The first to understand the Korean language, SK Telecom's NUGU virtual assistant service is armed with advanced voice recognition, natural language processing, and deep learning technology to help your way around the home.
SK Telecom has introduced its artificial intelligence (AI) based voice assistant service for the home.
To be launched on September 1 and called NUGU, which means "who" in Korean, the service will be launched as a Wi-Fi connected 21.9 centimeter-tall cylinder-shaped device that acts as a home speaker and LED light. It will be the first virtual home assistant service that understands and processes the Korean language.
Consumers can interact with the device to give it commands related to the house, SK Telecom said, such as music recommendation and playback, configuring smart electric plugs, gas valve lock, and air purifier and dehumidifier.
Users initiate dialogue by saying one of four words -- Aria, Crystal, Rebecca, and Tinkerbell -- and then make voice commands. NUGU will be able to play requested music and relay information in full Korean sentences, such as weather.
Armed with SK Telecom's self-developed natural language processing engine and a cloud-based deep-learning framework, NUGU will evolve by itself and speech recognition accuracy will increase as more and more customers use the service.
The telco will constantly provide new functions by software upgrades and later add voice-enabled internet shopping and food delivery, real-time traffic information linked to its T Map mobile navigation service, and internet radio, news, and audiobooks.
Besides the speaker, SK Telecom will also provide new NUGU-enabled devices such as a wearable humanoid robot and in-vehicle gadgets at a later date. The firm will open APIs of the platform next year to bring in third-party developers for expansion.
The speaker will be priced at 249,000 won.
AI has indelibly entered the public consciousness in South Korea since the historic Go match between Google's AlphaGo and a Korean champion in Seoul in March. The government since promised $3 billion in research and development for the area over the next five years.
Samsung launched an ultrasound device armed with deep learning technology in April.
KT and Nokia have successfully demonstrated 3GPP standard-based Narrow-Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology on an LTE network.
Korean telco KT and Finnish equipment maker Nokia have demonstrated NB-IoT technology successfully on a 4G, LTE network, the companies have announced.
NB-IoT, as the name suggests, uses 200kHz band, narrower than the conventional ones used for 3G and LTE networks, for the transfer of small data between low energy-consuming objects.
It allows for services of Internet of "Small Things", such as smart lamps and reading meters that are not data-intensive.
KT started testing the technology in June after it was standardised by 3GPP, the international standard setter for GSM, WCDMA, GPRS, and LTE.
The telco and Nokia reviewed the technology and used Nokia-made radio stations and core network equipment for NB-IoT to test it. They used narrow bands and power boosting technology to maximize coverage.
KT said the narrow-band will allow IoT services in places such as underground parking lots and mountainous regions that long-band have difficulty covering.
The telco said it plans to commercialise NB-IoT nationwide within this year.
Rival SK Telecom has commercialised nationwide IoT networks this year that offer cheaper data plans compared to phones. KT has also commercialised theirs.
In June, KT chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, speaking at the United Nations Compact, said telcos worldwide should share data for contagion prevention.
The telco is planning to demonstrate its 5G technology at the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in 2018.
New announcements by both companies make them rivals in both the payments and the ecommerce spheres.
Just yesterday, the ecommerce landscape witnessed two announcements that could have far-reaching implications for consumers in India, in addition to pitting two of India's new economy companies against each other.
According to Mint, Indian online retailer Flipkart, which is feeling the heat from an aggressive and well-endowed Amazon in India, will release a UPI-based app in partnership with Yes Bank called "PhonePe" that will allow its shoppers to connect their registered accounts to their banks via their smartphones, thus allowing them a seamless experience all the way through to the virtual checkout counter. PhonePe is a clever pun, since "Pe" means "on" in Hindi while is pronounced "pay".
Security for transactions comes courtesy of National Payments Corporation of India's encrypted libraries. Now, shoppers will be able to use their own PIN rather than the customary one-time password process that most transactions currently need in order to thwart online fraud but is generally viewed as a monumental headache.
There was also a simultaneous revelation by Mint on Monday from unnamed sources that online payments service Paytm will be raising $300-350 million from investors including MediaTek, Temasek Holdings, and Goldman Sachs Group that will vault this leader in the payments space from $2 billion to around $5 billion in valuation. (Last year, Chinese giant Alibaba and its financial services affiliate Zhejiang Ant invested more than $500 million for a 40 percent stake in Paytm's holding company.)
What is most salient about the impending Paytm investment is not the admittedly impressive valuation bump of the company, or its ability to raise this kind of money in a parched environment, but the fact that once the deal closes, the Paytm payment mechanism will be embedded into Mediatek chipset phones -- significant considering Mediatek is the market-leading chipset in India at 35 percent share and ahead of rivals Qualcomm and Spreadtrum. The deal will instantly provide a large chunk of smartphone-toting Indians with Paytm's solution. (MediaTek is also an investor in Paytm's smaller rival MobiKwik.)
There are so many levels at which these two bits of news will impact the Indian ecommerce landscape in a major way.
The de-facto payment method in India is still cash-on-delivery (COD). Only a little over half the population have bank accounts although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to rectify that with his plan to provide every household with one, something that has met with mixed results. Also, the number of Indians wielding credit cards has actually fallen over the years, post the global financial meltdown, from around 27 million to 18 million. India's average number of card transactions per inhabitant is actually the world's lowest at 6.7, far behind Brazil and China. So, quite clearly, credit cards are not and will never be the answer to helping India's ecommerce industry.
Therefore, COD is the only prevailing payment mode that has any implicit trust behind it on both sides of the commerce fence, but the unwieldy nature of the process -- and the problem with no-shows at the time of delivery -- makes this an expensive and irritating mode of conducting business. Therefore, both Flipkart and Paytm's solutions, which are secure and a cinch to use, could be instrumental in driving up the number of online transactions.
Flipkart's PhonePe app can do all of the things that existing mobile wallets in India can -- pay electricity bills, mobile recharges. It can also send or receive money from friends and relatives without knowing the bank account details of the other party. It instantly allows 75 million of their registered shoppers to make purchases with a click of a button.
