Text content (OCR)
APR 03, 2015
1/9
Na
VENER AE
GAINING
PRICES
|
APPLE IV
APPLE SQUARES UP TO THE CABLE NETWORKS
When choosing MINDFIELD DIGITAL™ and
our DBMD™ Program for your development
services, you can be sure you will receive an
app that will save you money and resources
using the most advanced design and interface
concepts.
We follow an Application Development Cycle
where every step is carried out to maximum
perfection. Our application developers are
experienced and knowledgeable, and are
skilled at delivering top high tech Apps.
Our team is constantly looking for promising
partners in order to improve our quality,
broaden our experience and create a global
range of Apps with the most impressive
conceptual designs, 3D Graphics and Sound
FX.
mindfielddigital.com
Ple Magazine
, =
a -—t—
ALE
ONE 6
BAPPLE WATCH
ALL BREAK COVER
se HU ti
& APPLE WA
ALLBREAKCO ALL BREAK COVER
Al) ae HT ce |e NT ae ATH
Instant Access
Delivered to You Digitally Every Month
Available Online & Offline
Available Anywhere, Anytime
www. zinio.com/applemagazine
e@ e
1™
€ ios i Android eg Window 8 2 Desktop Reader i, é | n l @)
MICROSOFT MAKES TALK OF AN EXCITING
CHEAPER VERSION OF FUTURE FOR THE
SURFACE PRO 3 TABLET APPLE TV
SCIENCE: STUDY FINDS
EQUALITY. BETWEEN SEXES AT
CONCEPTION
~~ MOMENT.OF
ade ee
YO PSP
APPLE CEO TIM COOK PLANS TO GIVE AWA
INTERNET OUTAGES REVEAL GAPS IN US BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE 52
TOP 10 APPS
PLAYSTATION GETS SPOTIFY, REPLACING SONY’S OWN MUSIC SERVICE 80 7 0
iTUNES REVIEW
COOK CALLS ‘RELIGIOUS OBJECTION’ LAWS DANGEROUS 86
TOP 10 SONGS
REVIEW: NEW HTC ONE PHONE IS STRONG CONTENDER 114
GOOGLE MAPS TURNS INTO PAC-MAN’S CHOMPING GROUNDS 124 TOP 10 Ath 1 a
HEALTH: WHITE HOUSE UNVEILS PLAN TO FIGHT ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT GERMS 138 TOP 10 MUSIC VIDEOS I
US TREASURY SECRETARY PRESSES BEUING ON TECHNOLOGY CURBS 154 TOP 10 TV SHOWS
MEERKAT VS. PERISCOPE: LIVE-STREAMING APP BATTLE & BUZZ 162 TOP 10 BOOK
Apple CEO Tim Cook is joining a long list of
magnates promising to give away most of the
wealth that they amass during their careers.
Cook mentioned his intentions in a story about
him published Thursday by Fortune magazine.
After paying for the college education of his
10-year-old nephew, Cook says he will donate the
rest of his money to philanthropic causes.
Apple Inc. declined to comment Friday.
The charitable commitment echoes pledges
made by other executives far richer than Cook,
who is 54.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Berkshire
Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett and Oracle
Chairman Larry Ellison are among more than 120
wealthy people and families who have announced
they will give away their fortunes. Gates, Buffett
and Ellison each have a net worth of at least $54
billion and rank among the five richest people in
the world, according to Forbes magazine.
Image: Stephen Lam
Image: Frederic J. Brown
12 |
Most of Cook’s wealth is tied up in an Apple grant
of restricted grant that he received in 2011 when
he succeeded Steve Jobs as Apple’s CEO. That
grant is now worth about $860 million. Most of
the restricted grant will vest in separate tranches
next year and in 2021.
Apple can rescind some of the restricted grant if
the company’s stock lags the performance of the
Standard & Poor’s 500 for an extended stretch.
That hasn’t been an issue during the past year,
with Apple’s stock surging by about 60 percent
to lift the company’s market value above $700
billion. The S&P 500 has gained 11 percent over
that period.
Image: Lucy Nicholsor
Since Cook became CEO, Apple’s stock has more
than doubled to create about $370 billion in
shareholder wealth. The Cupertino, California,
company also has paid out about $27 billion in
shareholder dividends.
Cook signaled his interest in philanthropy early in
his tenure when he set up a program committing
Apple to match each of its employees’ donations
up to $10,000 annually.
tt pied
Image: Ashley Gilbertson
MICROSOFT MAKES
CHEAPER VERSION
OF SURFACE PRO 3
TABLET
16 |
Microsoft is making a cheaper version of its
Surface Pro 3 tablet computer in an effort to
reach students and budget-conscious families.
