Latest news

Apple has recalled nearly 222,000 of its Beats Pill XL speakers in the U.S., after 'rare' reports of batteries overheating.

The company said they received 8 reports of batteries overheating and one of a user who received minor burns.

Apple has asked anyone using the speakers to discontinue using the product and will offer all customers refunds or $325 store credit.

The speakers were first launched in November of 2013, a few months before Apple acquired Beats for $3 billion to expand its accessories and streaming music lines.

For the past year, thousands of you have been satisfying your needs for news content with our HIGH.FI app, and we couldn't be happier to have you!

The app, built by AfterDawn (our first!), was made to simply aggregate news content from all over the web. We wanted to make an app that could drag in news from everywhere and still could be categorized and filtered, without getting too bloated. In a way, we wanted to build a kind of "pre-loaded Feedly".

About a year ago, that app debuted for Windows Phone devices titled HIGH.FI, after the en.high.fi domain that provides a lite-version of the service for Desktops. Surprisingly, people liked it and several months later we dropped an Android app onto Google Play.

With no significant promotion other than our own, HIGH.FI is approaching 10,000 installations on Windows Phone, and 14,000 on Android. It has an aggregate rating of 4.1/5.0 on Google Play, which also surprised us for our first app. It turns out there are plenty of news junkies like us who find this app useful, and thousands of you use it everyday! Thank you for choosing to keep our app and using it so often because it has kept it a priority even as we are on the verge of some major updates and changes at AfterDawn.

According to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers study, consumers are finally spending more money on streaming and digital downloads than they are on buying and renting physical media.

Digital revenue is expected to top $9.5 billion this year, with sales of physical media dropping to $7.8 billion.

Streaming and digital could be a $12 billion industry by 2017, added the company.

Netflix, Hulu and iTunes are the biggest gainers in the industry, but streaming and digital download options are becoming more plentiful on a regular basis.

As we learned earlier this month, Windows 10 is ready for launch on July 29th, a major update to the operating system that will cost most legitimate Windows users nothing to upgrade.

Besides bringing back the Start Menu (thankfully), and adding smaller but important features like quick startup and resume, Windows 10 will introduce some serious updates on the browser and software side. Windows 10 will also be the first of Microsoft's operating systems to be a true ecosystem, one that expands to the Internet of Things, console gaming, tablets, desktops and of course, mobile.



Here's the list, courtesy of Microsoft:

Yahoo has been announced as the exclusive livestream provider for the October 25th Jacksonville Jaguars-Buffalo Bills game.

Even more importantly, the game will be completely free for viewers.

It is believed Yahoo paid over $20 million for the rights to the game, and Yahoo will also have exclusive ad rights for the game, with the potential to make a good return.

There is, of course, downsides. The game is to be played in London, meaning it will air at 6:30am for West Coast Americans. Even diehard Jaguars and Bills fans will have to think hard about waking up that early on a Sunday.

According to CBS, who is producing the Web stream, quality is a priority as is availability and the game will be available on mobile devices, PCs, Chromecast, Xbox 360 and the Apple TV.

Showtime has announced that it will offer a standalone streaming service starting next month with a price that undercuts HBO's Now service.

On July 12th, Apple users will get first crack at the service, which will cost $10.99 per month and give access to new and catalog Showtime shows. The service will be eventually available on more platforms, including Android.

"Going over-the-top means Showtime will be much more accessible to tens of millions of potential new subscribers," said CBS CEO Les Moonves. "Across CBS, we are constantly finding new ways to monetize our programming by capitalizing on opportunities presented by technology. This works best when you have outstanding premium content – like we do at Showtime – and when you have a terrific partner like Apple – which continues to innovate and build upon its loyal customer base."

"We're excited to offer Apple customers SHOWTIME's live channels and extensive on demand library of great TV shows and movies, without a cable or satellite subscription," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV customers will now be able to subscribe to SHOWTIME directly and instantly start viewing their favorite programming with the same simplicity as buying an app."

Microsoft has been so far unable to fix issues affecting 'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" for Xbox One.

According to Microsoft's Xbox status update page (and hundreds of posts to sites like Reddit), it appears that gamers have been unable to access the game due to an unknown Xbox Live issue. The error code is 0x87de2726.

"Are you unable to launch or install The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? We're working to address this ASAP! Thanks for staying patient. We'll fill you in as soon as we know more," reads the last status from 7PM EST.

The Witcher 3 is one of the highest rated games of the year, even receiving 10/10 from some prominent gaming sites.

Sony has revealed the free games that are now available for PlayStation Plus members on the PS Vita, PS3 and PS4.

There are six games total - two for each platform - and the games will be available throughout the month and until July 7th.

Title list:

PlayStation 4:
•Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
•Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-a-Fide Edition
•Super Exploding Zoo (via cross-platform playing from Vita)
•Futuridium EP Deluxe (via cross-platform playing from Vita)

PlayStation 3:
•Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
•Cloudberry Kingdom

PlayStation Vita:
•Super Exploding Zoo
•Futuridium EP Deluxe

You get to keep the games as long as you are a paying Plus subscriber.

After years of complaints from gamers, Valve's popular online games platform Steam has updated their refund policy.

For the most part, all purchases are part of the refund policy, and refunds can be for "any reason."