Here's where it gets interesting. Guess who, apart from Amazon and Snapdeal, has become a keen rival to Flipkart in the ecommerce realm? If you guessed Paytm, you guessed right. In a sort of "wolf in sheep's clothing" strategy Paytm, while growing its registered user base to 135 million in terms of downloads of its digital wallet and having tied up with 115,000 vendors to become India's largest payments solution provider, is also gunning to grab a large chunk of India's ecommerce business.
Apparently, the company at a group level garnered close to 2,000 crore rupees ($300 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV, or cost of goods sold) in July, making it a neck-and-neck competitor with Flipkart and Amazon.
The fact that Alibaba is Paytm's major investor suddenly makes things in the ecommerce space even more urgent and interesting than ever. Alibaba has long nurtured a desire to enter India's ecommerce landscape and has been rumoured to be sniffing around for a way to enter the market. Paytm may just be Alibaba's Trojan horse, having already become an accomplished seller of footwear, clothes, bus tickets, and movies. Rumour has it that by next year, Paytm will spin-off its ecommerce platform into a separate company. No prizes for guessing as to who may be spearheading those efforts.
In others words, payments and ecommerce are spaces that are getting inextricably intertwined. As I had written in my previous blog about Hike messenger's recent cash injection, looking at China could be a good way to gauge how things could unravel in India. In this case, Tencent is leveraging both its payments service WeChatPay (300 million customers) with its messenger WeChat (over 700 million users) into a formidable one-two punch that not only brings in cash ($46 million in just the month of July) but also makes it the most formidable competitor to Alibaba's Alipay, valued at $60 billion.
China, of course, is eons ahead of India in how its citizens use the internet. But with Amazon declaring last month that it will up the ante in the country by investing an additional $3 billion (over 20,000 crore rupees) after shelling out $2 billion so far, Alibaba trying to enter the game, Flipkart trying to survive after its disastrous year of churn and de-valuations, and Paytm's under-the-radar quest for ecommerce glory, the some-$36 billion ecommerce Indian market is more exciting and perilous than it has ever been.
Google has requested for the ACCC to ensure that if some of Australia's banks are given the right to collectively negotiate with Apple, its Android Pay service will be excluded.
Google Asia Pacific (GAP) has requested for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to probe whether some of Australia's big banks plan to eventually extend their request to collectively negotiate with third-party mobile providers such as Apple on conditions relating to competition, best practice standards, and efficiency and transparency to Google for its Android Pay service.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank had put in their initial request with the ACCC at the end of July.
The main goals the banks want to achieve included ensuring there will be non-exclusive access to a mobile near-field communication (NFC) chip, which would open it up to opportunities for other third parties, such as retailer loyalty programs or transit companies, to access the wallet; standardised security standards across the mobile payment system; and price transparency for payment system transaction costs in Australia, which is in line with the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy.
However, the ACCC recently denied the banks the interim right to negotiate to allow them to commence negotiations on limited issues while the consumer watchdog considers the application for authorisation.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the watchdog needs more time to make a decision.
In its submission, Google has requested for the ACCC to ensure any collective bargaining will not impact its Android Pay service, noting that given Android's API for NFC is open, it already creates a level playing field.
"If that confirmation is not given, GAP respectfully requests that any grant of authorisation not extend to any negotiations related to Android Pay," it wrote.
"In addition, GAP reserves the right to submit a response to the Applications demonstrating that there is not basis on which authorisation should be granted in respect of any negotiations related to Android Pay."
Google launched Android Pay in Australia last month with a number of banks, including ANZ, which is currently one of only two banks that have signed up to offer Apple Pay in Australia after it launched in November last year.
Missing from the list of banks supporting Android Pay are the ones that have filed for collective negotiation. However, the list does note Bendigo Bank, Westpac, and St George are "coming soon".
Visa also put forward its submission to the ACCC, expressing that it supports the banks' push to collectively negotiate with the likes of Apple, under the condition the outcome is to promote safety, security, and stability, as the banks had initially stated in their application.
"Visa acknowledges that industry standards can provide many pro-competitive benefits," the company said.
At the same time, Visa pointed out that given the banks did not outline in their application what specific standards the ACCC should consider, it said could be difficult to assess what impact giving permission to the banks to collectively bargain would have on industry standards.
Recently, Australian retailer giant Coles, the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA), and the Australian Retailers Association (APA) all expressed support for the banks, arguing it would improve transparency of costs related to credit card processing fees, improve the experience for customers, and encourage greater innovation and enhance competition in the payments market.
On the other hand, PayPal warned in its submission that when deciding on its draft decision, the ACCC should consider the definition of "mobile wallet", arguing the phrase used in the application put forward by the banks was "overly broad particularly in the context of our industry which is dynamic and constantly changing".
"If the Commission determines to grant relief in the nature requested in the Application, such measures should be carefully tailored," it said.
Previously, Apple had hit back at the banks, accusing them of being control freaks and urging the commission to reject granting the banks interim authorisation, saying at the time that if the request was granted, it "would harm consumers, lead to less competition and less innovation, and create a troubling precedent".
"The present application is only the latest tactic employed by these competing banks to blunt Apple's entry into the Australian market," it said.
Apple also accused the banks of having a "limited understanding" of Apple Pay.
"The applicants rely on innuendo and misstatements to support their application. Most have little direct insight into Apple Pay or Apple's terms (case in point, one applicant bank has refused to even enter into a confidentiality agreement with Apple to allow for preliminary discussions about the terms under which it would participate in Apple Pay)," it said.
Apple has warned some of Australia's big banks that it will not be open to negotiation if they are granted authorisation to collectively bargain with the tech giant.
Apple maintains a firm stance that it will not agree to the terms of negotiating with some of Australia's largest banks on conditions relating to competition, best practice standards, and efficiency and transparency, believing it would "undermine the availability, security, and privacy" its customers expect when using Apple devices to make payments.
The tech giant has made a second submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) further detailing reasons why the consumer watchdog should not grant authorisation to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Westpac, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank to join forces to collectively negotiate with third-party mobile wallet providers, such as Apple.
