A combination of ultrasound technology and software could replace the proximity sensors used by smartphones (such as the top black dot on the phone above). Elliptic Labs (Norway) has created a system that uses a phone's microphone and speaker to do what a proximity sensor would.
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US Court Bans Sale Of Some Old Samsung Phones
The sale of some Samsung smartphones has been banned by a US court. Apple had requested the sale of the phones no longer be allowed due to confirmed patent infringement. This ban will go into effect in the next 30 days and it applies to a number of phones.
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Apple May Be Planning To Support LiFi
LiFi, a relatively new wireless data transmission technology, may get more attention in the near future when Apple's products begin supporting it. AppleInsider reports the iOS "library cache file makes mention of LiFiCapability," suggesting it may be found in a future iOS.
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Amazon Prime Air Drones Can Carry 5 Lbs For 10 Miles
Paul Misener, Amazon's VP for public policy, has revealed some more information about the company's drone delivery setup, Prime Air. Misener says the service will be capable of delivering 5 lb packages up to 10 miles away and the deliveries will take just 30 minutes.
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Robots To Replace 5M Jobs By 2020
A report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) claims robots are likely going to replace around 5 million jobs globally in the next four years. In this time period, it is believed the jobs most at-risk for automation are administrative and office positions.
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Minecraft: Story Mode Arrives On Wii U January 21
The Wii U version of Minecraft: Story Mode will begin coming out on January 21. Telltale Games and Mojang say the first episode from the game, "The Order of the Stone," is coming out on that date and it will cost $4.99. After that episode, Telltale intends to release more soon.
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Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, Others Use Children-Mined Cobalt From Congo
Many of the largest tech companies have been tied to cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that includes the use of child labor. A report from Amnesty International and Afrewatch says the children involved in the mining are exposed to dangerous conditions.
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Apple Increasing App Prices In Multiple Regions
iPhone and iPad users in a number of markets are going to see the price of apps increase. Apple is adjusting its App Store pricing in Canada, Singapore, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand, Israel, and Mexico to be in-line with changes in currency exchange rates.
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Google Begins Letting Android Users Download Apps From Google Search
Google has provided some Android users with the ability to download apps directly from Google search, allowing them to avoid the Play Store. This feature appears to be experimental and only some users have access to it. For now, users must download the apps from the Google app.
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OnePlus Offers Free Standard Shipping On Larger Orders
A little surprising, but OnePlus has announced today that it will be offering free standard shipping on larger orders. To qualify for free shipping, US customers have to place an order of at least $100, while European and UK customers have to meet a €100 or £60, respectively.
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Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) Visits GFXBench
Samsung is allegedly working on a new member of its affordable J series of smartphones. According to a listing from GFXBench, a handset with the model number SM-J510x is in the works, which seems to be the upgraded version of the current Galaxy J5 handset.
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Huawei Working On A Hybrid Device With Android And Windows
With the announcement of Microsoft Surface Book, a 2-in-1 devices have become that popular that Huawei is reportedly working on a similar device. The device in question will be slightly different, as it will launch with two OSes, Android and Windows 10.
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Samsung Galaxy A3, A5 And A7 (2016) Go On Pre-Order In Europe
Last month, Samsung has officially announced the new Galaxy A series of smartphones, which consists of Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 smartphones. Shortly after, the two more members were added to the list, the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A9, but were available only in China.
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Facebook Is Testing New Built-In Browser
The most popular social network is testing a new built-in browser to make it easier for users to browse websites outside of Facebook, but remain inside the Facebook app. With this move, the company is trying to rival Google and prevent users from ever leaving the app.
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HTC Reportedly In Charge Of Designing Two Nexus Devices
When Google released its very first Nexus device, the Nexus One, HTC was a company behind it. Google gave HTC another shot with the Nexus 9 and it looks like there could be more HTC Nexus devices in the works. According to new rumours, Google has once again turned to HTC.
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Samsung Silently Updates Galaxy Note5 With New Sliding Mechanism
We all remember the problem that the Galaxy Note5 had with the S-Pen and its sliding mechanism. Those who didn't know, if you slide your S Pen backwards, it would break the S-Pen detection mechanism and therefore rendered their S-Pen a pointless stick.
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Apple Watch 2 Release Delayed
Apple has reportedly pushed back its expected release date for the Apple Watch 2. The device is now going to be revealed in April, which goes against recent reports claiming Apple was on track to show the smartwatch in March. This report supports at 18-month release cycle.
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Apple Confirms iPhone 6S Battery Percentage Bug
The existence of a bug with the iPhone 6S' battery percentage has been confirmed by Apple and the company is now working on a fix for the issue. A temporary fix was provided on the Apple Support page, with users being told to restart their phone and alter some settings.
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HoloLens Battery Cut In Half With 'Intensive' Use
If you plan on really using the Microsoft HoloLens, you'll probably need to charge it at least once each day. With regular usage, the device lasts for about five hours, but that's cut in half with "intensive" use. Normal usage is considered working on documents and using email.
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