Reads the new page: "You can request a refund for nearly any purchase on Steam--for any reason. Maybe your PC doesn't meet the hardware requirements; maybe you bought a game by mistake; maybe you played the title for an hour and just didn't like it.

It doesn't matter. Valve will, upon request, issue a refund for any reason, if the request is made within fourteen days of purchase, and the title has been played for less than two hours....You will be issued a full refund of your purchase within a week of approval."

Valve will refund the money to your Steam Wallet or to the card you used to purchase it.

Of note, DLC and in-game purchases have different rules. That content can be refunded within 14 days (for DLC) and 48 hours (for in-game) as long as the content hasn't been "consumed, modified or transferred."

It will be interesting to see if the rules change for games that can be completely played through in under 2 hours, and how Steam will monitor that.

As the company struggles in the mobile handset world, Sony Mobile has laid off another 1000 employees, this time from their Swedish manufacturing and R&D centers.

The move is part of a company wide restructuring that Sony hopes will bring the division to profitability after years of losses.

"As part of its ongoing measures to drive transformation into a profitable and sustainable company, Sony Mobile will change its organizational structure effective April 1st, aiming to increase its operational efficiency and transitioning it to a leaner, more agile organization.

In relation to these changes to its organizational structure, Sony Mobile announced today that approximately 1,000 employees and consultants in Lund will be affected by job closures. This number is included in the approximately 2,100 global headcount reduction announced at Sony's earnings announcement on February 4th, expected to be completed by the end of FY2015," said Sony in a statement.

Sony Mobile continues to struggle and now has less than 5 percent market share in a market dominated by Samsung and Apple.

Following up on reports from yesterday, Nintendo has denied the rumor that it is creating its Nintendo NX console on an Android variant operating system.

Nintendo says there is "no truth" to the reports, according to the WSJ.

"There is no truth to the report saying that we are planning to adopt Android for NX," the Nintendo spokesperson concluded.

The original sources had claimed Nintendo would use Android to have access to a much larger developer base, and to save costs on having to build their own operating system for the console.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has already said we will not have more information about the console until next year so for now we will just have to believe that the NX is not to run on Android.

Following reports that Netflix was preparing to add ads to its streaming service, CEO Reed Hastings shut down the rumors with a simple Facebook post.

"No advertising coming onto Netflix. Period," read the post, followed by "Just adding relevant cool trailers for other Netflix content you are likely to love."

Netflix whipped the media into a frenzy when it began adding promo trailers in front of some of its original content, ads that advertised other Netflix content.

Hasting's comments should hopefully quell the fire, and Netflix fans will just have to get used to some trailers in front of their content, just like you see on HBO Go.

Windows boss Terry Myerson has announced today that Windows 10 will be available on July 29th, right in-line with the date we have heard from multiple sources.

On July 29th, Windows 7 and 8.1 owners can upgrade for free to Windows 10, and new PCs will begin shipping with the operating system.

Making it even easier, Microsoft says you can "reserve" your free Windows 10 by clicking on a system tray icon that will show up and then following a few steps.

Adds Myerson:

We designed Windows 10 to create a new generation of Windows for the 1.5 billion people using Windows today in 190 countries around the world. With Windows 10, we start delivering on our vision of more personal computing, defined by trust in how we protect and respect your personal information, mobility of the experience across your devices, and natural interactions with your Windows devices, including speech, touch, ink, and holograms. We designed Windows 10 to run our broadest device family ever, including Windows PCs, Windows tablets, Windows phones, Windows for the Internet of Things, Microsoft Surface Hub, Xbox One and Microsoft HoloLens--all working together to empower you to do great things.

Formally announced earlier this year for launch next year, Nintendo's 'NX' console will really have to step up to the plate if the gaming company wants to remain relevant in the home console market.

Today, we have an interesting rumor about next year's console: The NX will run on Android.

It appears that Nintendo is looking to power the console with a platform that has a large third-party developer base, and Android is the most popular mobile operating system on the planet. If the NX really does run on Android, that would likely mean Nintendo is not positioning the console against titans like the Xbox One and PS4 but rather as a complement to its existing popular devices like the 3DS.

Of course, the gaming giant could be aiming at the desktop console market, preferring to use a forked Android and using resources that may have gone towards building an OS towards making better games.

We will know more as the year goes on, and especially more next year.

Asus has launched the ZenWatch 2 today, a sequel to their first Android Wear smartwatch.

The watch keeps the same rounded design of its predecessor (and from the Apple Watch), while offering two sizes, three stainless steel casing colors and 18 different color/strap material combos allowing you to wear the watch for whatever occasion you may need it.

Updated from the original is a new crown and the addition of a magnetic charger that the company says will improve recharging times. The watch also now has IP67 water-resistance.

The watch runs on Android Wear 5.1.1 although Asus did not reveal which version it will ship with. On top of Android Wear is the company's own ZenUI tweaks which include FoneHelper, activity and fitness tracking, and Enhanced Remote Camera. ERC is easily the coolest feature of the bunch, as it syncs the wearer's smartphone camera viewfinder to your wrist. This could be helpful when taking pictures from harder angles, or even possibly selfies.

Asus also confirmed that the watch offers 3-4 days of battery life per charge, a huge improvement over the Apple Watch and other Android Wear devices that offer in the 18 hour range.

The smartwatch will sell for $199 when it launches later this year.