The main goals the banks want to achieve included ensuring there will be non-exclusive access to a mobile near-field communication (NFC) chip, which would open it up to opportunities for other third parties, such as retailer loyalty programs or transit companies, to access the wallet; standardised security standards across the mobile payment system; and price transparency for payment system transaction costs in Australia, which is in line with the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy.
"If granted, the authorisation would harm consumers, lessen competition, and reduce innovation in the banking sector, of which the payments system is a core part. It would also create a troubling precedent. Apple expects that banks and third-party mobile wallet providers will continue innovating and developing new and better solutions," Apple wrote, hitting back at the banks.
Apple pointed out that the banks are wrong to perceive the company as a threat, suggesting it should be seen rather as an example of competition and innovation. The company added that it does not restrict partners, particularly when it comes to developing their own iOS apps.
It also argued that giving the banks authorisation to collectively bargain will put a "brake on new competition", as it would stifle incentives for existing players to develop new solutions that compete against Apple Pay.
Apple further suggested that the banks want authorisation to "control the direction and pace of innovation and advantage their own mobile wallets".
On the point of giving the banks access to its NFC antenna in Apple devices, Apple said such access would not be open to negotiation with any bank.
"Apple designs its products to provide very secure experiences, especially where payments are concerned. Apple has been able to provide the required level of security with tight integration of hardware, software, and services such as Apple Pay," it said.
"Apple does not provide banks access to the NFC radio because doing so would undermine the security our customers expect when using Apple devices to make payments."
Apple highlighted that if the banks are given open access to their NFC radios like Android devices, it would make its platform "susceptible to third-party attacks that can compromise the customer's card information".
At the same time, Apple said not giving the banks access to its NFC antenna would not prevent the banks from providing alternative payment technologies for their customers, pointing out existing examples such as the Commonwealth Bank's NFC sticker and Bendigo Bank's Redy wallet.
In addressing the banks' argument on wanting to standardise security standards across the mobile payment system, Apple said it opposes adhering to guidelines such as the one the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA) had sought to introduce at the end of last year as part of the Third Party Digital Wallet Security Code.
It pointed out that given the APCA is an industry group made up of each bank applying for authorisation, it would place the banks in a "position to control and dictate a set of security standards and requirements with which third-party mobile wallets would need to comply", while they would not.
"It risks undermining the high level of privacy and security that Apple currently offers customers, by (for example) potentially obliging Apple to start collecting, storing, and sharing end-user data, as dictated by the banks," Apple wrote.
"A 'one size fits all' security protocol dictated by the applicant banks would also remove the incentive for individual competing mobile wallet providers to develop more innovative solutions to distinguish themselves from other providers."
Another point Apple addressed in its submission was the fees banks are charged for using Apple Pay, assuring it maintains a "relatively consistent" fee structure globally and saying the costs incurred by the banks will be offset by the opportunity the banks would receive as a result of being able to offer Apple Pay to customers.
A spokesperson on behalf of the banks responded to Apple's latest submission by saying the banks will continue the ACCC process to seek authorisation for collective negotiations with Apple Pay. They are seeking this on the grounds that they believe the outcome would benefit consumers in terms of allowing competition and choice, and maintaining security and transparency in payments, despite Apple's obvious intention to not address the issues raised in individual negotiations with any Australian banks.
"Apple's submission to the ACCC makes it clear that Apple does not want to give iPhone users the ability to choose an integrated third party wallet of their own preference. Unlike users of Samsung and Android, Apple is blocking access to the NFC function and wants to leave iPhone users with no choice but to use Apple Pay," the spokesperson said.
"Their submission to the ACCC claims this lack of choice is in the best interest of Australian consumers. The applicants disagree. Instead, they want to negotiate with Apple so there is an opportunity to offer other integrated wallets alongside Apple Pay. They also want to make sure Australian consumers benefit from the same high standards of security and transparency no matter which mobile wallet they choose."
The banks had requested for the ACCC to grant interim authorisation within 28 days of their initial request made on July 27 to allow them to commence negotiations on limited issues while the consumer watchdog considers the application for authorisation.
However, the ACCC denied the banks the interim right to negotiate to allow them to commence negotiations on limited issues while the consumer watchdog considers the application for authorisation.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the watchdog needs more time to make a decision.
In its first submission, Apple accused the banks of being control freaks, saying at the time that if the request were granted, it "would harm consumers, lead to less competition and less innovation, and create a troubling precedent".
"The present application is only the latest tactic employed by these competing banks to blunt Apple's entry into the Australian market," it said.
Apple also accused the banks of having a "limited understanding" of Apple Pay.
"The applicants rely on innuendo and misstatements to support their application. Most have little direct insight into Apple Pay or Apple's terms (case in point, one applicant bank has refused to even enter into a confidentiality agreement with Apple to allow for preliminary discussions about the terms under which it would participate in Apple Pay)," it said.
ANZ customers can now choose to pay via Android Pay or Apple Pay using their MasterCard credit card, Visa debit or credit card, or American Express credit card.
ANZ Bank has announced that its customers can now use their MasterCard credit card to make contactless payments using either Apple Pay or Android Pay.
The announcement comes after ANZ became the first major Australian bank to make Android Pay available and the only bank in Australia to make Apple Pay available to customers when both services were launched in the country.
Apple Pay and Android Pay have both been available to ANZ customers who are cardholders of a Visa debit or credit card, or an American Express credit card.
ANZ managing director of products and marketing Matt Boss said that by adding MasterCard, it will give customers greater choice in how they want to pay.
"At ANZ, we are working hard to build the best digital bank for our customers, and this is another important step towards that goal," he said.
"Our customers want choice in the way they bank and where they bank, and we know our MasterCard customers, both consumers and merchants, will be pleased with this news."
The announcement comes at a time when the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank continue to wait on a final decision to be made by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) around whether they will be given approval to collectively negotiate with third-party mobile providers such as Apple on conditions relating to competition, best practice standards, and efficiency.
The major banks had put in their initial request with the ACCC at the end of July.
But the ACCC recently denied the banks the interim right to negotiate to allow them to commence negotiations on limited issues while the consumer watchdog considers the application for authorisation.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the watchdog needs more time to make a decision.
Novantas senior advisor Lance Blockley on behalf of the applicants revealed early on that ANZ had initially lined up to join the fight, but then changed tack and joined with Apple Pay.
