Innholdsfortegnelse for #253 i Techlife News

Ride-hailing service Uber said Sunday that it and competitor Careem have abruptly suspended services in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi due to “unforeseen circumstances,” suggesting potential difficulties with local regulators. San Francisco-based Uber described the move as temporary and said it hopes to have more information in the next two days. It declined to say what prompted the suspension. “We want to let you know that this was a decision taken by both companies, and our goal is to resume operations in Abu Dhabi as soon as possible,” Uber said in a statement. The company has operated in the Emirates since 2013. Local regulations mean that only licensed limousine drivers in the seven-state Emirates federation can drive for ride-hailing services such as Uber, which let passengers users…

The composer for “Game of Thrones” is swapping the sword-filled realm of Westeros for the monster-plagued world of Sera. Emmy- and Grammy-nominated Ramin Djawadi has crafted the score for “Gears of War 4,” the forthcoming fifth installment in the action-shooter series for Xbox One and PC. The prolific film and TV composer says he put his own spin on the game’s soundtrack while remaining faithful to the nearly decade-old “Gears” series. “Obviously, I wanted to make it very different from ‘Game of Thrones,’” said Djawadi. “Whenever I approach a new project, I want to make sure I’m setting up a new sound - even through we’re still using a lot of orchestra and percussion.” Djawadi described the score, which was recorded at Sony Pictures Studios, as emotional and orchestral with…

The race between a small town on the Rio Grande in New Mexico and a Salt Lake City suburb to entice a new Facebook data center with millions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies is raising questions about public investments in a booming cloud-computing economy that typically brings few local jobs. In West Jordan, Utah, an initial plan to offer some $240 million in tax breaks over two decades fell apart after several local leaders said the lure was too rich. Negotiations have since restarted. In New Mexico, The Los Lunas Village Council agreed to give up all property taxes for 30 years in exchange for annual payments that start at $50,000 and top out at nearly a half-million dollars. The village has yet to provide a tally of…

Weeks into the “Pokemon Go” craze, demand remains strong for “Poke Ball”-shaped treats made by a high-end doughnut company, one of many businesses and organizations coming up with creative ways to lure players in their search for the elusive “pocket monsters.” Even on sweltering summer days, the popular smartphone game has gotten throngs of players out of their homes to real-world locations designated as “PokeStops” and “Gyms.”Theme parks, bars and even a county animal shelter are among those trying to capitalize on that surge in foot traffic. In New York, Doughnut Plant created an edible version of the Poke Ball - dubbing it the Pokeseed - after a Pokemon-obsessed employee realized that all four of the company’s shops are either PokeStops or very close to one, owner Mark Isreal said.…

Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards show was all about performances that got the sweat dripping, the muscles ripping and the adrenaline pumping. Here are the top moments from Sunday’s show: JUST CALL THEM THE BEYONCE MUSIC AWARDS If there was any doubt that this night was all about Beyonce, she killed any notion of that idea with her amazing medley of songs from her incredible “Lemonade” visual album. As the leading nominee, all eyes were on her to prove herself as the biggest musical act of her generation. And as usual, she delivered a flawless performance. She moved seamlessly between outfits, songs and stages, singing with passion and strength. She danced through fire and smoke, took a baseball bat to a camera and had her dancers end the performance laying…

The modestly budgeted horror movie “Don’t Breathe” scared off competitors at the box office this weekend, taking first place with $26.4 million in its first days in theaters. Directed by Fede Alvarez, “Don’t Breathe” cost only around $10 million to produce. It knocked the comic book movie “Suicide Squad” into second place, after a three-week run in first. “Suicide Squad” took in $12.2 million, bringing its domestic total to $283 million. Holdovers “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Sausage Party” took the third and four place spots with $7.8 million and $7.5 million, respectively. Rounding out the top five was the Jason Statham-led sequel “Mechanic: Resurrection,” which debuted to $7.5 million. The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of…

The FBI is warning state officials to boost their election security in light of evidence that hackers targeted related data systems in two states. In a confidential “flash” alert from its cyber division, first reported by Yahoo News and posted online by others, the FBI said it’s investigating the pair of incidents and advised states to scan their systems for specific signs of hacking. The FBI said Monday that it doesn’t comment on specific alerts, but added that it routinely sends out advisories to private industry about signs of cyber threats that it comes across in its investigations. The FBI didn’t name the states that were targeted, but it described a “compromise” of one elections board website and “attempted intrusion activities” in another state’s system. State election websites in Illinois…

