phones to suddenly lose charge and need to be plugged in frequently. The company started replacing the batteries on Aug. 22.
To find out if you're eligible, Apple has a serial number checker here. The company also said it would refund customers who have already paid to replace faulty batteries.
But, Apple noted, don't get all crazy and think it's going to give you a freebie after you accidentally dropped your phone on the dance floor last weekend. Broken screens and other damages can make it difficult to replace the battery, so even if you're eligible for a replacement, you might be on the hook for other costs, the company said.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request from The Huffington Post for comment on Sunday.

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App security flaw makes your iPhone call without asking

App security flaw makes your iPhone call without asking

Jon Fingas
Engadget

If you're an iPhone user, you may want to be cautious about opening messages that contain phone numbers in the near future; they may cost you a lot of money. Developer Andrei Neculaesei notes that maliciously coded links in some apps will abuse the "tel" web handler (which covers dialing) to automatically make a phone call the moment you view a message. Potentially, an evildoer could force you to call an expensive toll number before you've had a chance to hang up. The exploit isn't limited to any one app or developer, either. Facebook Messenger, Gmail and Google+ all fall prey to the attack, and it's likely that other, less recognizable apps exhibit similar behavior. Apple's Safari browser will ask you before starting a call, but FaceTime's behavior lets you pull a similar (though not directly related) stunt.
In many cases, it's the developers who are to blame. They're supposed to put tighter controls on what happens when a number comes in, such as giving you a warning. However, Apple could theoretically mitigate the issue by requiring prompts for all phone links. You may not have to worry about a spam flood in practice, but let's hope app writers act quickly -- as Android users have already learned, "tel" exploits can cause a lot of grief if left unchecked.

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Sony says Playstation users' information safe after hackers target game sites

Sony says Playstation users' information safe after hackers target game sites

By Malathi Nayak and Sophie Knight

Reuters

A man plays a video game on Sony Corp's PlayStation 4 console at its showroom in Tokyo July 16, 2014.

CREDIT: REUTERS

SAN FRANCISCO/TOKYO - Sony Corp (6758.T) said hackers had taken down its PlayStation Network without compromising its 53 million users' personal data, while the FBI was investigating a bomb scare on a flight carrying a top Sony executive in the United States.
The hackers behind the PlayStation attack said they had also targeted the servers of World of Warcraft video gamemakers Blizzard Entertainment, whose website was down, and threatened to attack Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Xbox Live network which was also experiencing problems.
Sony said on Monday it was still trying to restore access to its gaming network after the attack on Sunday.
"We are trying to get the network back up as fast as we can while finding the source of the problem but I can't say how long that will take," Sony Computer Entertainment spokesman Satoshi Nakajima said in Tokyo.

The unidentified hackers said on their @LizardSquad Twitter microblogging account that the attack was meant to pressure the Japanese tech giant to spend more of its profits on security.
"Sony, yet another large company, but they aren't spending the waves of cash they obtain on their customers' (PlayStation Network) service. End the greed," one post said on Sunday.
Sony said no PlayStation users' personal information had been accessed in the attack, which overwhelmed the system with traffic.

Blizzard Entertainment was not immediately reachable for comment but its customer support Twitter account said its servers were stabilizing.
Microsoft wrote in a post on its Xbox blog on Friday that some users had problems accessing sections of the network, while users reported that they were having problems accessing their accounts on Sunday.
"We don't comment on the root cause of a specific issue, but as you can see on Xbox.com/status, the core Xbox LIVE services are up and running," Xbox spokesman David Dennis said.

Lizard Squad also tweeted to American Airlines on Sunday to say they had heard that explosives were on board a flight carrying Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley. That was a possible reference to another tweet from a game player's forum telling the airline "I'm gonna send a bomb on your plane be ready for me tomorrow".

A PlayStation spokeswoman in the United States said the FBI was investigating the diversion of the Dallas/Fort Worth to San Diego flight.

The FBI had no comment on the incident but American Airlines said on its Twitter account that it was "aware of threats" made over the microblogging service and had alerted security.

Sony's network business has been hit by attacks before, with a security breach in 2011 dealing a major blow to plans at the time for a looser network designed to allow for the connection of a range of Sony devices.
Since then it has invested heavily in the system and is now hoping the network can serve as a centerpiece of its plans to rebuild its business after years of losses in its flagship electronics operations.

