Apple management shake-up – iOS software chief Forstall and retail boss Browett both given the boot

Apple announced some big changes at the top of the company on Monday, with long-time Apple employee and iOS software chief Scott Forstall and retail boss John Browett both removed from their positions.

Apple has kicked the week off with a major management shake-up, with iOS software chief Scott Forstall and retail boss John Browett both given the boot.

News of the departures was announced in a statement on Apple’s website on Monday. While Browett appears to have had his contract terminated with immediate effect, Forstall will stay on in an advisory role until 2013.

The precise reason for Forstall’s departure isn’t clear, though many will point to the disastrous rollout of Apple’s iOS 6 Maps app last month as a possible factor. But with Forstall an integral, long-established member of the Apple team – he joined the tech giant back in 1997 – it’s hard to believe he’d get dumped over one misstep.

The decision to end Browett’s tenure with the company, though somewhat surprising considering the Brit had only been in the job a matter of months, may be more clear cut.

Browett was recruited from British electronics retail chain Dixons in January and was Tim Cook’s first major hire after becoming CEO in 2011 following the death of Steve Jobs. “Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met,” Cook said at the time.

John Browett

Having streamlined Dixons’ retail business and improved its financial position, he seemed to set about doing the same with Apple’s retail business, although by all accounts it was doing OK as things were. Reports of recent hires at Apple stores being axed and existing staff having their working hours reduced hit the headlines over the summer, creating confusion and resentment among the workforce.

A short time later, the tech firm admitted that the layoffs had been the wrong thing to do and started hiring new workers again. “Making these changes was a mistake and the changes are being reversed,” Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said in a statement, adding, “Our employees are our most important asset and the ones who provide the world-class service our customers deserve.”

However, it hasn’t been all bad for its retail workers under Browett’s tenure, with employees at the stores reportedly receiving pay rises of as much as 25 percent as well as being offered generous discounts on Apple products.

Cook will be assuming Browett’s responsibilities until a replacement is found, Apple said in Monday’s statement.

In other changes, Apple’s design guru Jony Ive is set to take on more responsibilities, as is senior vice president Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of Internet software Eddy Cue,  and vice president of Mac software engineering Craig Federighi.

UPDATE: A Wall Street Journal report late Monday suggests Forstall refused to sign the apology letter which Tim Cook issued in response to complaints about iOS Maps, which, if true, would certainly have strained the relationship between Cook and Forstall.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Imgur evolves into a more socially-friendly service – without alienating its loyal Redditors

Imgur made some rare but dramatic changes to its service, adding Reddit-like functionality to look more like a social network. A new commenting system has also been introduced to the site, giving users more options for how they discovery Imgur-hosted images.

Imgur has undergone a redesign, which is a rarity for a site that pushes updates less frequently than even Reddit. But if the new features are any indication of a shift in the site’s focus, it looks like Imgur is intent on becoming a fully functioning social media platform for user generated content.

In an August 2012 AMA with Imgur creator and CEO Alan Schaaf, who developed and launched the site back in Feburuary 2009 from his dorm room as a Junior at Ohio University, we got a glimpse at some of the impressive data supporting Imgur. The number of page views, duration, and bounce rate were so encouraging, it was clear the site had a shot at being more than just an uploading and hosting service. And that high rate of engagement means Imgur is an attractive asset for advertisers that can overlook the NSFW and oftentimes copyright-violating content that the site is home to. 

Here’s a quick look at some of Imgur’s analytics:

• Visits: 205,670,059
• Unique Visitors: 45,046,495
• Pageviews: 2,313,286,251
• Pages / Visit: 11.25
• Avg. Visit Duration: 00:11:14
• Bounce Rate: 35.31%
• % New Visits: 17.05%

The update is subtle, and while it doesn’t overwhelmingly impact Imgur’s function, it definitely hints at the platform’s direction. Before today, Imgur was little more than an image hosting service. Auxiliary features (like the Imgur gallery) are the bells and whistles that were gradually added over time, but have never been the focus. Even the algorithm powering what images did or didn’t make it to the gallery depended on the traffic the images generated on third-party sites like Reddit.

Today that changes: When users upload images directly to Imgur, they can submit the images directly to Imgur’s coveted gallery. The updated sorting algorithm will surface the best images to the gallery’s front page based on certain variables including the number of votes the image receives from within Imgur, the number of views the image receives, and the period of time that users have interacted with the image. Imgur users can also now sort and discover new content based on the hottest, newest, and top scoring images.

Long-time Redditors know that upvotes for submitted content is as valuable as being upvoted for comments, so the comment update to Imgur will now be an extension of the way Reddit functions. In fact you’ll see the top comments that surface on the right-hand column of the home page.