Continuing to play despite a concussion doubles recovery time for teen athletes and leads to worse short-term mental function than in those immediately removed from action, a study found. It’s billed as the first to compare recovery outcomes for athletes removed from a game or practice compared with those who aren’t. The study was small, involving 69 teens treated at a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center concussion clinic, but the results bolster evidence supporting the growing number of return-to-play laws and policies nationwide The study was published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. KEEPING SCORE The study involved athletes aged 15 on average from several sports, including football, soccer, ice hockey and basketball who had concussions during a game or practice. Half continued to play and took 44 days on average…

In a new project with National Geographic, Barack Obama becomes the first sitting U.S. president to project himself into virtual reality - in this case, a 360-degree representation of Yosemite National Park. The 11-minute VR video , narrated by Obama, is one part paean to the wonders of America’s national parks and one part warning of the threat posed by climate change. It’s also a testament to how powerful VR can be when done right. National Geographic joined Facebook’s Oculus Studios and VR specialists Felix & Paul Studios to produce the free video, which came out Thursday to mark the centennial of the National Park Service. It’s available on Samsung’s Gear VR headset and through Facebook’s 360-degree video service. It’s coming soon to the Oculus Rift headset. THE MESSAGE Although…

Apple is expected to show off a new iPhone next week when the company holds its fall product launch event in San Francisco. The tech giant announced the date for the Sept. 7 launch by sending out invitations to technology journalists and industry analysts on Monday. Apple didn’t provide any details, in keeping with its usual practice, but it traditionally announces one or two new iPhone models at its annual September event. Apple may also show new models or features for other products like the Apple Watch or Macbook computer. The Cupertino, California company sold more than 214 million iPhones over the last 12 months. But sales are down from a year ago, and analysts will be watching closely to see what changes Apple has made in the newest models.…

The European Union ordered Apple on Tuesday to pay nearly $15 billion in back taxes to Ireland, plus billions more in interest, in a move that dramatically escalates the fight over whether America’s biggest corporations are paying their fair share around the world. While Apple could easily afford the bill, the tech giant said it will challenge the EU decision, which found that Ireland granted a sweetheart deal that let Apple pay almost no taxes across the European bloc for 11 years. And Ireland, which has long used low taxes to attract foreign businesses, said it will stand with Apple. “We now find ourselves in the unusual position of being ordered to retroactively pay additional taxes to a government that says we don’t owe them any more than we’ve already…

Even as Rhode Island makes history as the first U.S. state with an offshore wind farm, its people are not so fond of wind turbines sprouting up on land near where they live. Dreams of a wind-powered nation sparked by the pioneering Atlantic Ocean project are running aground back on shore, where conventional battles over aesthetics and property values have stymied wind projects here and around the country. Ruth Pacheco said she didn’t expect so much hostility when she invited a developer to build a giant wind turbine atop a forested hill at her 52-acre family farm in rural North Smithfield. The 86-year-old proprietor of the Hi-on-a-Hill Herb Farm believes harvesting wind energy is the best way to preserve the land her family has owned and cultivated since the 1840s.…

The Conjuring 2 One of the most terrifying movies of 2013 gets an equally as chilling sequel, in which a single mother with four children is being plagued by a malicious spirit. FIVE FACTS: 1. On the first day of shooting, a priest was brought in to bless the set. 2. It had the biggest opening weekend gross for a horror movie in three years, the previous movie being The Conjuring (2013). 3. The real-life events in Enfield became the longest recorded paranormal case of poltergeist activity in history, according to star Vera Farmiga. 4. Takes place six years after the first movie. 5. Director James Wan was offered a “life-altering” amount of money in order to direct Fast 8 (2017). However, he turned that opportunity down to direct this…

Out with the summer, in with the fall. Please hurry. After a bruising three months when moviegoers often had to strain to find something good to see, this year’s fall film season looms like an oasis. It’s about to get better at the multiplex. Here are 10 movies, performances and story lines that AP film writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle are most looking forward to, come autumn: LONERGAN-MANIA: Little is settled about this fall’s coming awards season except for this: Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” (Nov. 18) is one of the best films of the year. Already celebrated at its Sundance premiere, it’s the third film from the acclaimed New York playwright following the wonderful “You Can Count on Me” and the criminally underseen “Margaret.” Casey Affleck excels…