Graphic artists, engineers and finance
professionals needing to run complex software
might still want the company’s higher-end Pro
3, said Dennis Meinhardt, director of program
management for Surface. But the Surface 3
should be good for everyday tasks, he said, and
brings the Pro 3’s premium feel to a device that
will be affordable to more people.
Here’s what you need to know.
| 17
PRICE
Priced at $499 (vs $799 to $1,949 for the Pro 3),
the new tablet has a slightly smaller screen - 10.8
inches rather than 12 - a slower processor, and
less flexible kickstand - just three angles rather
than unlimited positions.
Aversion with more storage and memory
will cost $599. A keyboard cover, one of the
Surface’s distinctive features, adds another
$129. Microsoft bills the Surface line as a laptop
replacement when used with the cover. And
Microsoft will sell a stylus separately for $49. (It’s
included with the Pro 3.)
18 |
The new Surface model is thinner and lighter, partly
because it gets rid of the fan - similar to Apple’s new
MacBook laptop. At 214 pixels per inch, the screen
resolution is comparable to the Pro 3’s.
Battery life is promised at 10 hours for video
playback. The Surface 3 runs the regular version
of Windows 8.1, just like the Pro 3. In the past,
Microsoft has used a lightweight version called RT
in its cheaper tablets. The Surface 3 also has a USB
port, a feature that distinguishes the Surface line
from most rival tablets.
| 19
20 |
AVAILABILITY
Microsoft Corp. expects to ship the new device
around May 5, with advance orders starting
immediately. Versions with LTE cellular access
will sell for $100 more at a later date through
T-Mobile and Verizon in the U.S., with other
carriers expected. Data plans cost extra.
Besides the U.S., the Surface 3 will be available
in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland,
Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
Thailand and the United Kingdom.
| 21
22 |
GOOGLE, MICROSOFT BATTLE DRIVES
DOWN PRICES FOR PCS, TABLETS
Google is releasing its cheapest Chromebook
laptops yet, two versions priced at $149 aimed at
undercutting Microsoft’s Windows franchise and
gaining ground in even more classrooms.
Various PC manufacturers have been working
with Google to design lightweight laptops running
on the Chrome operating system since 2011. The
newest versions are made by Hisense and Haier.
Hisense’s Chromebook can be ordered beginning
Tuesday at Walmart.com and Haier’s version can
be bought at Amazon.com.
Their arrival coincides with Microsoft’s rollout of
a lower-priced Surface tablet in an effort to reach
students and budget-conscious families. Pre-
orders for that device began Tuesday, too.
As the prices for tablets and smartphones have
been declining, it has forced on PC makers to
lower their prices, said International Data Corp.
analyst Jay Chou. The success of the Chromebook
line is intensifying the PC pricing pressure.
“It has been good news for consumers, but not so
good for vendors,” Chou said.
The cheaper version of the Surface Pro 3 sells
for $499, compared with $799 to $1,949 for the
higher-end models. The discounted version has a
slightly smaller screen - 10.8 inches rather than 12
- a slower processor, and less flexible kickstand -
just three angles rather than unlimited positions.
The Chromebook has served a dual purpose for
Google. Like the company’s Android software for
mobile devices, the Chrome system is set up so
users will automatically begin using Google’s search
engine and other services, such as Gmail and
YouTube. Google has used the Chromebooks as a
prod to bring down the prices of all PCs, something
the company wanted to do because it has more
opportunities to show the digital ads that bring in
most of its revenue when more people can afford
to buy an Internet-connected device.
| 23
24 |
“We cannot be happier that Microsoft is helping
drive down the prices of PCs,” said Caesar
Sengupta, Google’s vice president of product
management for Chromebooks. “If Microsoft
is reacting to (Chromebook’s low prices), that’s
fantastic. We love it.”
Unlike most computers, Chromebooks don’t have
a hard drive. Instead, they function as terminals
dependent on an Internet connection to get most
work done.
Despite those limitations, Chromebooks have
been steadily gaining in popularity, particularly
in schools, as more applications and services
made available over Internet connections - a
phenomenon known as “cloud computing” that
has reduced the need for hard drives.
About 6 million Chromebooks were sold
worldwide last year, more than doubling from
2.7 million in 2013, according to IDC. In contrast,
sales in the overall PC market slipped 2 percent
last year, marking the third consecutive annual
decline. IDC is projecting 8 million Chromebooks
will be sold this year.