While it’s certainly a social turn, those closest to the matter — Redditors — seem to think Imgur won’t be staying too far from its roots. Reddit general manager Erik Martin assured me that Imgur’s motivation is different from Facebook’s and Instagram’s. Martin even pointed me to a recent image uploaded to Imgur that garnered half a million views in just a couple of days of Frank Tanabe, a Japanese American World War 1 vet. “It was just a story and image he wanted to share with the world, and Imgur and Reddit let him do that very efficiently,” says Martin. That image was taken from the Tanabe’s son’s Facebook profile and uploaded to Imgur.

Other updates today include a reputation system that award digital Imgur “medallions,” community-based commendations, and the long-awaited introduction of Imgur’s official mascot and logo, the Imguraffe. Imguraffe was born of an April Fool’s joke the team tried to play on its users, replacing the site with the image. Turns out, we all love him, and now he’s been officially added to Imgur’s branding. While the announcements reveal nothing about future iterations, according to the AMA, the next feature updates that we may be seeing from the Imgur team are mobile apps and even an e-commerce store, but no official word on their introduction yet.

The bottom line for Redditors and loyal users is that nothing about the Reddit-Imgur relationship or the site’s basic utility will change — except that now you have what’s essentially an image-only Reddit, should you choose to discover content this way. 

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder gets a facelift for 2013

For 2013, changes to the Aventador's little brother are skin deep. What enthusiasts really want is an all-new Gallardo that can take on Ferrari and McLaren.

These days, even beautiful people go under the knife for some aesthetic augmentation, and the same is true of beautiful automobiles. Lamborghini’s Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder has been on sale since 2008, so the company decided it was time for a refresh.

Most of the changes are skin deep, and are shared with the restyled Gallardo LP 560-4 coupe shown at last month’s Paris Motor Show. At the front, the intake is segmented by delicate-looking struts, making the car look like it either has redneck teeth or has been in a crash. There’s also a more pronounced vent in front of the wheels.

Nineteen-inch “Apollo” polished alloy wheels are also new for 2013.

At the back, the angular theme continues with a big piece of trapezoidal mesh, and taillights molded to fit. Overall, it looks like Lamborghini was trying to incorporate cues from its Sesto Elemento concept and Aventador flagship, but they don’t seem to jibe with the rest of the Gallardo’s styling.

Buyers who want a new Gallardo, but don’t like the way this one looks, needn’t fret. The LP 560-4 is actually the middle of three Gallardo trim levels. The less expensive LP 550-2 (available only as a coupe) and high performance LP 570-4 Superleggera and Spyder Performante are unchanged visually.

Aside from the styling changes, the LP 560-4 Spyder remains pretty much the same. Its 5.2-liter V10 still produces 552 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through Lamborghini’s “e-gear” six-speed automated manual transmission.

The LP 550-2 continues with rear-wheel drive and the option of a six-speed manual. The Superleggera and Spyder Performante still have 570 hp, and are now offered with an Edizione Tecnica package that includes a big rear spoiler, carbon ceramic brakes, and exclusive two-tone paint.

With the fresh and fierce Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C nipping at its heels, what Lamborghini really needs is an all-new Gallardo. Sant Agata has been steadily updating its car over the years, but the basic chassis hasn’t been changed since the original Gallardo debuted in 2003.

Lamborghini isn’t talking about when that new Gallardo will appear, but there are rumors of a 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show debut, with a launch sometime in 2014.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Xbox 360 Dashboard update unifies Microsoft’s entertainment businesses, but challenges remain

The latest update fo the Xbox 360 dashboard is slowly releasing in different territories starting this week, brining new features like Internet Explorer to the platform. Microsoft still has changes to make before it perfects its digital entertainment ecosystem.

Microsoft is brewing up a fairly quiet storm for its Xbox 360 business this year. This week brought many announcements and new releases for the company’s console, identifying it even more with entertainment of all stripes rather than just video games. There was an Xbox 360 price drop to $250, Xbox Music opened for business, and now comes the new Xbox Dashboard update, a release that finally brings Internet Explorer to the seven-year-old machine.

Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, the director of Xbox Live, announced via his blog that Microsoft is releasing its latest update for the Xbox 360’s proprietary interface starting Tuesday. Roll out is a more appropriate term than release, though, as not all regions will be able to download the update immediately, and it may take until November for it to be available in all regions.

“To ensure a stable release, this will be a gradual deployment across subscribers and regions over the course of the next week,” reads Hryb’s post, “Our initial deployment will reach approximately three million consoles worldwide, with additional users being updated over the course of a couple weeks. Don’t panic if you don’t see an immediate update, just keep checking back in.”

