Friday 11 October 2013

Nexus 5 Gets Bluetooth Certification Ahead Of Rumored Oct. 15 Launch Date

Nexus 5 Gets Bluetooth Certification Ahead Of Rumored Oct. 15 Launch Date


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Google’s next Nexus Android reference smartphone is likely just around the corner, and today theBluetooth SIG published a certification of a device which matches its model identification code. The “LG-D821″ is already essentially confirmed as the new Nexus 5, and it approval today by the Bluetooth SIG means that it’s probably on track for a rumored launch early next week.
Reports from CNET UK suggest we’ll see the Nexus 5 make its official debut on October 15, and that the next version of Android, version 4.4 or ‘KitKat,’ will arrive on the same day. KitKat is so-named thanks to a cross-promotional effort between Google and NestlĂ©, but it’s been rumored to be a relatively minor update, and TechCrunch has heard separately from a well-placed source that indeed, KitKat will be mostly business as usual compared to version 4.3, with the next update down the line offering up much more substantial changes.
Google’s Nexus 5 is said to have a 4.95-inch 1080p display, along with a Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front shooter, LTE support and Bluetooth 4.0. It’s all powered by a 2300mAH battery, which is just slightly more capacious than the 2100mAH battery on the current Nexus 4. It’s also powering a much more powerful device, so it’ll be interesting to see how that affects what kind of mileage you get on a single charge.
If it’s priced right, a new LTE-capable Nexus in time for the holidays could be a very good option for buyers looking to get a strong smartphone for relatively little money upfront. Last year, supply was very constrained early on, however, so if you’re interested in one, it’s probably a good idea to be ready to order when they do get made official.

As Google Eyes ‘Android’ Branding For Smart TV, The Question Is Where Android Won’t Be

As Google Eyes ‘Android’ Branding For Smart TV, The Question Is Where Android Won’t Be


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Google is reportedly in the process of rebranding its Google TV efforts as “Android TV,” according to a new report from GigaOM’s Janko Roettgers. The switch reflects the fact that Google TV is already an Android-based product, and the new name is apparently in use with developer and OEM partners already, pending a formal switch from the old to the new branding.
The use of Android TV is more than just a surface change; GigaOM says that Google will begin using much more recent versions of Android in its TV products, giving manufacturers the chance to upgrade to 4.2 in an effort to make it easier for developers to target smartphone, tablet and television end points for their software and apps.
This would not be a surprising move for Google. When it first launched its Google TV efforts, the Google brand was arguably stronger than Android, and more generally recognizable to consumers. Now, Android has much more mindshare, and the average consumer is probably well aware that Android is Google’s mobile OS. Plus, the Google TV brand hasn’t done much to help further Google’s cause with living room users, and in fact was widely perceived as an early flop before slowly gaining back ground among users and OEM partners.
Android TV would inject some fresh life into the longtime experiment, and would also make it more apparent to developers that Google wants software makers to think of the television as simply an extension of its development platform for smartphones and tablets. Google now recognizes that there’s value in making Android an OS without specific hardware constraints, and we’ve seen their executives note this on multiple recent occasions.
Google CEO Larry Page said during the company’s earnings call in April that the head-mountedGoogle Glass smart device does indeed run on Android, as many suspected. But he didn’t stop there: Page also noted that Android “has been pretty transportable across devices,” adding that that will likely “continue” in the future. Google also recently acquired Android-based smartwatch maker WIMM labs, so it’s clearly keen to explore how the OS can power those devices. You could even see a stripped down version powering the more advanced Fitbits and other activity trackers of the next generation.
In the end, I think we’ll see Android positioned as the operating system of the future of computing devices. Connected home, connected car, connected industry and retail, all of this represents places Google can gird as Windows and MS fade from prominence. Google has a beachhead staked out with television already thanks to its existing efforts, but a switch to Android TV could really help accelerate their progress in that area.

