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AfterDawn: News

Ellen Pao resigns from reddit after tumultuous time as CEO

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 4:49

Ellen Pao resigns from reddit after tumultuous time as CEO Yesterday, the saga of Ellen Pao took a somewhat unexpected turn as the executive resigned as CEO of reddit.

She is being replaced by reddit's founder Steve Huffman, who was also the company's original CEO.

Pao was heavily criticized in her 9 months as interim CEO for reddit, with users calling for her resignation for some time. All hell broke loose earlier this month when a popular staff member was let go, and moderators shut down some of the most popular areas of reddit. A change.org petition for Pao to resign saw over 200,000 signatures.

Here is the full statement from Reddit:

Ellen Pao resigned from reddit today by mutual agreement. I'm delighted to announce that Steve Huffman, founder and the original reddit CEO, is returning as CEO.

We are thankful for Ellen's many contributions to reddit and the technology industry generally. She brought focus to chaos, recruited a world-class team of executives, and drove growth. She brought a face to reddit that changed perceptions, and is a pioneer for women in the tech industry. She will remain as an advisor to the board through the end of 2015. I look forward to seeing the great things she does beyond that.

We're very happy to have Steve back. Product and community are the two legs of reddit, and the board was very focused on finding a candidate who excels at both (truthfully, community is harder), which Steve does. He has the added bonus of being a founder with ten years of reddit history in his head. Steve is rejoining Alexis, who will work alongside Steve with the new title of "cofounder".

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AfterDawn: News

Microsoft creates new social app, Tossup, to help you make plans

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 4:32

Microsoft creates new social app, Tossup, to help you make plans Microsoft has created an interesting new app this week, 'Tossup,' an app that promises to help you organize plans with friends and family easier than even Facebook.

"Aiming to advance Microsoft's mission of helping people achieve more in life and work, Tossup is a lightweight and fast mobile experience that helps groups plan and make decisions by giving them the ability to vote and suggest choices. It's an ideal tool to make decisions about timing, availability, what to do, nearby venues and spending limits. Information for restaurants is pulled from Bing – opening hours, reviews, addresses, etc. – to help make decisions. To get answers quickly, groups can add a countdown clock, then save the event to their calendars, turning those plans into reality," says Microsoft.

The software giant notes that Tossup extends beyond planning and allows you to ask just about anything.

"We're creating apps that make it easy and even fun to get more done, both at work and in your personal life," says Ashok Kuppusamy, a group program manager whose team is focused on building mobile apps. "Take Tossup, for example. Everyone has been through the tedious experience of planning a get-together which results in long email threads or text messages that go on and on without any resolution. We've built an app that helps people in these everyday scenarios."

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AfterDawn: News

BBC Micro Bit computer reaches final design

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 4:10

BBC Micro Bit computer reaches final design The BBC has unveiled the final design for their mini PC, the "Micro Bit," which will be given out to one million UK students in October to help them learn to program from an early age.

"We all know there's a critical and growing digital skills gap in this country and that's why it's so important that we come together and do something about it," said BBC's director general Tony Hall.

Of note, the final design has removed the slot for a thin battery, thus killing the device for wearables, but it has added two buttons and a built-in motion sensor along with its 25 LED array. To use the Micro Bit as a standalone product you will need to try the AA battery-powered add-on power pack.

Children given the device will be encouraged and taught to code on the Micro Bit website. The code can be saved and tested and then transferred to the device via Bluetooth or USB.

The Micro Bit can be coded to make its 25 LEDs flash in different patterns and if the child would like to code more complex tasks the Micro Bit can be connected to the Raspberry Pi or Arduino, mini PCs that sell for $30-$50 and are remarkably tiny and powerful.

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AfterDawn: News

New 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Comic-Con trailer is incredible and features Lex, Wonder Woman and more

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 3:54

New 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Comic-Con trailer is incredible and features Lex, Wonder Woman and more Scheduled for release on March 25, 2016, we finally have a true trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and it looks incredible.

We finally get a look into the story and a close look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor.

I have nothing else to say. Just check out the trailer:

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AfterDawn: News

Pirate Bay founders acquitted of copyright charges in Belgium

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 3:27

Pirate Bay founders acquitted of copyright charges in Belgium The founders of infamous torrent tracker Pirate Bay have been acquitted in a Belgian court of criminal copyright infringement and abusing electronic communications.

Gottfrid Svartholm, Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundström have spent the last decade in legal issues across the planet but at least they can breath easy now on one case.

The alleged crimes were committed between September 2011 and November 2013, and this appears to be the most important note of the case as the founders have staunchly denied having anything to do with the site since its sale to Reservella in 2006.