In addition to Internet Explorer, there are a number of other changes coming to the Dashboard, including improved search tools, the ability to customize your Dashboard front page by “pinning” your most used apps and services to the front, and the rebranding of the Zune Video Marketplace as Xbox Video.

Xbox SmartGlass support isn’t officially a part of this update. That won’t be released until Windows 8 hits on Oct. 26.

None of these changes are system sellers. Microsoft isn’t going to get people lining up on Black Friday because its downloadable video store has a new name and there’s a web browser on its gaming console. This Dashboard update will, however, make Microsoft’s myriad services a more uniform and understandable across its platforms. This update will bring the console ecosystem in line with where the Xbox brand is on phones, PCs, and tablets.

Microsoft will have to work hard not to frustrate consumers though. Internet Explorer is a potent tool for the Xbox 360, not for basic web services, but for its potential access to video entertainment. Microsoft will obviously block users from accessing video websites like Hulu, though, forcing them to pay for an Xbox Live Gold subscription so they can use Xbox-based apps. This Dashboard update, and its place in the larger Microsoft entertainment business, is only a half step. The company needs to drop Xbox Live Gold next, and make these web services free across its platforms, or it won’t be able to compete properly with Apple.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

IFTTT removes Twitter Triggers in wake of API violations

With Twitter's API restrictions, IFTTT users will have until September 27, before Twitter Triggers are disabled.

 

With Twitter’s API guideline changes, popular mix-and-match app pushing service IFTTT is now among the services that have been dealt a blow. If you have recipes set up that include Twitter as a trigger, you’ll find them disabled come September 27.

IFTTT sent out an email yesterday notifying its users of the upcoming changes due to the enforcement of Twitter’s new API guidelines. While Twitter Triggers (an IFTTT feature that works by pulling Tweets from Twitter’s cloud onto other services) has been restricted, IFTTT will continue supporting the ability to publish Tweets.

The Twitter guideline that IFTTT specifically refers to, and that the service is affected by, is section 4A: “Exporting Twitter Content to a datastore as a service or other cloud based service, however, is not permitted.” Instead, Twitter data can be extracted as a spreadsheet or PDF, both which are rudimentary forms of storing information that would be not be wise to be implemented into any third-party services. Does anyone really want an excel sheet of tweets?

In the email sent to IFTTT users, the company explained its respect for Twitter’s decision. “We’ve still got a long way to go, and to get there we need to make sure that the types of connections that IFTTT enables are aligned with how the original creators want their tools and services to be used,” IFTTT’s CEO, Linden Tibbets, wrote in the email. Many other third party developers, however, don’t share the same sentiment about Twitter’s latest moves.

Last month, developers and Twitter users expressed their discontent with the new changes through a petition to “protest” Twitter’s restrictions to its API. Services like Tweetbot were forced to shut down new feature implementations in the wake of the API changes, while other developers have resorted to filing complaints with the Federal Trade Commission asking them to review Twitter’s restrictions.

IFTTT’s situation might doesn’t quite bear the same significance as other shut down apps, however. As TechCrunch first pointed out, based on the Twitter policy, which has been outlined above with regard to exporting Twitter content, IFTTT may have been violating Twitter’s Terms of Service policy all along.

The changes are going to affect many IFTTT users considering the popularity of the platform, but until the end of the month rolls around, you’ll have time to figure out what recipes you’ve created with Twitter as the trigger. Luckily IFTTT says it will continue to build for Twitter. “We’re sad to see [Twitter] go, but remain excited to build features that work within Twitter’s new policy,” Tibbets added.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Google’s acquires Nik Software, and iOS photo app Snapseed

With Google scooping up Nik Software and its iOS app, Snapseed, Google Plus users might be seeing some dramatic changes to the way we publish images on the social network.

Facebook has an emerging competitor in the wake of the Instagram acquisition. Google has acquired Nik Software, a 17-year-old company that develops digital image editing tools. But there’s a catch: A report from TheVerge says that the acquisition’s motivation was so that Google can get its hands on Snapseed, an iOS photograph app.

The acquisition should bring the coveted photography-based mobile reach (a huge motivation for Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram) to Google’s social network, Google+. Like Instagram, Snapseed adds a vintage flair to your photos, although it also has comprehensive in-app photo editing functions and photo-altering filters including tilt-shift effects. It was also an iOS first app – Snapseed started out as an iPad app and followed up with an iPhone app launched in August 2011. The differences lie, of course, in the fact that the number of Snapseed users is dwarfed by Instagram’s user base. In Snapseed’s latest figures (released in the middle of June), Nik Software revealed said it had amassed more than nine million users. It’s defintiely a far cry from Instagram’s 100 million users.