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Google's Bumpy Road Trip

Google's Bumpy Road Trip

Alistair Barr

The Wall Street Journal

Google Inc. caused a stir earlier this year when it unveiled a self-driving car without a steering wheel, or pedals for braking and accelerating.
But Google's goal of an autonomous car is bumping up against new testing rules from California's Department of Motor Vehicles.

The rules, which take effect on Sept. 16, require a driver to be able to take "immediate physical control" of a vehicle on public roads if needed. That means the car must have a steering wheel and brake and accelerator pedals, according to Bernard Soriano, the top official developing the rules for the state.
Google could test its fully autonomous prototype on private roads, or try to test the vehicle on public roads outside California.

But the company said it plans to comply with the California rule by building a small, temporary steering-wheel and pedal system that drivers can use during testing.
"With these additions, our safety drivers can test the self-driving features while having the ability to take control of the vehicle if necessary," Google spokeswoman Courtney Hohne said.
The bump in the road shows how far Google has to travel to get fully autonomous cars on city streets and highways. The technology has to maneuver a host of obstacles, including acceptance by the general public and the issue of liability when accidents happen.

Google is particularly keen on developing a vehicle without a steering wheel and pedals because the company is gunning for the goal of a completely autonomous vehicle that can operate without any human intervention. This is a longer-term and riskier attempt than those efforts made at many car companies, which are integrating autonomous features, such as self-parking and lane-straightening, into existing vehicles.
Liability might be a bigger hurdle for the Google project than testing rules. When there is no driver, the question of who is to blame in an accident gets complicated and the possible targets of lawsuits expand. The company that designed the technology might be targeted, along with the manufacturer, the car's owner and any passengers who were riding in the vehicle at the time of an accident.

California's testing rules try to tackle these emerging liability questions by requiring that companies involved in testing self-driving vehicles have $5 million in insurance or self-insurance or a bond in the same amount.
David Hall, the chief executive of Velodyne Inc., which makes laser technology used by Google's autonomous cars, is concerned about liability risks and said California's $5 million requirement is onerous for smaller companies.

This liability risk, and the cost to insure against it, could increase the cost of Velodyne's laser devices by thousands of dollars, Mr. Hall estimated.
"Who pays when there's a crash? Who will insure us against this?" he said.

Google said it is being cautious; regulators are treading even more carefully.
Ron Medford, director of safety for Google's car project, asked the California DMV earlier this year to allow other types of autonomous vehicles, such as motorcycles and trucks, to be tested. The state declined.
"We wanted to take baby steps in terms of testing and how technology is rolled out so we are capable of handling it and Californians accept it," Mr. Soriano said.

Google is making about 100 of its prototype autonomous cars. It caps their speed at 25 mph to make them easier to handle and limit damage if an accident occurs. Testing on private roads is expected to start next month and will include the temporary manual controls, Google said.

The company hopes it can put ordinary Californians in autonomous cars for test runs on public roads in a couple of years. State officials are drafting rules for those tests, which would allow cars without steering wheels or pedals, Mr. Soriano said.

Google has discussed using these pilots to test different ways of deploying the technology, including as a taxi or courier service, Mr. Soriano added.

Claire Hughes Johnson, an executive in the Google Self-Driving Car Project, said in a speech in July that the technology could be valuable if it is provided as a service.

"What if you all got here today in a self-driving car that dropped you off and then left?" she asked the audience. "So you may not be able to buy one, but you may be able to drive in one in the next five years."