"One of the applicants was ANZ Bank," he said.
"They chose to pull a fast one on their competitors and their joint applicants earlier this year when they withdrew from the group of applicants and decided to negotiate separately with Apple."
Android 7.0 Nougat was released and both Kevin and Matt installed it on Nexus devices. The Galaxy Note 7 is also living up to its top smartphone billing with solid performance this week.
Google released Android 7.0 Nougat this week, and Kevin and I shared some of our thoughts using it on MobileTechRoundup show #379 .
Image: ZDNet
Android 7.0 Lollipop released
How to get the missing "Night Mode" on Android 7.0
A full week with the Galaxy Note 7
Take two drinks: Kevin bought a Polar M600 and an Honor 8
Rumors and FCC filings for HTC and Huawei indicate we will soon see Google Nexus phones announced. However, the latest reports state the Nexus brand will not be used.
All indications are that we will see new Google phones from HTC and Huawei soon, but multiple reports from various sources stated that Google will not use the Nexus brand.
The HTC Nexus One launched back in 2009 and since then the Nexus brand has been associated with smartphones sold directly by Google with the latest and greatest Android operating system. Android 7.0 Nougat just launched last week for the current Nexus models, but the Nexus 6P and 5x may be the last Nexus branded phones.
There are no reports if these new phones will have another name or if they may simply be branded as Google phones. The sources for these various stories also reports that these new Google phones may not be as pure as Nexus devices of old. One reason many enthusiasts purchased Nexus phones was for the pure vanilla Android experience.
I personally think the pure Google experience is overrated and just paid over $925 for the fabulous Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Google may not add much to the vanilla experience, but we'll just have to wait and see.
With the release of Android 7.0 Nougat last week, it's likely we will see Google announce something in September as it typically does. The LG V20 will be fully unveiled in San Francisco next week and is advertised to launch as the first official Nougat device.
Apple is expected to reveal the latest generation iPhone at the event, along with updates to the Apple Watch.
Image: Apple
Apple's upcoming product launch event has been set for September 7.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based technology giant, notoriously secret ahead of its product announcements, is expected to reveal the latest generation iPhone at the event. It'll presumably reveal the iPhone 7, along with updates to the Apple Watch.
The event will be held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco starting at 10 am Pacific.
According to speculation, the latest generation iPhone will have a larger, dual-camera system for better photos, redesigned antenna lines for a cleaner look, and no headphone jack. The Apple Watch, which hasn't had a significant update since last April, could be in for a new operating system and possibly GPS tracking for improved fitness features.
The event could also be used to help Apple promote the iOS 10 operating system first unveiled in June.
SEE ALSO:
iPhone 7 rumor roundup: Release date, technical specs, and pricing
Why Apple doesn't care that flagship Android smartphones are better than the iPhone
If the iPhone 7 looks like the iPhone 6s, that could be a big problem for Apple
iOS 10 hints at water-resistant iPhone
Five security settings in iOS 10 you should immediately change
Android 7.0 Nougat is focused on improving usability so that customers can be more efficient and productive with their phones. Samsung already provides much of Nougat's capabilities in the Galaxy Note 7.
While I personally find the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 nearly perfect there are some that lament it launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow rather than the latest Android 7.0 Nougat. Don't worry folks, the Note 7 has most of the features of Nougat and a whole lot more.
Android 7.0 Nougat is available now for Nexus devices and as I detailed last week, you can expect productivity improvements on the Google Nexus 6P. Let's take a look at the list of major new features in Android 7.0 Nougat and see how it compares to what is found on the Galaxy Note 7:
Refined quick settings buttons: Samsung provides the ability to customize the quick settings on the Note 7, including a cool search bar to find things easily on your phone.
Clear all option: Samsung provides this and has for quite some time on its devices.
Multi-window support: Samsung started offering multi-window functionality in 2012 on the Note 2. It continues to be refined and is a great experience on the Note 7, but there are still some limitations on which apps support it. You can also get a pop-up mode on the Note 7 to have a second window in a freeform setup.
Direct reply notifications: One reason I have always preferred manufacturer phones over Nexus phones was this capability to respond to messages without ever leaving the app I am in. Samsung does this well and has for quite a while.
Updated settings: Samsung's settings have been revamped and are easier to use than before, but the settings don't have the cool status data lines present on the Nexus and in Android 7.0 Nougat.
Quick multi-tasking: The Alt-Tab functionality on Nougat is slick, but if you use your S Pen and choose to have the Glance shortcut on Air Command then you can toggle between two apps by hovering your S Pen over a floating app thumbnail.
Blue light filter: Samsung provides this with a manual toggle, sunset to sunrise, and custom timing options.
Grouped notifications: Android 7.0 wins here since Samsung does not offer this capability.
Display scaling: This is included on the Note 7 and actually is one option presented to you during initial setup. With small scaling you can fit more on your display and with 5.5 inches of gorgeous screen I'm loving how much I can see in one glance.
Vulkan graphics APIs: Samsung already offers this and it even works with the Gear VR headset.
As you can see, buying the new Galaxy Note 7 gives you most of what you can find on a Nexus device, and soon a LG V20. The Note 7 is guaranteed to eventually receive an update to Android 7.0 Nougat, but don't fret as Samsung already offers an experience that rivals a Nougat experience.
Actually, Samsung even offers a few more things you are not likely to find on a Nougat device, including:
S Pen stylus support for advanced functionality
Always-on display mode
Iris scanner for advanced security
Edge panels for even more efficiency
Honestly, I don't care if my Note 7 ever gets Android 7.0 Nougat because it already provides me with a superior experience. Sometimes people get too wrapped up in major OS updates when the phone you buy should be able to do all it needs in the state you purchase it. With regular Samsung security updates being provided, Samsung and Google are keeping your device secure as well.
The telecom is promising 50-percent faster peak speeds for customers with LTE Advanced-capable devices.
Verizon on Monday rolled out its LTE Advanced network, dubbing it the largest and fastest LTE network ever.