In fact, Svartholm was in prison for most of the period in question and Lundstrom has not been connected to the site since he helped finance it in 2003. The judge was unable to connect the four to the operation of the site during the time frame and rejected the case outright.

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AfterDawn: News

Microsoft discontinues a number of MSN apps

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 3:05

Microsoft discontinues a number of MSN apps Microsoft has confirmed it will be shutting down a number of MSN-branded apps (also once known as Bing apps) over the next few weeks and months.

Windows, iOS and Android users will soon receive notices that their MSN Health & Fitness, MSN Travel and MSN Food & Drink apps will be shutting down in the very near future.

Microsoft recently sold off its display ad business and sold its Bing map-data collection division to Uber, so it's clear that Microsoft is doing a bit of a cleanup of their non-essential businesses.

The company did confirm that its more popular MSN apps - News, Weather, Sports and Money - will continue to run and will actually be built for the upcoming Windows 10, as well.

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AfterDawn: News

Star Wars hype reaches new heights following behind-the-scenes video released at Comic-Con

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 2:49

Star Wars hype reaches new heights following behind-the-scenes video released at Comic-Con J.J. Abrams and the cast of the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens absolutely took over Comic-Con yesterday, unveiling a behind-the-scenes video and even inviting all the attendees to a surprise concert behind the convention center, giving everyone a lightsaber in the process.

The new cast appeared for a panel, as did stars of the original films including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fischer and Mark Hamill.

Oh, and btw, Simon Pegg will play an alien.

Check out the video here:

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AfterDawn: News

PC shipments fell nearly 10 percent in Q2 2015: Gartner

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Jul 2015 2:35

PC shipments fell nearly 10 percent in Q2 2015: Gartner According to research firm Gartner, global PC shipments totaled 68.4 million in the Q2 2015, a 9.5 percent decline year-over-year (YoY).

For the year, the firm expects an overall decline of 4.4 percent.

Gartner pinpointed three reasons for the decline, and all appear to be more temporary than permanent issues for the market: "The price hike of PCs became more apparent in some regions due to a sharp appreciation of the U.S. dollar against local currencies," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. "The price hike could hinder PC demand in these regions. Secondly, the worldwide PC market experienced unusually positive desk-based growth last year due to the end of Windows XP support. After the XP impact was phased out, there have not been any major growth drivers to stimulate a PC refresh. Lastly, the Windows 10 launch scheduled for 3Q15 has created self-regulated inventory control. PC vendors and the channels tried clearing inventory as much as possible before the Windows 10 launch."

Lenovo remained the world's top PC maker, shipping 13.46 million units, good for 19.7 percent share. HP was close behind at 11.92 million units (17.4 percent share) followed by Dell at 9.6 million units (14 percent). The only brig loser for the quarter was Acer, who saw a 20.2 percent drop quarter-over-quarter.

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AfterDawn: News

Report: Huawei to build next Google Nexus flagship

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Jul 2015 11:15

Report: Huawei to build next Google Nexus flagship For the second time this year, we have a viable rumor that Huawei will be building Google's upcoming Nexus flagship device.

The Information reports that the Chinese company will produce the device, although it's expected to be smaller than the current 6-inch Nexus 6.

Previous rumors had claimed that Huawei would build a 5.7-inch device and LG would build a 5.2-inch device, meaning Google would offer two models similar to how Apple created the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Besides the phone, a partnership would also help Google to get their mobile app store and ecosystem into China, says the report, a massive development if true.

(Mock pictured)




AfterDawn: News

OnePlus 2 will feature 4GB LPDDR4 RAM

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 09 Jul 2015 11:16

OnePlus 2 will feature 4GB LPDDR4 RAM With the OnePlus 2 scheduled to launch on July 27th, we have yet another major reveal thanks to the OnePlus team.

The company has announced that the smartphone will feature the fastest mobile RAM on the market, LPDDR4, and the flagship device will have 4GB RAM.

"Why did we choose LPDDR4 for the OnePlus 2? Another notable benefit is lower power consumption for better battery efficiency. That means you'll be able to use your favorite apps (and more) without draining the battery. With LPDDR4, you get twice the bandwidth performance as the LPDDR3 at the same power consumption profile. The RAM of the OnePlus 2 uses a lower operating voltage than its predecessor, decreasing from 1.2V to 1.1V. And with speeds up to 32 GB/s, it is also twice as fast as the LPDDR3. It offers optimal support for power-saving low frequency mode that brings clock speeds down when performing those everyday and necessary tasks," noted OnePlus.

Among the specs that have already been revealed include a custom 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor and a fingerprint reader.