Currently Snapseed claims the spot of the 13th top paid app in the photograph genre in Apple’s App Store (it costs $4.99) and the 178th top grossing app, according to Appdata. 

Snapseed may not have the largest number of users, but is has a decent reputation and Google now also has unprecedented access to Nik Software’s product line of photography software that typically runs for just under $100 dollar to upwards of $300. We could see Google wrapping Nik Software products into improving photos and maybe even videos on Google+. 

In a Google Plus post by Vic Gundotra, the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Google, the acquisition was confirmed and corroborated by the official announcement by Nik Software. “We are pleased to announce that Google has acquired Nik Software. For nearly 17 years, we’ve been guided by our motto, ‘photography first,’ as we worked to build world class digital image editing tools. We’ve always aspired to share our passion for photography with everyone, and with Google’s support we hope to be able to help many millions more people create awesome pictures,” said Gundotra.

What hasn’t been announced yet is whether Snapseed would continue to live on iOS devices, although we can’t see why that wouldn’t be the case. Of course launching the Android app will be a major priority for Google. We checked out Snapseed’s site, and noticed that the Android app was in the works and will only work on operating systems running the Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) version or later.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

iOS 6: Everything you need to know

Apple overload has hit, and we're pinpointing the big, new iOS 6 changes hitting your iPhone or iPad next week.

Apple has opened the iOS 6 vault and plenty of expected and unexpected features came spilling out. While we’ve only begun to brush the surface of everything new to iOS 6, here’s a quick look at the biggest changes hitting your iPhones (3GS and up). The new OS will be available on September 19 and we’ll bring you all the information you need to upgrade.

Siri’s getting smarter 

When Siri was first introduced, it was the hot new iPhone 4 feature. While it certainly stole the announcement day spotlight, it’s since been criticized for failing to integrate with more apps to further its use. Lucky for us, iOS 6 has come along to right these wrongs. 

Siri works with Yelp and Opentable now, as well as Fandango. It’s also now able to launch apps, a long-requested feature. 

Siri has gotten smarter throughout the last eight months: you can request more specific information from Siri — during today’s press conference, Apple demoed Siri’s ability to recall sports news from the night before, or many years past (i.e., who has the highest batting average in the history of baseball?). 

Perhaps the biggest step for the voice assistant software is that it’s seeing some big-time integration with car makers: BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes, and GM are among the manufacturers that will support Siri for instant, hands-free, in-car use. 

Finally, Siri is making its way to the iPad. It’s been a long-time coming, and if Siri can show up in your car, it can certainly show up on the tablet.

Facebook, meet iPhone

In another announcement we all saw coming from a mile away, iOS 6 will sport native Facebook integration. Like iOS 5 did with Twitter, Facebook will be baked in to every element of the iPhone so you can instantly post photos, your location, or links. 

Facebook will also help out Apple with its App Store problem. Users will be able to see what apps their Facebook friends are using and liking, so iOS can leverage the relevancy of Facebook in order to spur better recommendations. This mechanism will also work with content like music, TV, and movies.

The contact list will also be getting Facebook-infused, and the iCal will sport Facebook events and birthdays automatically.  

iPhone upgrades Phone

The phone app has gotten a little facelift. It’s a subtle but important change that allows you to better communicate with all those calls you have to hit ignore for — you can send a ping indicating you can’t talk, or are on your way, or create your own custom message. There’s also a new “Do Not Disturb” mode so you can turn all alerts off at night — if a call is repeatedly being made to your phone, it will be treated as an emergency call and pushed through.  

Simple Safari improvements

Safari, while quite popular thanks to the iPhone’s reach, is hardly the best mobile browser experience out there. Now come a few crucial tweaks: you can add content to an offline reading list which automatically downloads it and caches the story. 

There’s also a new addition that developers and Web publishers will probably start thanking their lucky stars for. Smart App Banners are now available for site’s that have iOS apps. If a reader access your site via Safari, a prompt to direct them to the corresponding app in the App Store will appear. If the reader goes ahead and downloads it, they can pick up reading in the app right where they left off on the mobile site. 

Users will also now be able to upload photos to Web forms on the iPhone, a feature that’s been long-missing. 

Photo Stream sharing

Apple has hardly cornered the photo-sharing market, but it’s still hammering away on making its proprietary photo product more accessible. You can now create shared Photo Streams with your friends. Commenting is enabled as well. The update will apply to Photo Stream across devices and platforms as well: Mac, Apple TV, and Web will all let you access these shared galleries. 