Besides the $149 laptops, Google also is
attacking Microsoft on other fronts. Later this
spring, Google and Asus are releasing a hybrid
Chromebook that can use used as either a
laptop or tablet with a 10-inch screen. Called the
Chromebook Flip, it will sell for $249.
In the summer, Asus and Google will start selling
anew Chrome device that will provide people a
cheaper way to upgrade an old PC. The device,
called the Chromebit, is a stick loaded with an
entire operating system that can be plugged into
any HDMI port. The Chromebit’s price hasn’t been
set, Google says it will cost less than $100.
Here’s what you need to know about the cheaper
Surface Pro 3 and new Chromebooks:
| 25
PROS AND CONS OF THE SURFACE
Graphic artists, engineers and finance
professionals needing to run complex software
might still want the company’s higher-end Pro
3, said Dennis Meinhardt, director of program
management for Surface. But the Surface 3
should be good for everyday tasks, he said, and
brings the Pro 3’s premium feel to a device that
will be affordable to more people.
The new Surface model is thinner and lighter, partly
because it gets rid of the fan - similar to Apple’s new
MacBook laptop. At 214 pixels per inch, the screen
resolution is comparable to the Pro 3’s.
Battery life is promised at 10 hours for video
playback. The Surface 3 runs the regular version
of Windows 8.1, just like the Pro 3. In the past,
Microsoft has used a lightweight version called RT
in its cheaper tablets. The Surface 3 also has a USB
port, a feature that distinguishes the Surface line
from most rival tablets.
| 27
28 |
SIZING UP THE CHROMEBOOKS
Both the Hisense and Haier models have 11.6
inch screens, 2 gigabits of memory and run
on Rockchip processors. The Hisense machine
promises up to 8.5 hours of battery power per
charge while Haier is touting up to 10 hours
of power per charge on a battery that can be
removed for easier replacement.
| 29
(GAM
A SWORD-AND-SANDALS PHENOMENON
The ultimate swords-and-sex fantasy
32 |
LATEST SERIES TIPPED TO PREMIERE
ON HBO NOW
Few fantasy TV dramas have captured the
popular imagination quite like Game of
Thrones. The HBO series is adapted from
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire
novels, and is filmed on location in various
spots around the world, from the United
States, Morocco and Iceland to Spain,
Croatia and Northern Ireland. It has also
attracted staggering viewer numbers. As
the fifth series primes itself for an April 12
premiere amid rumors that it will coincide
with the launch of the HBO NOW streaming
service, we ask: how and why has it become
such a phenomenon?
Game of Thrones is set at the end of a
decade-long summer on the fictional
continents of Westeros and Essos, and
draws upon a broad ensemble cast in its
interweaving of multiple plotlines. The story
centers on such narrative arcs as a civil war
between numerous noble houses for the
Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, the
emerging threat of the impending winter
and the efforts made to reclaim the throne
by the deposed ruling dynasty of the exiled
last scion of the realm.
The series is backed by some seriously
heavyweight talent, including its creators,
showrunners and executive producers David
Benioff and D. B. Weiss, alongside such
cast members as Aidan Gillen (who plays
Petyr Baelish or "Littlefinger"), Lena Headey
(Cersei Baratheon), Jack Gleeson (Joffrey
Baratheon), Natalie Dormer (Margaery
Baratheon), Stephen Dillane (Stannis
Baratheon) and Michael McElhatton (Roose
Bolton). However, in many ways, the real
lures of Game of Thrones for the audience
are arguably more elementary ones: brutal
sword-wielding, spilt blood and breasts
bursting out of their bodices.
We
36 |
THE SIMPLE REASONS BEHIND GOT'S
POPULARITY
Writing for the BBC as the fourth series
of Game of Thrones debuted, Ken Tucker
attributed the show's immense following
in large part to the decision to "add thriller-
action pacing and exploitation-film nudity"
to a formula that might have otherwise
drawn a merely niche audience. He pointed
out that as strong sellers as Martin's original
novels were, "the size of the audience for
epic fantasy fiction is a fraction of what is
needed to make a profit on television."
It was the program's "graphic naughtiness",
said Tucker, that was instrumental in winning
it its huge viewer figures, which amounted
to five million a week by the time its third
season had concluded. However, even he
admitted that a mere combination of "blood
and breasts" would not have been sufficient
to give it its iconic status on social media,
explaining that "This is because Game of
Thrones, for all its grimness and brutality,
represents a return of old-fashioned
escapism. Game of Thrones invites you
to join a world where you can solve your
problems with a sword and saddle."