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USGS: 6.0 earthquake shakes California's Bay Area

USGS: 6.0 earthquake shakes California's Bay Area

ELLEN KNICKMEYER 
Associated Press 

NAPA, Calif. — A large earthquake rolled through California's northern Bay Area early Sunday, damaging some buildings, knocking out power to thousands and sending residents running out of their homes in the darkness.
The extent of the damage wasn't immediately clear. Two major injuries have been reported, and hospitals have been very busy with moderate injuries, Napa Division Fire Chief John Callanan said.
The 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck just before 3:30 a.m. about 10 miles northwest of American Canyon, which is about 6 miles southwest of Napa, in California wine country, Leslie Gordon of the U.S. Geological Survey said. It's the largest earthquake to shake the Bay Area since the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta quake in 1989, the USGS said.
"There's collapses, fires," said Napa Fire Capt. Doug Bridewell, standing in front of large pieces of masonry that broke loose from a turn of the century office building where a fire had just been extinguished. "That's the worst shaking I've ever been in."
Bridewell, who said he had to climb over fallen furniture in his own home to check on his family before reporting to duty, said he was starting to see more reports of injuries.
The shaking emptied cabinets in homes and store shelves, set off car alarms and had residents of neighboring Sonoma County running out of their houses. Officials say widespread power outages have been reported in the area.
"It was a rolling quake, said Oakland resident Rich Lieberman. "It started very much like a rolling sensation and just got progressively worse in terms of length. Not so much in terms of shaking, but it did shake. It felt like a side-to-side kind of rolling sensation. Nothing violent but extremely lengthy and extremely active."

The USGS says the depth of the earthquake was just less than seven miles, and numerous small aftershocks have occurred in the Napa wine country.

"A quake of that size in a populated area is of course widely felt throughout that region," said Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. "The 6.0 is a sizeable quake for this area. It's a shallow quake. It's about 6 miles deep. We received hundreds of reports on our website from people that felt it in the surrounding area."

A member of Napa County dispatch tells the AP that there has been one report of structural damage, but additional details weren't immediately available.

Numerous emergency vehicles were on the roads in Napa and Sonoma counties.
California Highway Patrol Officer Daniel Hill told KTVU-TV that road damage appears confined to the Napa and Sonoma areas. He said there appears to be no damage to major bridges in the Bay Area.
"They are in pretty good shape," he said, noting that a couple of the roadways in the Napa-Sonoma area have some bumps and cracks.
In Napa, a water main break left at least one street flooded, and power outages left streetlights dark.

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Ufone Introduces 3G Android Smartphone for Rs. 5,999

Ufone Introduces 3G Android Smartphone for Rs. 5,999

Ufone has decided to take up with Smartphone manufacturers by introducing one of the lowest priced 3G enabled Android Smartphone.

Ufone is calling it Ufone Smart U5, which is amazingly priced at just Rs. 5,999 and comes with a six months warranty.

Its not only about such a low price for an Android Phone, with Smart Smart U5 – bought from Ufone – customers will get 500MBs of data free of charge for three months. And that’s not all, with this phone, customers will be able to use Facebook, Whatsapp and twitter totally free for three months.

Yes, Smart U5 is network locked, we have confirmed, meaning that you can’t use this phone on any network other than Ufone.

Considering the specs (given below) and price, this Ufone branded smartphone is surly going to give a tough time to phone makers, especially those Chinese phones and brands like QMobile.

Ufone says that Smart U5 is aimed at improving the low-end users’ access to 3G network. Masses will now be able to purchase an affordable phone that lies with-in their range to enjoy the benefits of 3G internet on the go.

Company believes that Smart U5 will be first device for countless Ufone users for connecting to internet.

Ufone Smart U5 Specifications

Before we comment any further, let’s have a look at phone specs:

Processor: 1.2 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 + Adreno GPU 302 MHz

• WCDMA & GSM Band:
  • GSM(850/900/1800/1900MHz)
  • WCDMA(900/ 2100MHz)
• OS: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
• Size: 118.5 x 63 x 10.7 mm
• Memory:
  • Integrated: ROM 4 GB
  • Integrated RAM: 512 MB
  • External: Expandable with Micro SD Up to 32 GB
• Display
  • Screen Size: 4.0 inches WVGA IPS
  • Resolution: 480 x 800 Pixels
  • Touch panel: Capacitive Touch
• Connectivity: GPRS, EDGE, HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3.5 mm Mic and Stereo Headphone slot
• GPS: Yes
• Camera:
  • Rear Camera: 5.0 MP Auto Focus (CMOS Sensor),
  • Video Recorder: 720p @ 30 fps
  • Front Camera: 0.3 MP
• Battery: 1450 mAh

What’s in the Package

• Ufone Smart U5
• Charger + USB Cable
• Ear phones
• Screen Protector
• Warranty Card

Free Data Bundles with Smart U5

• 500MBs of data volume will be given each month for three months
• Usage on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter  will be absolutely free for three months
• Usage on any external link will be consumed from 500 MBs
• Dial *706# to check the remaining internet bucket balance
• This offer can be availed only on a Ufone SIM
• This offer is available for Prepaid users only

Where to Buy Smart U5?