Fitbit wants to help you exercise more by making you think you’re hiking famous trails instead of strolling around your neighborhood. The new motivational feature, called Adventures, will be available to all Fitbit users through a free app update Monday. The feature tracks the distance you’ve walked or run and maps it against actual trails, starting with three at Yosemite National Park in California. The Fitbit app will unlock badge-like images of trail landmarks - say, a scenic waterfall at mile 5 - as you progress. Other rewards include “fun facts” and health tips along the way. Fitbit will add other destinations, including the ability to “run” the course of the New York City Marathon. One of Fitbit’s most popular features has been its ability to let friends and family…

FBI Director James Comey warned again Tuesday about the bureau’s inability to access digital devices because of encryption and said investigators were collecting information about the challenge in preparation for an “adult conversation” next year. Widespread encryption built into smartphones is “making more and more of the room that we are charged to investigate dark,” Comey said in a cybersecurity symposium. The remarks reiterated points that Comey has made repeatedly in the last two years, before Congress and in other settings, about the growing collision between electronic privacy and national security. The Justice Department decided within the last year to not seek a legislative resolution, and some of the public debate surrounding the FBI’s legal fight with Apple Inc. has subsided in the last few months since federal authorities were…

If somebody asked you what you’d like to change about your iPhone or Apple Watch, the chances are that the battery would be at the top of your list. Whether you are an iPhone power user, or you forget to charge your iPad before an important business meeting every time, having an improved battery life would undoubtedly benefit you and your lifestyle. Although Apple has made strides in its battery performance – even releasing power saving features in its iOS9 operating system – it is clear that more could be done to keep users powered throughout the day, and with new technology from Tesla making waves in the automotive industry, we ask when such technological advancements will be made in the smartphone market. THE TESLA GIGAFACTORY Back in 2014, Tesla…

E•MO•TION: Side B Carly Rae Jepsen An EP consisting of unreleased songs form latest album E•MO•TION is a must-buy for any fan of the Canadian singer – songwriter. FIVE FACTS: 1. Jepsen successfully auditioned for the fifth season of Canadian Idol, placing third in the show and becoming a part of the show’s Top 3 concert tour. 2.‘Call Me Maybe’, from her debut album Kiss, was the best selling single worldwide in 2012, the best selling single on the iTunes Store in 2012, the best selling single of the century by a female artist, and the fourth best-selling digital single of all time. 3. Contributors to the album Emotioninclude Justin Bieber, Blood Orange, and Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend). 4. The CD copies of this EP – only available through the…

SpaceX has a taker for the first flight of one of its recycled rockets. The Luxembourg-based company SES - a longtime SpaceX launch customer - said Tuesday it will send its next communications satellite up on a previously flown Falcon rocket. It will be the first true reuse of a rocket previously used for an orbital mission. The launch will take place sometime this fall from Cape Canaveral. “Thanks for the longstanding faith in SpaceX,” SpaceX chief Elon Musk said via Twitter. “We very much look forward to doing this milestone flight with you.” The chief technology officer at SES, Martin Halliwell, said SpaceX’s testing for the upcoming mission gives his company “full confidence.” SES was the first commercial satellite operator to launch with SpaceX, back in 2013, he noted,…

Google is set to expand a San Francisco carpooling program that could morph into a showdown with its one-time ally, the popular ride-hailing service Uber. The plans will build upon a test service that Google’s navigation app Waze launched three months ago in the San Francisco Bay Area. The program allows anyone using the Waze app to offer a ride to a limited pool of people trying to get to work or home. Now, only people working at six companies, including Google, Wal-Mart Stores and Adobe Systems, can request rides. Waze says anyone with its app will be able to request a ride within the next few months. Riders reimburse the drivers in the program for gas and wear on their vehicles. Google was an early investor in Uber.…

A judge has dismissed the key claims in a lawsuit alleging that headphone maker Beats Electronics duped one of its early partners before negotiating its $3 billion sale to Apple two years ago. The summary judgment issued late Monday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Fahey resolves the heart of a case that accused Beats co-founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine of double-crossing former partner Noel Lee, founder of video and audio cable maker Monster LLC. The allegations, made in a lawsuit filed last year, had been scheduled to go to trial next week. Now the trial will be limited to Beats’ effort to force Monster to pay its attorney fees and other costs. Apple declined to comment on the ruling, but Beats has always maintained Monster’s lawsuit was…