The CEOs Are Wrong: Smart Machines Will Replace Millions Of Jobs

The CEOs Are Wrong: Smart Machines Will Replace Millions Of Jobs


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Smart machines are coming to the business world, but don’t tell that to the CEOs. Sixty-percent of CEOs surveyed by Gartner Research say the emergence of smart machines capable of absorbing millions of middle-class jobs within 15 years is a “futurist fantasy.”
The survey results reflect the anxiety about automation of the work world and the advent of smart machines that Gartner says will have a widespread and deep business impact by 2020.
That CEOs are dismissive about smart machines should come as no surprise. Their perspectives reflect a common human reaction that a self-learning intelligent agent or robot will replace lots and lots of jobs. The reality is actually quite different. People will adapt to smart machines in their lives. It’s just out of the question that they would not. Without these smart machines, the work people do will be almost impossible to perform. Cloud services are early evidence that machines are replacing people. To keep data centers running, machines are programmed to adapt to different types of workloads.
According to Gartner, CEOs underestimate how fast smart machines will take millions of middle-class jobs in the coming decades. Kenneth Brant, research director at Gartner, said in a statement that the pace of “job destruction” will happen faster than the ability to create new ones.
The difference will come as machines evolve from automated tasks to more advanced self-learning systems that are as capable of doing very specialized jobs. In Gartner’s view, it’s this specialized work where jobs will likely be eliminated over the next several years. In particular, IT will feel the pain as there won’t be the need to do much of the manual work that technicians perform today.
There will be a thriving market for intelligent agents, virtual helpers, expert systems and a host of other services that leverage advancements in machine learning. Amazon, Google, GE and IBM will all become dealers in an emerging arms race that supplies the huge demand that will come from companies who need more digital workers to stay competitive.
What that means for the rest of us is still the question. There are stories every day about new advances that foretell what is to come. Apple’s Siri, Google’s new Hummingbird algorithm and the rapid advances in IBM’s natural language processing all point to a time that may seem like a fantasy now but will just be the way “things” work in the years to come.

BlackBerry Reportedly Leaning Towards Breaking Up Assets As Fairfax Deal In Doubt

BlackBerry Reportedly Leaning Towards Breaking Up Assets As Fairfax Deal In Doubt


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Canada’s beleaguered smartphone pioneer BlackBerry is apparently warming to the idea of a break-up, Bloomberg reports, as the Fairfax Financial buyout bid for the entire company looks a little more uncertain due to a failure to secure the appropriate amount of funding, or partners to help them do so.
The companies reportedly approached by BlackBerry as potential suitors, including SAP, Cisco and Samsung, are only interested in parts of BlackBerry, not the whole kit and caboodle, according to Bloomberg. If a break-up went through, it would give BlackBerry the chance to auction off the most lucrative parts to the highest bidders, who might be more likely to compete with one another once they don’t have to worry about also taking on the unprofitable parts of the business and mitigating the risk associated with those assets.
Reuters reported earlier this month that Google, SAP and Cisco were among companies that were interested in buying BlackBerry or its parts, and the company had also approached LG, Intel and Samsung according to that report. Bloomberg’s new information echoes that, and adds that SAP is considering the value of attempting to acquire portions of the company, while Intel is looking only at patents. None of the companies covered by Bloomberg are interested in making a bid for the entire company as it exists now.
In terms of what is and isn’t appealing to potential buyers about BlackBerry, it’s pretty clear that the enterprise business is among the most attractive targets. The phone business is not considered an asset at all, RJF analyst Steven Li tells Bloomberg, owing to its steadily declining handset sales figures. There is some good news in the phone business, however, as Canadian telco Rogers reversed its decision not to carry the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone. Still, interest in BlackBerry hardware at home in Canada isn’t representative of the appetite for its devices elsewhere.
BlackBerry seems destined for a break-up in the end, unless Fairfax can pull in some last-minute support to help its bid for the company as a complete unit. It’s much more likely that we’ll see it parted out, however, which, while sad for the brand and its defenders, could at least mean something bearing the BlackBerry name survives, if under new ownership and management.