Facetime over 3G and 4G

With iOS 6 you’ll be able to make Facetime video calls over your cellular network instead of requiring Wi-Fi. And if you’re lucky enough to be using an iPhone 5 or iPad 3, you can use Facetime over 4G LTE. The iPhone 4S will also work with Facetime over 3G. Older devices won’t be able to take advantage. Keep in mind that some carriers may require you to change your data plan in order to use Facetime over your cellular network. For example, AT&T will limit Facetime over 3G or 4G to devices on Mobile Share plans. Verizon has said that it doesn’t intend to charge for the service, however.

Goodbye, Google Maps

Next up on the list of “saw it coming from a mile away” would be Maps. “We’ve built an entirely new mapping solution from the ground up, and it is beautiful. We’re doing all the cartography ourselves… this is a worldwide effort; we’re covering the world.” 

And with those words Apple launched its attack on Google Maps, which unveiled its own updates last week. The Apple client appears to be a competitive attempt, with Yelp integration and real-time traffic reporting, which Apple says its using anonymous crowd-sourced data to create. 

Turn-by-turn navigation is also built-in, which is naturally voiced by Siri. The application can also re-route you depending on the traffic situation, and it will also offer up an ETA and offer answers along the way (again, thanks to Siri). It’s all operable from the lock screen. 

Apple outfitted Maps with 3D capability, called Flyover, from which you can find pop-up displays showing reviews and ratings of locations. 

Apple said that the best apps for metro transit are made by third party developers, and that Apple has used this data.

(Read more about iOS Maps.)

Introducing Passbook

Passbook is a new app for iOS that acts like simplified version of a digital wallet. You can store e-passes and cards in Passbook: Starbucks cards, boarding passes, Fandango purchases, etc. The interface looks like a stack of — surprise — credit cards, where you can immediately view your balance from. It’s a really nice, simple way to store electronic accounts and digging to redeem your smartphone-supported purchases just got a whole lot easier.

(Read more about Passbook.)

Camera

There’s now a built-in panorama option to capture 240 degrees in one seamless high definition image.

Accessibility

A range of new options will allow you to tailor the device for people with physical disabilities, children, and people with learning disabilities. Guided Access allows you to turn off touch input on certain portions of the screen and disable the Home button. There are also a few new options designed for people with visual impairments or hearing difficulties.

Mail

You can now set up a VIP list to ensure you never miss emails from specific people. It’s also easier than before to attach videos and photos to emails. You can now simply swipe down to refresh your inbox, just like many third-party apps.

Find My Friends and My iPhone

You can now easily share your location with friends and family if you use the Find My Friends feature. Anyone sharing their location with you will appear on a map. You can also set up location-based alerts, so, for example, you’ll know when your kids leave school.

With Find My iPhone you can remotely lock your device, track its location on a map, and send it a message so it displays a contact number of your choice.

Originally published June 11, 2012

Update 9/14/2012 by Simon Hill: We’ve added a few more features like Find My Friends, VIP lists, and FaceTime over 3G/4G

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Apple’s new Lightning cable and its many expensive adaptors

Apple's new iPhone 5 uses the equally new Lightning connector, but what does that mean for your old accessories?

One of the key changes on the new iPhone 5 is the introduction of the Lightning, a new cable replacement for the old 30-pin connector, introduced nearly ten years ago, that we all know and (sometimes) love.

Despite its name going hand-in-hand with Apple’s Thunderbolt connection, it still connects to a USB port, and the changes come at the business end. It’s 80-percent smaller than the old connector, apparently less likely to break and it’s reversible too, so you can plug it into your phone or new iPod without checking its orientation first.

Apple also says its 8-pin, all-digital cable is faster too, but there’s no mention of by how much, or in what respect. We’ll find out more when we get our hands on one.

A lot of adapters

All this sounds good, but it’s not all positive, as anyone with an accessory for an older iPhone that relies on the 30-pin connector, won’t be able to instantly use it with the new iPhone 5.

Not to worry, as Apple has a plan, and it involves buying an expensive adapter. The first, and most basic, is at least 80-percent larger than the Lightning and a full 100-percent uglier too. The Lightning to 30-pin adapter costs $29/£25, and is ideally suited to use with audio docks, where the iPhone has to sit on a base. It’s overall steadiness in this situation though, remains to be seen.

If you’d prefer not to precariously balance your new phone on a series of ever-smaller connectors, the Lightning to 30-pin adapter with a cable maybe preferable. It’s as it sounds — splitting the two ends between a 20cm long piece of cable — but will cost you $39/£30 instead. Apple will also sell standard USB to Lightning cables, priced at $19/£15.