Understanding how Tucker came to that
conclusion is not difficult. Game of Thrones
certainly does seem to be a powerful antidote
to today's morally constrained society, in
which you can't simply banish your woes with
the well-executed slash of a bladed weapon.
The situation for the characters in the show
is very different - its plays to the decidedly
primal appeal of revenge and triumph.
40
There's something very much ‘back to basics’
about Game of Thrones, and its portrayal
of a universe in which one's most pressing
campaign is just keeping one's head.
AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING SUCCESS
STORY
Not everything about such a distinctive
approach has attracted universal admiration,
with many detractors questioning the
suitability in today's world of the show's
frequent depiction of nudity, violence and
sexual violence towards women. Nonetheless,
praise for the series has come from seemingly
every source, all four of its seasons so far
having attracted a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Drama Series.
Game of Thrones has also previously been
nominated for the Golden Globe Award for
Best Television Series - Drama, in addition
to claiming a Peabody Award and a Hugo
Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
in both Long Form and Short Form. Cast
member Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion
Lannister, has also been honored for his
performances with an Emmy and a Golden
Globe. The show's present 9.5/10 rating on
IMBb surely says it all about how universally
it is appreciated by both professional critics
and the ordinary viewer.
Tu
But one thing that has perhaps gone relatively
unnoticed is the immense benefit that such
success has brought for the wider television
industry, and even sectors that have little to
do with TV. Certainly, HBO itself has been kept
in rude health by the average of 18.6 million
viewers per episode that the most recent
series enjoyed in America, after repeats and
on-demand television are taken into account.
That made it even more popular than The
Sopranos, with the resultant revenue helping rf
the network to develop further great shows
like True Detective.
BENEFITS IN GAMING, TOURISM
AND MORE
However, tthe positive knock-on effects have
also been felt in the wider entertainment
32Red having developed a slot
machine themed around the series, while
last December, the latest Game of Thrones
video game was released, courtesy of Telltale
Games. Although the game didn't attract
Image: Zlatko Unger
44 |
a huge amount of attention and has drawn
merely mixed-to-positive reviews, its release
in a gradual episodic format will surely help
to build up interest, particularly once the
show returns to air.
There has been a noticeable impact, too,
in the tourism sector, which shouldn't
necessarily be a big shock given the wide-
ranging nature of the program's sets. Even
so, the difference made to the lucky parts
of the world to have been made backdrops
for Game of Thrones is impressive - a 28
percent rise in tourism in Dubrovnik (Kings
Landing), Croatia in 2012, a 13 percent
increase in Iceland (The Wall) and 100
percent for the Moroccan desert town of
Ouarzazate. The Northern Ireland executive
has claimed a £65 million boost to the
country's coffers as a consequence of Game
of Thrones-related tourism.
46 |
Then, there has been the enhanced fortunes
of the Games of Thrones actors themselves -
for whom the series has generally served as
a powerful career stepping stone. The new
Terminator: Genisys movie, for instance, sees
Emilia Clarke - known in the show for her turn
as Daenerys Targaryen - play Sarah Connor,
the franchise's iconic female lead. Dormer,
meanwhile, plays Cressida in both parts
of The Hunger Game: Mockingjay, and Kit
Harington has built on his part in the program
as Jon Snow by starring as the gladiator Milo
in the 2014 film, Pompeii.
48 |
50 |
ENTER HBO NOW...
How could series five possibly top all of that
commercial success and cultural impact?
Well, one point of interest has certainly
been created by the reports suggesting that
HBO's new cable-free, standalone streaming
service, HBO NOW, will be launched in time
for the show's return. The premiere date is
April 12, and we already know that the service
will be available at some point this month, so
those reports seem credible to us.
If such suggestions do turn out to be true, we
really are just days away from a very exciting
package - a streaming service in the Netflix
mold that removes the need to fork out fora
traditional premium cable package. A price of
$15 per month has been mooted, which could
make HBO NOW a very good value means of
accessing a wealth of highly regarded original
programming, to say nothing of whatever else
may become available on the platform.
But of course, whatever you watch via HBO
NOW, we suspect that the next series of
Game of Thrones will figure highly on your
priority list. If the latest season of the now-
legendary show in any way echoes the
previous four, it'll make a very enthralling
watch indeed for all followers of high-octane
and saucy fantasy drama. @
by Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan
INTERNET OUTAGES REVEAL GAPS IN US
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
52 |
When vandals sliced a fiber-optic cable in the
Arizona desert last month, they did more than
time-warp thousands of people back to an era
before computers, credit cards or even phones.
They exposed a glaring vulnerability in the nation’s
Internet infrastructure: no backup systems in
many places.