The new network is now available in 461 cities, covering 90 percent of the US population. The network promises 50-percent faster peak speeds for customers with LTE Advanced-capable devices. There are currently 39 LTE Advanced-capable phones and tablets on the network, including the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S7, Moto Droids, and the iPhone. New devices from Apple, Samsung, LG, and other manufacturers will also be LTE Advanced-capable.
It works by using two or three bandwidth channels at once to send mobile data over the network.
"Imagine a road with multiple lanes in which, once you pick a lane, that's the lane you drive in. That describes our award-winning 4G LTE network," explained Nicki Palmer, Verizon's chief wireless network engineer, in a statement. "Continuing the metaphor, Verizon LTE Advanced allows cars to change lanes efficiently and flawlessly, balancing the flow of traffic and getting drivers to their destinations more efficiently. That means blindingly fast data transmissions when you need it most."
Two-channel carrier aggregation has shown peak download speeds of up to 225Mbps, Verizon said, while three-channel carrier aggregation can reach speeds greater than 300Mbps. Verizon customers will still typically see download speeds of five to 12Mbps.
A new leak claims to show HTC's next iPhone clone.
HTC plans to announce a successor to the metal HTC One A9 before the IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany, according to VentureBeat.
The HTC One A9 successor will be virtually unchanged from the first version and won't get a new name, the report says, adding that it looks close to Apple's iPhone 6 (no shocker there).
Details on specifications for the device are mum -- though the rear camera is said to stay at 13 megapixels, while front camera could transition from four "Ultrapixels" to five megapixels.
The new HTC One A9 is said to debut September 1, before the kick off of the consumer electronics show in Berlin, where other big handset manufacturers will show off their next move for the fall.
In our review of the original HTC One A9, ZDNet found its solid finish, camera performance, and excellent battery life to be overpriced compared to competing Android models.
As new Pebble hardware starts shipping next month, Pebble launched a major firmware update that improves Pebble Health, the timeline interface, the app launcher, and iOS email actions.
(Image: Pebble)
Pebble has some excellent and affordable smartwatches and with its continued software updates, it's definitely a wearable platform you should consider.
As many of us Pebble Time 2 Kickstarter backers look forward to the new watch coming in the next few months, Pebble just announced some major firmware and smartphone software updates taking current Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel, and Pebble Time Round devices to version 4.0.
Pebble states that the key new features include:
Timeline updates: The new Quick View feature allows users to see what's coming up next in the day right from their watchface. Pressing down on the watchface gives users access to current events.
App Glances: View information from your apps without having to open them.
4-Button Quick Launch: Customize your Pebble even further by assigning your favorite apps to each button for quicker access.
A Redesigned Health App: The new app focuses on simplicity and glanceability and reintroduces weekly charts to summarize your health activity. Pebblers can now access the health app by pressing the up button on their watchface, enabling quicker access to step and sleep activity.
Email Actions: iOS users can Reply, Delete, and Archive Gmail emails directly from the notifications on their watch through the Inbox, Gmail and Mail apps.
(Image: Pebble)
The evolution of Pebble Health has been fantastic and the usability improvements in 4.0 look great.
The smartphone updates are particularly welcome for iOS users who will see improved support for email actions that Android users have enjoyed for some time now. iOS users can now delete, archive, mark as read, reply all, and star emails received from Gmail accounts. Pebble users can reply to iOS Messages too.
Pebble Firmware 4.0 works with Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel, Pebble Time Round, and the upcoming 2016 Pebble lineup (Pebble 2 and Time 2). Version 3.12.2 remains the most current firmware for Pebble Classic and Pebble Steel at this time. The Pebble apps for iPhone and Android work with all Pebble watches running Firmware 3.12 or higher.
Related Pebble coverage on ZDNet
Pebble Time review: Timeline-focused interface works best with Android smartphones
Pebble launches three new products; Pebble Core is a runner and hacker dream accessory
Pebble smartwatch update provides Pebble Health data on your smartphone
Major Pebble smartwatch update provides Pebble Health and messaging enhancements
Homebuilders are preparing to build new homes that come with HomeKit devices already built in.
The Summerset community in Ontario Ranch could be one of the first where new homes come with Apple HomeKit devices built in.
Image: Brookfield Residential/Anthony Gomez
Next time you go to move house or buy a new home, as well as thinking about its price, its location, and its transport links, you may well find yourself asking about its operating system too.
At this year's WWDC event, Apple announced that five homebuilders -- including Brookfield Residential, KP, and Lennar -- had agreed to support HomeKit in new properties. "Some of the biggest builders of homes, here in the United States and in China, are now building new homes with HomeKit built right in, so you can move and just start controlling your home," Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, said at the event.
The market for smart home technology may be relatively modest today, but researchers are predicting a growth rate of around 15 percent over the coming years: analysts Markets and Markets expect the smart home tech market to be worth $121.7bn by 2022.
Apple launched its own smart things framework, HomeKit, in 2015, aiming to put iOS at the heart of home automation. At launch, the framework was only used by a handful of hardware manufacturers, but now over 70 of them have a product on the shelves or on the way. Apple has also created a single app, Home, for controlling all iOS connected objects around the house.
However, take-up has remained modest: it's estimated around five percent of homes in the US have smart technology installed, using not only Apple's HomeKit platform, but offerings from rivals including Google's Nest and Samsung's SmartThings. By enlisting homebuilders to its cause, Apple is looking for a new way of growing its market.
While smart homes may be niche today, the five homebuilders that have announced they'll be installing Apple kit are hoping they're just predicting how homebuyers' needs will change over the coming years.
"We know that people walk into a new home and expect new things. People expect new technologies, at the same time they're super-confused about how home automation and the connected world works, so we take those [two factors] and turn them into opportunity by showing them a simple unified, interoperable solution," David Kaiserman, president of Lennar Ventures, said.
Given the relative size of the home-building market compared to real estate resale, what's in it for Apple? For one, there are no customer acquisition costs, and putting HomeKit appliances directly into new homes overcomes the two elements that can put people off smart home tech: cost, as the price of the kit is built into the price of the home, and complexity, as the HomeKit devices are ready to go when they move in.