No audio and video out

Apple has warned that not every piece of equipment will function even with an adapter, so don’t be surprised if you end up having to buy a new accessory anyway, and the adapters don’t support audio or video out either.

Heading over to Europe, we find another Lightning adapter, and it’s one that Apple has to provide whether it likes it or not. In 2009, a piece of EU legislation was introduced for manufacturers to adopt a common standard for mobile phone chargers, which turned out to be the micro-USB.

Neither the 30-pin connector, nor the new Lightning comply with this, but it’s acceptable to offer an adapter instead, thus we have the Lightning to micro-USB Adapter, which costs £15, or 19 Euros.

If you’re ready to order your new iPhone 5, and want a new dock to go with it, Apple told GigaOm.com that JBL, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen will be among the first to offer Lightning-equipped docks, and we should look out for them as we get closer to Christmas.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

2015 Chevy Volt may get a new GM platform

With the Volt undergoing a host of changes and improvements, the latest report coming out suggests that the 2015 model year could be getting an entirely new platform.

General Motors may be giving the Chevy Volt a bit of a shine and polish treatment for the 2015 model year according to the New York Daily News, which cited two unnamed sources that are said to be familiar with the process. Based on the report, the American automaker will provide a new platform to underpin the later generations of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, which has seen its image and sales slowly pick up after a conscience decision on behalf of the company to halt vehicle production from March 19 to April 16 due to sluggish sales performance.

Currently, the Chevrolet Volt is underpinned by GM’s Delta II platform, which is also shared by the 2012 Chevy Cruze. The move to develop a new platform would also integrate future models of the Chevy Equinox, which currently utilizes GM’s Theta platform. The first models to feature this new platform, which has been dubbed D2XX by the NY Daily New’s unnamed GM sources, will likely arrive in 2014 with another 2.5 million models — both crossovers and compact sedans — using the platform by 2018.

We reached out to GM for any confirmation on the report of its future platform plans, but the company has not responded by press time.

Nevertheless, the development and consolidation of a new platform underpinning a larger swathe of vehicles seems likely. More than anything, the shift will help keep manufacturing costs down, giving GM the ability to improve its existing models. Chevrolet has already given the 2013 Volt a larger battery pack, boosting its electric-only range to 38 miles, and increasing its EPA MPGe rating to 98. There is even talk of larger, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine for the 2014 model year, so a truly overhaul of the Volt’s platform doesn’t appear to be far-fetched.

Interestingly, despite its recent sales surge, GM may halt production on the Chevy Volt for the second time this year beginning next month.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Are new unlimited data plans from T-Mobile and MetroPCS a good deal?

T-Mobile and MetroPCS have joined Sprint in offering truly unlimited data plans: no data caps in sight. Should AT&T and Verizon customers disgruntled by rate changes make the jump? Maybe, but make sure to read the fine print.

T-Mobile has always offered “unlimited” mobile data service, but it came with an asterisk and a flurry of fine print at the bottom of contract agreements. Users could use all the data they wanted, but once they exceeded a monthly threshold for their plan — usually 2GB or 5GB a month — T-Mobile would throttle performance down to about 128Kbps. That’s enough to check email or post a quick status update, but forget uploading a bunch of photos, watching video, or even streaming music.

Now, T-Mobile has announced it will offer truly unlimited data plans: All the data you can use, no throttling, for a fixed fee of $20 to $30 per month on top of a traditional voice plan. The rates will be available beginning September 5. The move comes one day after regional carrier MetroPCS announced its own unlimited 4G LTE data plan starting at just $40 a month — although that’s just a promotional rate, so there’s no telling how long MetroPCS will keep it on the table.

Are the plans a good deal? And are they enough to keep mobile consumers interested in T-Mobile and MetroPCS as the companies struggle to compete with behemoths like AT&T and Verizon Wireless? After all, T-Mobile and MetroPCS have one thing in common when it comes to attracting (and retaining) customers: neither offers the iPhone.

T-Mobile’s unlimited plan

T-Mobile’s new unlimited data plan will be available starting September 5 as a $20 add-on to a Value voice-and-text plan, or a $30 add-on to a Classic voice-and-text plan. That brings the cost of a single line Value plan with unlimited nationwide data to a total cost of $69.99 per month (excluding taxes and fees), while a single line Classic plan with unlimited data will cost $89.99 a month — again, omitting taxes and fees. The unlimited data plan is not available separately or with any of T-Mobile’s other options, including pre-paid service.