Ufone has made sure to make its Android Phone available in all the cities where its 3G network is available. Below are locations where you can get this phone:

• Islamabad: Ufone Islamabad Head Office, 13-B, F-7 Markaz, Jinnah Super, Islamabad.
• Rawalpindi:
  • Rawalpindi (Commercial  Center) 4-B, Sherbaz Business Center, Commercial Center, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi.
  • Rawalpindi (Saddar) Modern Radio Building, Bank Road, Saddar, Rawalpindi.
• Peshawar:
  • I-E, Fakhar-e- Alam Road, Peshawar Cantt.
  • Peshawar University Road, Opposite Toyota Frontier Motors, Main University Road, Peshawar.
• Gujranwala
  • Ufone Zonal Office, Main G.T. Road, Near Ghalla Mandi, Gujranwala.
• Lahore:
  • Gulberg, 15, S, Gulberg II, Mini Market, Lahore
  • Davis Road, Ufone Customer Services Centre, 8-Amin Chambers, Davis Road, Lahore.
• Sialkot: Plot # 2 Bungalow# 109, Aziz Shaheed Road, Saddar Bazar, Sialkot Cantt.
• Multan: 32-Multan Arcade, Katchery Road, Multan
• Karachi
  • PLOT # BC -11, Mehmood center Block 9, Clifton Karachi
  • Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Plot No. SB 33, Block 13-B, University Road, opposite Baitul Mukarram masjid Gulshan-e-Iqbal Karachi
  • Haidery, D-1, Block-D, Near Five Star Roundabout, North Nazimabad, Karachi
  • Saheed-e-Millat, Building No.2, Block No. III, Survey Sheet No.35/P-1, PCHS,Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Karachi.
• Quetta: Ground Floor,Institute of Engineer Building,  Zarghoon Road, Quetta
• Faisalabad: 27- Chenab Market, Susan Road, Madina Town, Faisalabad.

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SpaceX rocket malfunctions and explodes during 'complex' test

SpaceX rocket malfunctions and explodes during 'complex' test

Chris Velazco

Engadget

No one ever said rebooting spaceflight was going to be easy. The SpaceX team might know that better than anyone, especially on a night like this: one of the company's experimental F9R rocketsmalfunctioned in a test flight over McGregor, Texas and automatically aborted by self-destructing. Thankfully, the system kicked in before the rocket could veer off course, so there were no injuries (or near-injuries, as SpaceX was quick to point out) and no damage was inflicted. At time of writing there's no word on just what sort of anomaly prompted the F9R to terminate its flight, but SpaceX plans to dig into the flight data to figure out just what went south.
Let's back up for a second here, though -- what is the F9R? You may have heard of SpaceX's Grasshopper, an experimental rocket that can blast off and land on its own retractable feet again. The F9R (and its three engines) was the original Grasshopper's successor, and has been in active duty since the Grasshopper was retired last year. While the loss of the rocket must've hit the SpaceX team hard, it shouldn't be too long before they resume testing: a second F9R rocket is currently being built.

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China targets own operating system to take on likes of Microsoft, Google

China targets own operating system to take on likes of Microsoft, Google

Reuters

SHANGHAI - China could have a new homegrown operating system by October to take on imported rivals such as Microsoft Corp, Google Inc and Apple Inc, Xinhua news agency said on Sunday.
Computer technology became an area of tension between China and the United States after a number of run-ins over cyber security. China is now looking to help its domestic industry catch up with imported systems such as Microsoft's Windows and Google's mobile operating system Android.
The operating system would first appear on desktop devices and later extend to smartphone and other mobile devices, Xinhua said, citing Ni Guangnan who heads an official OS development alliance established in March.