What I Learned About Facebook As A Feedback Panelist

What I Learned About Facebook As A Feedback Panelist



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Today when I opened Facebook, as I do every day, at some point, at least once, I was surprised to see the social network asking me for some time and input. Generally speaking, it asks “What’s on your mind?” or something similar in the status update entry field, but this was different; this was a genuine request for me to complete a survey as part of a new Facebook Feedback Panel program, and provide meaningful feedback about FB itself, and the experience of being a user.
This was weird for a number of reasons: First, it hasn’t seemed all that interested in my feedback in the past, and second, it prompted me to be self-reflexive about when and why I use Facebook, and what I hope to find there. That second point is important, because it’s rare that I look inward about my social media usage habits in any forum, and Facebook has been around for so much of my digital life that it’s become almost invisible. Finally, the questions Facebook asked in its survey also reflect its own goals in doing the asking to begin with.

ME AND FACEBOOK

The survey covered News Feed, and how I felt about it, what it provided me as a user. It was telling that I couldn’t really cop to getting much use value out of the stories in my News Feed. When asked about why I felt like relevance was decreasing, I was struck by the fact that I don’t really feel like I ‘know’ anyone on Facebook anymore. While back when I first started using the network, it seemed a great way to stay in touch with classmates with whom I might otherwise lose contact, now it seems like a catalogue of a lot of people I probably should’ve just lost contact with but never did.
Screen Shot 2013-10-10 at 11.36.58 AMAnd yet I still use FB quite regularly, if by ‘use’ I employ the broad definition of ‘open a tab, go to facebook.com.’ But as the survey revealed when it prompted reflection on my usage habits, that’s happening less frequently, and it’s likely tied to the decreased stream relevance. Of course, many of the social network’s recent efforts have been around reinjecting some relevance into the News Feed, by bringing in things like actual news sources, public posts and more. But the detritus of old connections still makes it a net inconsequential, or at worst, net negative experience.

THE AD QUESTION

This survey also covered ads, both in the News Feed and on the site in general. The questions asked about the relevance of the ads, their general level of quality, their potential to offend and much more. Facebook is clearly aware that ads could be a contributing factor to any issues it’s having with the engagement level of individual users. And in selecting the types of statements it’s choosing to seek agreement/disagreement from users, it’s also generally aware what’s wrong with the type of advertising its platform engenders.
Screen Shot 2013-10-10 at 11.35.59 AMThe relevance issues I mentioned above in the first section aren’t caused by ads, but they aren’t helped by them, either. To be fair, I’m never going to tell anyone that I find any ads “Interesting” or “Helpful” – the entire concept of advertising is at odds with those descriptors in my book. But it’s still true that in general, I find Facebook’s ads particularly uninteresting, and not at all relevant, let alone helpful.

BROADER ENGAGEMENT ISSUES

Facebook has also been sending out more emails to prompt users who haven’t been overly active to come back and play. As you can see in the screenshot below, users are receiving notices about activity in their network to try to get them to re-engage. It’s a common tactic among social startups and companies of all stripes, but combined with efforts like this Feedback Panel, it indicates a need to identify the source of an engagement problem and counteract it.