Both homebuilders initially heard about Apple's interest in having new HomeKit properties through their existing suppliers, such as lock-maker Schlag. The builders say they were interested in the collaboration with Apple due to its history of making reliable kit and offering a single control platform, Home, for each individual bit of equipment.
With Apple this year extending the range of accessories that can use HomeKit to add devices including doorbells, cameras, air conditioners, and home security cameras, combined with falling prices, consumers will soon see the attraction of smart home tech, homebuilders believe.
"We think the consumer, once exposed to these technologies, will never go back. It's been available for a while in crude forms or expensive forms. Our anticipation is that [home automation technology] is becoming so attainable, it will be 'why not? Why aren't I putting it in my home?'," said Brookfield Residential COO Adrian Foley.
Brookfield is expecting to put in HomeKit technology including locks and thermostats, while Lennar is looking at lights, locks, thermostats, cameras, and potentially audio equipment too.
Both companies have considered the potential security implications of houses where infrastructure is online and can be controlled remotely, but Foley likens it to an evolution of existing security threats to homes. "There are obviously some risk: there is privacy and hacking, and we have to think about that, but today, if someone wanted to get in your house and figure out how to pick your locks, they could do that," Foley said.
So how long will you have to wait until you can buy your HomeKit enabled house? Not very long at all, it turns out: while Lennar declined to give a timescale, Brookfield Residential is already in the process of drawing up a new technology specification for its home that will feature HomeKit, putting together a roadmap for Apple-based properties, and selecting which communities the technology will go into.
Rather sensibly, both are also thinking about the technological plumbing that will be needed to actually make the smart home deliver on its promises. In Brookfield Residential's case, the company is looking at showcasing the first HomeKit-enabled home in Summerset in Ontario Ranch, California -- an area where there are gigabit broadband speeds. In Lennar's case, the company is prioritizing building homes where every inch is covered by a solid wi-fi signal. "Having a environment in your home that has no dead spots is an essential and foundation component" of delivering a good smart home experience, Lennar Venture's Kaiserman said.
How will homebuilders deal with the pace of technology change? After all, a smartphone owner might replace their device every couple of years, but stay in the same home for five years, ten years, or even more, during which time their smart home tech will be superseded by several generations of hardware.
And what of those homeowners that prefer Android that iOS? Around two-thirds of US smartphone buyers went for Android according to the most recent figures from researchers Kantar Worldpanel, while in China the figure is over eight in 10.
"We pick the devices that we put in there for longevity very carefully, and we ensure that they are interoperable on the basis of things like wi-fi standards, so that in the future if you want to take your Schlag door lock and move it from Apple HomeKit to Alexa, you don't have to change the door lock to do that, it's a simple DIY upgrade. We spent a lot of time on the hardware to make sure it's right and open enough to allow for the inevitable changes in the software," said Lennar Ventures' Kaiserman.
For those who really aren't into Apple or Android -- or for that matter smart home tech at all -- all the kit can still be operated in the same way as when they were analogue. With the "light switch on the wall vs the light switch on your phone -- sometimes you just want to turn on the darn light, you don't want to flip [the app] open and go through it", Kaiserman added.
And it's not just the next generation of homebuyers that builders are hoping will see the use of smart home tech in future.
By controlling hardware like air purifiers through their phones over the course of several years, homeowners will build up a fair chunk of data about the health, quality, and running costs of their home. That data could potentially be share by home sellers with their would-be buyers, much in the same way that they might share the council tax or energy star rating.
"I think that becomes almost like the Data Facts for your car, where it's a register for how the home has lived: it's kind of a health report for what's happened," Brookfield Residential's Foley said.
"In seven years time when you come to sell your smart home, I would anticipate producing some records of how the home lived and here are some of the data records of the condition of the home."
Read more on HomeKit
First look: Here come the Apple HomeKit devices for connected homes
Latest Philips Hue bridge adds Apple HomeKit, Siri support
Here's what's new for Apple HomeKit in iOS 10 (CNET)
Apple's HomeKit full of promise, falls on execution (TechRepublic)
A boon to SAP, Altiscale would accelerate efforts to deliver high-scale and high-performance cloud data services. SAP needs to address big data, streaming and IoT apps.
SAP is acquiring Altiscale, VentureBeat reported on Aug. 25. SAP neither confirmed nor denied the report, offering a statement that it "does not comment on market rumors or speculation". If the acquisition is real, it would, in my view, make sense.
Altiscale is a four-year-old startup that specializes in cloud-based Hadoop and Spark services. As such it technically competes against mainstream Hadoop services, such as Amazon Elastic MapReduce, Microsoft HDInight, and Google Cloud Dataproc. But Altiscale differentiates itself from these low-cost providers by combining high-performance Hadoop and Spark services with integrated ingestion, transformation, and analytical capabilities via its Altiscale Insight Cloud offering. A small niche player, the company also stresses high-touch support and professional services, which puts it in more direct competition with Qubole.
Altiscale combines Hadoop and Spark cloud services with integrated data ingest, prepand analytics as well as supporting professional services.
By acquiring Altiscale, SAP would quickly gain capacity and deep expertise for delivering Hadoop, Spark, and high-scale data services. All of the above would complement SAP's cloud and IoT strategies while reducing the need for customers to work with third-party vendors.
SAP HANA continues to be the cornerstone of the company's data-management strategy, but at SAPPHIRE 2015, the company announced it will also rely on Hadoop and Spark to support its big data and IoT strategies. SAP subsequently announced, and in March made generally available, Hana Vora, which uses Spark to provide interactive analytics on high-scale data in Hadoop.
MyPOV
If this deal is real, I think it will be a boon to SAP. The company is, of course, partnered with all of the leading Hadoop software distributors and with Spark overseer Databricks, but to date the company has lacked its own Hadoop and Spark services. Altiscale would enable SAP to help customers with high-scale data capacity and data pipelines without relying on third-party vendors. What remains to be seen -- again, if the deal is real -- is how and whether Altiscale's existing services would change in the wake of an acquisition. Altiscale could not be reached in time for comment.