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AfterDawn: News

Call of Duty: Black Ops III's zombie game mode is called 'Shadows of Evil'

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 09 Jul 2015 10:59

Call of Duty: Black Ops III's zombie game mode is called 'Shadows of Evil' Treyarch's latest, 'Call of Duty: Black Ops III,' will have its own zombie game mode, entitled 'Shadows of Evil.'

The developer introduced the mode today at Comic-Con, and also released some info on the voice cast and the story line. Shadows of Evil will be set in a 1940s noir realm and feature four characters: The Magician, The Femme-Fatale, The Cop and The Boxer. The characters will face situations "masterminded by the mysterious Shadow Man."

Added studio head Mark Lamia: "Treyarch has crafted a totally unique and face-melting gameplay experience for our loyal Zombies community, with Call of Duty: Black Ops III: Zombies – Shadows of Evil. The development team has packed Shadows of Evil with more gameplay and fun than any other experience before it, and has an appropriately twisted and deep narrative, performed by fantastic acting talent, that will keep our fans spinning."

COD: Black Ops III is scheduled for release on November 6th.

Check out the first trailer here:

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AfterDawn: News

Microsoft takes $7.6 billion loss on Nokia acquisition, will layoff 7800 more employees

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 09 Jul 2015 10:16

Microsoft takes $7.6 billion loss on Nokia acquisition, will layoff 7800 more employees Admitting that the acquisition was a brutal mistake, Microsoft has written off its entire acquisition of Nokia's handset business, taking a $7.6 billion loss in less than two years.

Additionally, the company will cut 7800 jobs from its phone business, with a lot of former Nokia execs getting laid off.

New Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed what everyone already knew - that former CEO Steve Ballmer made a horrible purchase - and it is clear that Windows Phone is still relevant at Microsoft, but not necessarily a huge priority.

"We are moving from a strategy to grow a standalone phone business to a strategy to grow and create a vibrant Windows ecosystem including our first-party device family," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. "In the near-term, we'll run a more effective and focused phone portfolio while retaining capability for long-term reinvention in mobility."

In the past few weeks, former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has left Microsoft as has phones boss Jo Harlow so it appears that Microsoft has finally conceded that the smartphone industry is a duopoly.

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AfterDawn: News

Paramount to shorten time before films are available on demand after theatrical release

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 08 Jul 2015 11:25

Paramount to shorten time before films are available on demand after theatrical release According to new reports, Paramount is looking to shorten the time between when a movie is released in theaters and when it is available on demand.

If successful, the studio would like to have all their films available on demand just two weeks after their theatrical debut, showing how important digital downloads, rentals and streaming are to the business.

The studio will release two small films this fall using the shorter window, but it will move its entire schedule to the shorter window over time.

"What other product creates its most attention at launch and then creates a significant period of time where the consumer can't acquire that product?" Rob Moore, Paramount's vice chairman, said of major motion pictures.

The theory is that a shorter window between theater and home release will help lower marketing costs and also put a dent in piracy, which still remains a problem for the studios, especially on blockbuster films that normally do not make it to home media for months after they have left theaters.

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AfterDawn: News

Apple to ramp up production of new iPhone to record levels

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 08 Jul 2015 10:27

Apple to ramp up production of new iPhone to record levels According to a new report, Apple is preparing to ramp up production of its next generation iPhone to record levels.

Apple is allegedly asking manufacturers to have up to 90 million units produced by the end of the year, with screen sizes equal to those of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Last year, Apple ordered a quarterly production run of up to 80 million units, then a record for the smartphone.

There is little known about the upcoming iPhone 6S, although it is expected to add Force Touch technology. The tech was added to the most recent Mac computers and the Apple Watch and allows users to control their device differently depending on how light or hard they touch the screen.

Besides the Force Touch addition, there is not expected to be any other drastic changes although the phone will most likely be available in at least one new color.

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AfterDawn: News

Netflix's first original feature film will premier on October 16th

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2015 11:47

Netflix's first original feature film will premier on October 16th Netflix has announced that its first feature film, "Beasts of No Nation," will premier in all Netflix territories and in a few theaters on October 16th, 2015.

In addition, Netflix has announced the release date for a few more original movies, as well.

Beasts of No Nation is already being billed as a possible Oscar contender, starring Idris Elba telling the story of a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.

Looking ahead, Adam Sandler's first exclusive film, "The Ridiculous Six" will debut on December 11th and feature Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Rob Schneider, Taylor Lautner, Luke Wilson and Nick Nolte in a Western comedy.

Pee-wee Herman is back with "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," scheduled to debut in March 2016 followed by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, which will be released in IMAX theaters and Netflix sometime in the Q1 2016.

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