My Experience As A Fourth Grade Hacker

My Experience As A Fourth Grade Hacker


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When Alexandra Jordan presented at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon, the fourth grader from Sunnyvale, CA proved to be something of an audience favorite.
Jordan conceived of and coded her own hack, a playdate app called Super Fun Kid Time, which she is planning to launch in November.  In honor of the International Day of the Girl — formally recognized by the United Nations on October 11th, 2012 — we asked Jordan to write a guest post on her experiences as a young coder. 
A few weeks ago my dad and I went to the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon in San Francisco. I really enjoyed it and here are some of the reasons:
There were several booths and stalls and every so often I got to explore. It was a gigantic space and it didn’t feel cramped. There were so many different computers. The hackathon also had a great atmosphere for programming. The thing is when you program you HAVE TO be in a good environment so you can concentrate. Finally I think it’s awesome to be around so many professional programmers.
Presenting on stage to so many people gave me lots of confidence. So many people were excited about my project Super Fun Kid Time. It is a play date finder for kids. I built it because parents always forget to exchange details before summer vacation. Since I presented at TechCrunch Disrupt, 5,000 people have signed up for Super Fun Kid Time and we haven’t even launched yet!
Now other people want to launch it in countries like Brazil and Australia.
So many people wanted to talk to me after the event. Everyone was very supportive. It was wondrous. The National Center for Women in Information Technology at the University of Colorado sent me a gift package including a tee-shirt even though they were dealing with a bad flood. Doug from Microsoft even gave me a new computer for programming. I was interviewed by lots of people including Good Morning America.
About a week ago my dad and I did another hackathon in New York. After seeing me and my dad on TechCrunch a company called ooVoo invited us. They helped us add video chat to Super Fun Kid Time for up to 12 people. It was a daytime only hackathon, which meant I didn’t miss a thing. There were four floors to explore and they were all different. I was interviewed by the BBC, which will make my grandpa happy. (He loves the BBC)
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I like programming because I like being able to sit down and just do it, I like how it makes you think and I like working on projects with my dad. I also like reading, writing, drawing, math, TV and word games.
My motivation is to be a great person, to help the world, to make discoveries and to prove that girls and women can do anything. My inspiration is my dad and my family and friends, but also women programmers. I have been inspired by the women in tech that I met at TechCrunch Disrupt and at ooVoo and others.
We have several other future project ideas but one of my ideas is Safe Tube, a social filter for YouTube. My brother is autistic and sometimes when searching YouTube he finds videos that are inappropriate.
SafeTube would solve that problem. That was actually my first hackathon idea. I also want to learn to program my Raspberry Pi. In the future I would like to make technology for veterinarians because I like animals. But first we have to focus on launching Super Fun Kid Time because so many people are waiting to use it.
After launch, I am planning on starting a tech club for girls after school. This will be for one hour a week. It will teach other girls to code, because if girls learn to program when they are young they won’t be discouraged later.
It is important to have more women in tech because women in the past have been held back. It is important to find their way back despite this. Also women like things made by women. If your company has no women programmers then your product will not contain the ideas of women, and you might not be successful.
This year, International Day of the Girl has strategically focused its efforts on girls’ education. You can find more posts around the International Day of the Girl here.

Facebook Removing Option To Be Unsearchable By Name, Highlighting Lack Of Universal Privacy Controls

Facebook Removing Option To Be Unsearchable By Name, Highlighting Lack Of Universal Privacy Controls


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“Who can look up your Timeline by name?” Anyone you haven’t blocked. Facebook is removing this privacy setting, notifying those who had hidden themselves that they’ll be searchable. It deleted the option from those who hadn’t used it in December, and is starting to push everyone to use privacy controls on each type of content they share. But there’s no one-click opt out of Facebook search.
To be fair, the “Who can look up your Timeline by name?” feature was likely misunderstood by lots of people. At first glance, you might assume it means that strangers can’t find your profile. But that’s incorrect. There have been lots of ways to navigate to your profile, like clicking your name on a photo you’re tagged in, finding your name in a friend’s friend list, or combing through Likes on a mutual friend’s News Feed post.
With the roll out of Graph Search, the avenues for sniffing out someone’s profile grew exponentially. Basically every piece of personal information (and soon the content you post about) could bring you up in a search. If you publicly list that you live in San Francisco, a Graph Search for “People who live in San Francisco” could lead someone to your profile.
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It also led people to think search was broken in some cases. If I met someone through a Facebook Group and wanted to friend them, I might search for them and not be able to find them if they had used this privacy setting. But what’s more important are the safety implications.
Keeping this privacy option around gave people a false sense of security. For that reason, it’s wise for Facebook to remove it. But it should have provided an ever stronger universal privacy control for opting out of search, not a slew of weaker ones.
Over the new few months, users who’ve employed the privacy setting to avoid being searched by name will see a big announcement at the top of their Facebook homepage explaining what’s happening. They’ll have to confirm they understand the change before they’re put back into name search and the privacy setting disappears from their options.
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After that, the way people can stay hidden is to manually restrict the visibility of each piece of their profile. And that is a bit of a chore. You’d have to go through every piece of personal information in your About section and set its visibility to ‘Friends’ or ‘Only me’. At least Facebook provides a quick way to restrict the visibility of all your old News Feed posts.
Serious privacy aficionados should remember that your current profile picture and cover image are always public, so you’d have to leave those blank if you didn’t want anyone to any idea of who you are beyond your name.
For people with stalkers, though, Facebook may have just gotten a bit more dangerous. Facebook tells me the way to keep a specific person from finding your profile or viewing any of your content is to block them. But what if your stalker just signs up for a fake profile with a new name? Then they could search and find you.
This is where there’s friction, as Facebook’s mission to connect the world, responsibility to make money for its investors, and its duty to keep people’s privacy safe come into conflict.
Facebook could surely offer an option to lock down all your personal information the same way it does for your old posts, but it doesn’t. It could offer a way to opt out of appearing in any type of search results, not just searches for your name, but it doesn’t. It wants your friends to be able to find you. It wants Graph Search to be a comprehensive utility. It wants the engagement and ad views your friendship and News Feed posts generate. But its protecting its access to these things by sacrificing your right to choose just how much your identity is indexed.