While T-Mobile has made a point to include no throttling, that isn’t to say T-Mobile’s unlimited data plan is now asterisk-free. Although T-Mobile calls the service its Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, T-Mobile’s variety of 4G is still its souped-up HSPA+ network. To be sure, that network does hop along, routinely offering download speeds of 8 Mbps or more in areas with decent coverage and in theory jumping all the way up to 42 Mbps. But top speeds are available only to phones specifically engineered for T-Mobile’s network. While the company is working hard to transition its network to be more broadly compatible with other 3G phones, they aren’t there yet. Similarly, T-Mobile’s transition to “true” 4G LTE service isn’t scheduled to be available to consumers until sometime in 2013. Bottom line: Customers who want decent performance from a T-Mobile smartphone need to live in an area with reliable service and have a T-Mobile’s phone.

One more caveat: Folks taking advantage of the unlimited data plan won’t be able to use their devices as mobile hotspots to share their mobile broadband connections with other devices, like tablets, gaming devices, or computers. T-Mobile users who want hotspot capabilities will pay at least $94.99 a month — and have a 5GB monthly data cap.

MetroPCS’s unlimited plan

MetroPCS is also rolling out an unlimited data plan, offering unlimited voice, text, and data on a single line for $55 per month. Existing MetroPCS customers can pick up the unlimited service for $50 a month on additional lines. Unlike T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network, MetroPCS’s unlimited data plan is LTE-ready: MetroPCS is already rolling out 4G LTE to its service areas, and customers with LTE phones are eligible to use unlimited data on that LTE network.

There are a couple of catches. The first, of course, is that MetroPCS is a regional carrier. If you don’t live in one of the 17 metropolitan areas it serves (which, admittedly, includes New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, the San Francisco Bay area, and Dallas), customers can’t get their service. Furthermore, even existing MetroPCS customers probably need a new phone to take advantage of the company’s new LTE network. Right now, fewer than 10 percent of MetroPCS’s customers have phones that can use its new high-speed network. MetroPCS’s unlimited data plan offer is a pretty transparent attempt to get its existing customers to upgrade to new LTE-capable devices — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Unfortunately, the pricing on MetroPCS’s unlimited 4G data plan is a promotion: it’s not a permanent offering. (Not that any mobile plan can really described as “permanent.”) MetroPCS hasn’t said how long it plans to run the promotion, but the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) it could last three to six months. When the promotion ends, MetroPCS will revert to its current $70 a month price for unlimited data.

Finally, like T-Mobile, MetroPCS’s unlimited 4G data service does not include using a 4G device as a mobile hotspot.

How they stack up

T-Mobile and MetroPCS aren’t the only players in the U.S. mobile market that offer unlimited data. The biggest player in the field is Sprint, which has so far bucked the trend of major mobile operators in either throttling data or instituting data caps. Sprint’s unlimited data service starts at $109.99 per month (plus tax), and for now is limited to 3G service. (That’s a $99.99 plan plus a $10 a month “premium” for using it with a smartphone.) Sprint is still in the process of rolling out equipment for LTE service and had planned to have 12,000 sites up and running by the end of 2012, although there have been some delays as the company works to get fiberoptic backhaul in place. Broad LTE coverage from Sprint isn’t expected until 2013.

Sprint’s unlimited data plan seems to make both T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS’s high-performance offerings seem like a bargin. However, Sprint offers broader coverage than T-Mobile (and especially MetroPCS), and Sprint can also offer customers the iPhone.

Of course, AT&T and Verizon Wireless are fond of telling customers that their capped data plans only impact a small percentage of customers who use mammoth amounts of mobile data: According to the companies, most customers never come close to hitting their monthly data limits. Verizon currently starts capping individual users at 2GB of data per month and charges $15 per GB of overage. AT&T starts off with a 3GB monthly cap and charges $10 per GB of overage.

Pros and cons

Are either T-Mobile or MetroPCS’s unlimited data plans a good deal? The answer most likely depends on whether you’re already a T-Mobile or MetroPCS customer — and how you feel about buying a new phone.

Neither T-Mobile or MetroPCS currently offer the iPhone, so if you’re dead-set on an Apple device, these plans are out.

If you already have a smartphone running Android or another platform on another carrier, you’re in a similar situation. MetroPCS’s LTE network uses 1,900 MHz and AWS frequency bands, so 4G phones from AT&T and Verizon won’t operate on its LTE service. In other words, you’ll need to buy a new device to get high speed service on MetroPCS, even if you have a 4G phone on another network.