Earlier this year, I interviewed executives at Altiscale customer MarketShare for an in-depth case study, and they were quite happy with the company's services. Although costs were higher for Altiscale than for Amazon EMR, the Hadoop service it previously used, MarketShare reported that its Hadoop jobs were completed in one-quarter to one-fifth the time and at 65 percent to 70 percent of the cost on Altiscale. It's a compelling story, but one that's hard for a small vendor to get out there when up against the biggest public cloud service providers in the industry.
There's been a lot of press recently about the problems of IoT security -- what should organizations do about it?
There's been a lot of press recently about the problems of IoT security: easily hackable smart locks, as many as 100M cars at risk, vulnerable light bulbs, and even sex toys that spy on you.
Here are some key concepts for the future of IoT security in the enterprise:
First, IoT is going to save a lot of lives
It's worth pointing out up front that the most direct result of IoT is much better physical security. Cheap, easy-to-install sensors means fewer surveillance vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.
For example, Gooee provides intelligent sensors integrated with lighting systems to monitor activity, temperature, and more. When people break in, or there's a fire, or an earthquake is on its way, IoT means we can take action faster, saving assets and lives.
For example, as part of a Smart Cities initiative, SAP has been working with the city of Buenos Aires on a centralized city-wide dashboard showing real-time information from more than 700,000 different city assets. This includes flow sensors on the city's water systems that proactively alert against floods that could endanger lives.
Almost every potential security threat can be minimized with the appropriate sensors. For example, gunfire locators can help alert crimes in progress: during the 2003-2004 Ohio highway sniper attacks, the FBI successfully used a ShotSpotter gunshot location system to find the shooter.
So if we're worried about keeping people safe, and detecting toxins slipped into the drinking water, then IoT is a great answer.
But when everything is networked, everything is hackable
While physical security is improving rapidly, cybersecurity is a big and growing threat. IoT compounds all the security problems of traditional networks. There are many more potential points of entry, the tradeoff between security and ease-of-use/cost is more severe, and the devices themselves aren't easy to patch when security flaws are discovered.
There's no easy solution to these problems -- the right approach is to double down on traditional security measures. Securing connected IoT devices is like trying to seal your house against insects. You have to take the usual measures such as blocking the biggest cracks and cleaning regularly -- but some bugs are always going to get through.
Companies must continue to implement "basic digital hygiene"-- the equivalent of locking the door twice and not leaving the keys around. But then they should expect to get hacked anyway.
To combat the inevitable hacks, there has to be a multi-layered approach to security. IoT security is like an onion -- the more layers you have, the more you'll make the hackers cry...
Don't stint on security investments: get secure sensors from reputable companies, use isolated systems wherever possible, minimize data traffic and storage, use effective trusted certificates, employ tokenization, and adopt end-to-end encryption.
And perhaps most importantly of all: employ people who know how to put all this in place, and work with organizations that understand enterprise security and have been doing it a long time.
The future is about algorithmic security
New technology brings new opportunities-it's time to take advantage of Big Data technology to improve IoT security.
Simple security is when an alarm is triggered and a guard intervenes. More complex security is more context-aware. For example, an alarm is triggered when the same personnel badge has been used simultaneously in two different electrical power stations. Or a badge has been used by somebody who is supposed to be on holiday.
This kind of security requires real-time access to enterprise systems to augment the sensor data. For example, AlertEnterprise, part of the SAP Startup program, uses the power of the SAP HANA in-memory platform to provide real-time security analysis, awareness, and prediction:
"Attacks are getting more frequent and more damaging. Key pieces of information lie in different systems and by the time the security teams piece together the puzzle, it's too late. Enterprise Sentry consolidates critical information from underlying security tools and combines it with operational information to deliver a real view of what's happening right now."
Algorithmic security is the next level, and involves using Big Data analysis techniques on the millions of data points that can be collected from, say, an airport's IT systems: door sensors, employee badges, flight rosters, cleaning schedules, luggage systems, and more.
Using predictive algorithms, the system can learn what a "normal" day at the airport looks like, and then sound the alert whenever conditions differ from the expected pattern. These are the kinds of techniques that are already used to detect suspicious financial transactions using SAP Fraud Management.
Algorithmic security applies to IoT, too. There are many different ways systems can be hacked, and real-time anomaly detection is the ideal way of dealing with unknown new threats.
For example, there have been trials showing that the traffic lights in major cities could be manipulated, leading to traffic jams and worse. With algorithmic security, these sensor patterns would immediately show up as an highly-unusual and suspicious anomalies.
Cybersecurity is about people
It's a cliché, but that doesn't make it any less true: robust cybersecurity is much more about people and processes than technology.
Organizations need to concentrate on the most vulnerable part of any network: the people using it. The easiest and most effective way to improve cybersecurity is having the right processes and training in place.
Companies need effective governance, risk, and compliance policies that constantly evaluate and update your security. And ongoing training programs: systems like SAP SuccessFactors Learning Management can ensure that every employee has been certified on the kinds of social engineering that lead to network breaches.
This post first appeared on the Business Analytics and Digital Business Blog
The chip giant bets big on the next-generation storage technology, including a solid-state drive for consumer PCs starting at $70.
Intel's DC P3520 SSD for data centers with 3D NAND technology
3D NAND technology -- which allows cells to be stacked vertically, improving density and increasing capacity in smaller confines -- has quickly moved from the cutting-edge of solid-state storage to an increasingly mainstream feature of new drives. Samsung is using it in the mega-capacity SSDs it recently announced, and Intel has just unveiled a half-dozen new drive series that utilize the technology.
The new drives span across application types, with a pair for consumer and business PCs, two for data centers, and even a duo for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Most of them use the PCIe interface for speedier data transfers, though a couple of them make use of the slower SATA interface. The SSD 600p and Pro 6000p Series are designed for consumer and business desktop and laptop PCs, respectively, both using PCIe to deliver what Intel claims is 17 times the performance of traditional hard drives and three times the speeds of SATA solid-state drives.
Both new client lineups are offered in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1,024GB capacities,with similar specs: the tiny M.2 form factor and the exact same random and sequential read/write speeds. The Pro series is designed to be used with Intel's vPro enterprise processors, featuring Remote Secure Erase Solution technology to allow IT professionals to wipe drives clean from a remote location. The 600p SSDs are already showing up at online retailers, with the 128GB model coming in at an affordable $70 price point.