The Astonishing Story of Jeff Bezos' Biological Father Who Didn't Even Know Bezos Existed Until the End of Last Year

The Astonishing Story of Jeff Bezos' Biological Father Who Didn't Even Know Bezos Existed Until the End of Last Year


The last time Jeff Bezos, the 49-year-old CEO and founder of Amazon, saw his biological father, he was three years old. 
His biological father, whose name is Ted Jorgensen, was 18 when he impregnated Bezos' mother, Jacklyn Gise, who herself was 17. They were both still in high school at the time. They got married before their son was born. 
The marriage lasted only 17 months, reports Brad Stone at Bloomberg Businessweek, who has unearthed astonishing new details about Bezos' family's early years. 
Gise moved in with her parents because Jorgensen stayed out late, and drank too much, and was generally an inattentive father and husband says Stone. He agreed to a divorce, and paid a small amount of child support to Gise when he had money. Other times he missed the payments.
Three years after their divorce, Gise married another man, Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who taught himself English, and eventually worked at Exxon. Miguel adopted Jeff, and Jeff took his last name. Jorgensen had to sign off on the name change, which he did, Stone reports. 
For a brief period Jorgensen remembered the Bezos name, but through the years he forgot about it, and dropped completely out of touch with his ex-wife and his son.
Jorgensen's absence from Bezos' life was so complete that in a 1999 interview with Wired, Bezos said of Jorgensen, "I've never met him," although, in reality he lived with him for the first year of his life.
"The reality, as far as I'm concerned, is that my Dad is my natural father. The only time I ever think about it, genuinely, is when a doctor asks me to fill out a form," said Bezos in 1999.
Jorgensen, for his part, had a nearly identical attitude about Bezos. 
However, Stone managed to find Jorgensen, now 69, who owns a bike shop in Glendale, Arizona.
Here's how Jorgensen reacted when Stone introduced himself: "He had no idea what I was talking about. Jorgensen said he didn’t know who Jeff Bezos was and was baffled by my suggestion that he was the father of this famous CEO."
Stone jogged Jorgensen's memory, trotting out details about Bezos and his mother. Says Stone, "The old man’s face flushed with recognition. 'Is he still alive?' he asked, not yet fully comprehending."
Bezos' biological father had disconnected so thoroughly from Bezos life that not only did he not remember his name, and not only did he not realize his son was one of the richest men in the world, but he wasn't even sure if his son was still alive. 
Jorgensen says that in his younger days "I wasn’t a good father or a husband." He eventually quit drinking, got his act together and opened his bike shop. He's married, but had no other children in his life beyond Bezos. 
A family friend told Stone later that Jorgensen felt overwhelmed with sadness and regret. He wants to get in touch Bezos, but it's unclear if that will ever happen.