If you already have a smartphone from AT&T, T-Mobile’s unlimited data plan might be an option — eventually. Right now T-Mobile’s special flavor of high-speed HSPA+ only works with devices designed for its network; however, T-Mobile is in the process of reconfiguring its network in such a way that some AT&T 3G/4G HSPA+ devices — including the iPhone — will be able to use its services. (T-Mobile already has more than a million customers using iPhones on its network, but they’re currently limited to 2G EDGE service.) As T-Mobile’s redeployment proceeds and it shifts to embrace the same frequency bands as AT&T, some AT&T handsets owners — including iPhone owners — could find T-Mobile’s new unlimited data plans very tempting. But that network redeployment hasn’t extended very far yet, and T-Mobile doesn’t expect to complete it until sometime in 2013.

Bottom line: Both T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS’s new unlimited data plan offers are primarily tempting to existing T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers — particularly customers who are on the edge of buying a new phone. In that sense, they’re sound business moves. T-Mobile has been steadily losing subscribers without the iPhone. Unlimited data plans are a good way to keep existing T-Mobile contract subscribers on board. For MetroPCS, the unlimited data promotion is a good way to convince existing customers to upgrade to new devices that can use its shiny new LTE network. The plans aren’t going to be ground-shaking turning points for either company — but they should help keep some of their most valuable smartphone customers happy.

[Images via Shutterstock / carlosgardel, Shutterstock / Sam72]

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

2013 Land Rover Range Rover gets tweaked styling and a lighter, aluminum body

Land Rover threw out the rule book with the Evoque, but the changes to its flagship Range Rover for 2013 are more conservative.

Not everyone needs to save fuel. For those who can afford an uncompromising blend of off-road performance and luxury, the Land Rover Range Rover really is in a class of one. For 2013, Land Rover is giving this brute a refresh.

After the shockingly different Evoque, the company obviously felt that major changes to its flagship model would be too much. The 2013 Range Rover retains its classic boxy profile, but with a few adjustments. The front end used to be upright, but now it’s more rounded to bring the Range Rover in line with the Evoque. The formerly square headlights and taillights now have little tails, again, copied from the Evoque.

The 2013 model still looks like a Range Rover, and that’s why the Evoque styling cues don’t exactly jibe with the rest of the body. The vents just below the headlights look out of place too, like they were stuck on at the last minute to make the massive front bumper seem smaller.

Styling aside, the 2013 Range Rover gets several mechanical updates that should make it a more capable vehicle. The body may look the same as the 2012, but it’s completely new. Land Rover scrapped the old model’s steel monocoque for an aluminum one, which will save weight and improve fuel economy. The company says 2013 Range Rovers are 39 percent lighter than 2012s; a U.S.-spec model should be about 700 pounds lighter than last year’s model.

Under the hood, the 2013 Range Rover retains the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated and supercharged V8s from the 2012 model, with the same 510 and 375 horsepower, respectively. However, both engines are hooked up to a new transmission: an eight-speed automatic replaces the old six-speed.

The 2013 Range Rover sends its power to all four wheels through an electronic two-speed transfer case. It also gets a revised air suspension system, which can raise the SUV’s ride height on command for off-road driving.

What sets the Range Rover apart from other luxury SUVs is its off-road prowess so, Land Rover will continue to offer its Terrain Response system in 2013 models. The system automatically adjusts the traction control, throttle response, and other settings based on the surface the vehicle is traveling over.

All of this will be controlled from a restyled interior. Like the exterior, the 2013 Range Rover’s interior combines traditional Range Rover design elements with some bits of the Evoque. The small Land Rover’s leather-wrapped dashboard, floating touch screen, and gear knob (first seen on the Jaguar XF) will make their way into the Range Rover. The 2013 model is also more spacious, with an extra 4.7-inches of rear legroom.

The 2013 Range Rover isn’t a dramatic departure from previous models, but there wasn’t much that needed changing. It will be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, and it will hit American shores in December, or possibly January 2013.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Next version of uTorrent to include “featured torrents” as a form of advertising

The makers of popular BitTorrent client µTorrent have announced some changes that they will be making in the upcoming version of the application and how they plan on monetizing it.

So far, the free version of µTorrent offered to install toolbars during installation and that was the only source of revenue for the developers from the free version. The next version of µTorrent, however, will include something called “featured torrents”.

Featured torrents will be sponsored torrents that will appear at the top of your torrent list. These will usually be to content such as movies, music, games, software, etc. Of course, all of this will be genuine and offered directly by their respective owners. This is supposed to help encourage people to download genuine content and at the same time act as a source of income for µTorrent developers.

The featured torrents will only appear in the free version of the client and not in the Pro version.

For more information, click on the source link below.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com