Ni's comments were originally reported by the People's Post and Telecommunications News, an official trade paper run by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
"We hope to launch a Chinese-made desktop operating system by October supporting app stores," Ni told the trade paper. Some Chinese OS already existed, but there was a large gap between China's technology and that of developed countries, he added.

He said he hoped domestically built software would be able to replace desktop operating systems within one to two years and mobile operating systems within three to five years.
In May, China banned government use of Windows 8, Microsoft's latest operating system, a blow to the U.S. technology firm's business which raised fears China was moving to protect domestic firms. Microsoft is also under investigation for anti-trust violations.

In March last year, China said that Google had too much control over China's smartphone industry via its Android mobile operating system and has discriminated against some local firms.
Mutual suspicions between China and the United States over hacking have escalated over the past year following revelations by Edward Snowden that U.S. intelligence planted "backdoor" surveillance tools on U.S.-made hardware.

The U.S. Justice Department, meanwhile, indicted five Chinese military officers in May on counts of extensive industrial espionage.

Ni said the ban on Windows 8 was a big opportunity for the Chinese sector to push forward its own systems, but that the industry needed further development and investment.

"Creating an environment that allows us to contend with Google, Apple and Microsoft - that is the key to success," he added.

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Israeli airstrike levels 7-story building in Gaza

Israeli airstrike levels 7-story building in Gaza

Israeli airstrikes leveled a seven-floor office building and severely damaged a two-story shopping center in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, signaling a new escalation in seven weeks of fighting with Hamas.
The strikes in the southern town of Rafah came just hours after Israel bombed an apartment tower in Gaza City, collapsing the 12-story building with 44 apartments.

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Google's modular phone gets cheaper thanks to a new processor

Google's modular phone gets cheaper thanks to a new processor

Jon Fingas

Engadget 

One of the biggest challenges behind Google's modular Project Ara phone platform has been getting processors to play nicely with the technology. How do you let someone swap out the very heart of their device as easily as they would a memory card?
By creating a CPU for that very purpose, that's how.
Rockchip has started work on a system-on-chip with modular tech built-in; your phone won't need any bridge chips or other special tricks to let you switch processors on a whim.
You won't see the hardware in action until a Rockchip-based Ara prototype arrives in early 2015. However, the plans show that Google's vision of a completely upgradable handset is both feasible and potentially inexpensive.
Don't be surprised if some of the earliest Ara phones (or rather, their parts) easily fit within your budget.

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Wearable device shipments have soared in the past year

Wearable device shipments have soared in the past year

Jon Fingas

Engadget

In case you had any doubts that wearable devices were catching on, Canalys just delivered some tangible proof. The analyst group estimates that the tech industry shipped roughly 4.5 million smartwatches and fitness trackers in the first half of 2014, or nearly 700 percent more than it managed a year earlier. Not surprisingly, most of the watches were Samsung devices -- the Korean company's rapid-fire Gear watch releases made it almost ubiquitous. Pebble and Sony also did well in this fledgling space. Fitbit and Jawbone, meanwhile, moved many of the simpler wristbands.
Having said this, wearables are still far from hitting the mainstream. Mobile device makers shipped over 300 million smartphones in the second quarter of the year alone; smart wristwear ultimately represents a drop in the bucket. And that's also assuming that it's selling well.
Samsung's quick reinvention of the Gear line was an admission that it didn't have many fans early on. Shipments may be up across the board, but it's possible that some of the companies involved are struggling. All the same, interest isn't likely to cool down any time soon -- between the arrival of Android Wear and rumors of watches from Apple and Microsoft, the category may just be getting started.

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Sony is shutting down PlayStation Home in Japan

Sony is shutting down PlayStation Home in Japan

Sean Buckley

Engadget

Can you remember the last time you logged into PlayStation Home? Neither can anybody in Japan, apparently. According to a statement released on the Japanese website, the 3D social space will permanently close in March of next year. Sony didn't give a reason for the shuttering, but it's not too much of a surprise, the online hub -- an avatar-filled playground often compared to Second Life was never very popular, and seemingly fell short of the company's expectations. Sony's western divisions haven't announced if a similar shut-down is in store for Home's international versions. Oh, you say you do remember the last time you logged into Home? Well, take comfort in the knowledge that Sony is shutting down the service with a large-scale closing event.

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