The data center drives consist of the SSD DC P3520 and SSD DC S3520 Series. Intel says the former is well-suited for cloud computing services, with sequential read speeds as high as 1,700MB/s. P3520 drives will be available in capacities ranging from 450GB to 2TB in a 2.5-inch form factor or 1.2TB or 2TB capacities in a half-height half-length add-in card. On the other hand, the DC S3520 makes use of the SATA interface instead of PCIe, and the chip giant says it is ideal for transitioning from SATA enterprise hard drives. S3520 drives will be available in a large number of capacities from 150GB up to 1.6TB, though maximum sequential read speeds top out at 450MB/s.
Finally, as part of Intel's effort to lessen its reliance on the PC as its primary profit source, it's rolling out two SSDs that can be used by IoT devices. As its name suggests, the SSD E 6000p Series is similar to the business PC version, though it only comes in 128GB and 256GB capacities for IoT applications like digital signage and point-of-sale systems. The SSD E 5420s is the other new 3D NAND drive series using the SATA interface, coming as a 2.5-inch drive in 240GB capacity or a M.2 SSD in 150GB. (The larger drive has speeds nearly double its smaller sibling.) The E 6000p drives feature AES 256-bit self-encryption, which is useful for applications like ATM machines.
Uber has blamed the subsidies it is forking out for its drivers globally for dragging the company's 2016 half year results into the red.
Ride-booking service Uber has informed investors its half year results for the 2016 have come in at a net loss of $1.27 billion, with a majority of the loss suffered during the second quarter.
While Uber is not a publicly-listed company, people familiar with the matter informed Bloomberg that head of finance Gautam Gupta reported to shareholders that during the first quarter of this year, the company made a loss of $520 million before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation, and by the second quarter, the losses were more significant, exceeding $750 million, including approximately $100 million shortfall in the United States.
Gupta blamed the company's losses on subsidies for Uber's drivers globally.
On a more positive note, Gupta said bookings grew both quarters, from $3.8 billion in the first quarter to $5 billion in the second quarter; and net revenue grew 18 percent between the two quarters to $1.1 billion by the end of the second quarter.
However, based on one of the company's more recent funding rounds, which saw Uber receive $2 billion in additional funds from a Chinese investor, it is not short of cash injection.
Backers of the funding round in January included HNA Group, China Taiping Insurance Holdings, Guangzhou Automobile Group, China Life Insurance, investment bank Citic Securities, and China Broadband Capital.
Additionally, Uber's global operations is expected to receive another $1 billion in investment, as part of a merge deal Uber China signed with rival ridesharing company Didi Chuxing, worth $35 million.
While Uber declined to comment on the matter, Uber China investors will have a 20 percent stake in the new company, according to an unnamed source.
The merger follows the revelation in February this year that Uber was spending up to $1 billion each year in China to compete with its rivals there.
"We're profitable in the USA, but we're losing over $1 billion a year in China," Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said at the time.
Earlier this week, the Victorian government announced that over the next two years it plans to overhaul its commercial passenger industry that would eventually see ride-booking services such as Uber made legal.
Victoria will join a growing list of Australian states to legalise Uber. Earlier this month, Queensland announced Uber will be able to operate legally from September 5, 2016 under new transport reforms that were announced by the state government.
Under the changes, which are expected to deliver an estimated net economic benefit of AU$474.1 million, ride-booking services will be made legal under the conditions that drivers hold a valid driver authorisation and have their personalised transport vehicles inspected every 12 months.
The decision by the Queensland government was in response to recommendations made by the independent Opportunities for Personalised Transport Review, something which Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called for back in April, not long after the state imposed a ban on Uber.
The ACT was the first Australian state or territory to legalise ridesharing last October, with the same regulatory conditions that are enforced for taxi drivers such as driver history checks and vehicle safety checks.
Uber was then deemed to be legal in Western Australia under major taxi industry reform in December, with the proviso that drivers had to obtain special "omnibus" licences in addition to their standard driving licences. South Australia followed suit giving Uber the green light in April.
Uber was also officially legalised in NSW by the state government in December last year, with a new regular and commissioner put in place to oversee the industry. A transition period was also put in place for a number of months for ridesharing drivers to obtain the correct accreditation to drive legally on NSW roads.
The Northern Territory government is, however, still refusing to allow Uber to operate.
Outside of Australia, Macau -- one of China's two special administrative regions -- plans to end Uber services as soon as September 9 as local authorities show no real intention for a discussion on the identity issue of Uber under current regulatory framework.
According to Uber, local police forces have charged over 10 million patacas in fines from over 300 Uber drivers in the past 10 months.
Since Uber landed in Macau in late October, 2015, private car hailing services have been deemed illegal by the Public Security Police Force due to their lack of operating licenses.
Investment firm founder Mark Sowerby has been appointed as the Queensland government's first chief entrepreneur.
The Queensland government has appointed the state's first chief entrepreneur, tasked with overseeing the startup chapter of the Advance Queensland initiative.
Mark Sowerby officially accepted the role on Wednesday, having previously focused on growing his investment firm, Blue Sky Investments.
When announcing the appointment, the state government said Sowerby was well known in the investment community for identifying opportunities and seeing them commercialised, adding that the entrepreneur also knows how to harness venture capital investments to deliver real returns for clients.
Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch believes the state's first chief entrepreneur will cement Queensland's reputation as a global innovation hotspot and encourage startup formation.
"He will energise Queensland's startup sector, build collaboration to support business innovation, promote entrepreneurship, and advocate for Queensland both nationally and internationally," Enoch said.
Sowerby was selected by an evaluation panel commissioned by the Queensland government and will hold the role for an initial 12-month period.
The Office of the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur is a AU$1.5 million, two-year initiative funded under the AU$24 million Startup Queensland program.
The AU$24 million program forms part of the Advance Queensland initiative, which was first announced in last year's budget. The initiative was handed an additional AU$225.2 million in the 2016-17 Budget, which now sees the total investment at AU$405 million.
Similarly, the New South Wales government appointed former Macquarie Bank chief digital officer Damon Rees as the state's first government chief information and digital officer (GCIDO) in May.