Because Internet service is largely unregulated
by the federal government and the states,
decisions about network reliability are left to the
service providers. Industry analysts say these
companies generally do not build alternative
routes, or redundancies, unless they believe it is
worthwhile financially.
The result: While most major metropolitan areas
in the U.S. have backup systems, some smaller
cities and many rural areas do not.
“The more rural the location, the more likely that
there’s only one road in and out of that location,”
said Sean Donelan, a former infrastructure
security manager in the U.S. Homeland Security
Department who now works for a cybersecurity
firm. “If someone manages to cut that fiber, you'll
generally see a one- or two- or three-day outage.”
| 53
Despite its own warnings about such
vulnerabilities two decades ago, the federal
government has taken no steps to require Internet
companies to have backup systems, even as it has
provided billions of dollars in subsidies to expand
broadband Internet into unserved areas.
“Our first responsibility is to make sure that
people actually have service,” said Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack, co-chairman of President
Barack Obama’s newly created Broadband
Opportunity Council.
In northern Arizona last month, tens of thousands
of residents were without Internet service - some
for up to 15 hours - after vandals cut through an
underground bundle of fiber-optic cables owned
by CenturyLink. ATMs went down, stores couldn’t
process credit cards, college students in Flagstaff
had to put their research on hold, and even 911
emergency service was lost.
Earlier this month, several thousand people lost
Internet and phone service for half a day when
an electric company crew accidentally cut a fiber-
optic line in northern New Mexico.
When an underwater fiber-optic cable became
wrapped around a big rock and broke in 2013,
some residents of Washington state’s San Juan
Islands were without Internet and telephone
service for 10 days.
57
After the San Juan Islands outage, CenturyLink
spent $500,000 to install a microwave system that
now backs up the underwater cable. A microwave
system is wireless technology that relies on a
series of above-ground antennas or towers to
transmit data. It’s more often used in rural areas.
Companies have been deploying more than
10 million miles of fiber annually in the U.S.,
increasing the risk of damage from backhoes,
trench-diggers and shovels, according to an
analysis by a network reliability committee of
the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry
Solutions. The number of outages on high-
capacity fiber-optic lines in the U.S. more than
doubled from 221 in 2010 to 487 last year,
according to the Federal Communications
Commission.
Fiber-optic cables form the spine of the Internet.
A fiber bundle contains dozens of tiny glass
fibers - each about the width of a human hair -
that use light waves to transmit data. The fibers
often are buried along existing rights of way for
highways, railroads or pipelines. It is common for a
telecommunications company to install the cables
and then lease space on them to others.
That saves money for everyone involved. But
it also means outages can affect a wide variety
of services.
As early as 1995, the U.S. Commerce
Department’s National Institute of Standards and
Technology warned that the “power of optical
fiber technology is diminishing the number of
geographic transmission routes,” concentrating
the flow of information and “resulting in an
increase in network vulnerability.”
Since 2009, the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce
departments have provided about $10 billion
in grants and loans to expand broadband
Internet access. The departments said recipients
were encouraged but not required to build
redundancies into their projects.
| 61
The FCC says about half the rural U.S. lacks
access to high-speed Internet service. It plans
to distribute about $20 billion over the next
five years to support rural broadband. It does
not require recipients to build network backup
systems against outages.
The funding “is designed to expand broadband
to as many rural Americans as possible while not
increasing the cost of the program” to customers,
FCC spokesman Mark Wigfield said.
The FCC recently increased its oversight of
Internet providers by classifying them as
“telecommunications services” that must operate
in the public interest. But that doesn’t carry any
new mandate for Internet network redundancies,
because such backups aren’t required of phone
companies, he said.
Some states have laws specifically barring the
regulation of Internet service, and it’s outside the
jurisdiction of many state utility regulatory agencies.
Washington state Rep. Jeff Morris, who
represents the San Juan Islands and is chairman
of the House Technology and Economic
Development Committee, said lawmakers are
hesitant to require redundant lines for fear they
will lead to higher Internet and phone bills for
their constituents. His colleagues have discussed
taxing access to Internet services, but that is
prohibited by federal law.
“It really spoils our ability to generate revenue
to give better service and reliability to our
constituents,” he said.
Some state officials are nonetheless trying to
nudge Internet providers to develop backup plans.
“Dependability is premier to the Internet
these days,” said Sandy Jones, a member of
New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission.
“Redundancy - two paths out, three paths out
- is really critical for businesses. Just think of
restaurants, gas stations, all the things that shut
down when there’s no Internet line.”
| 63
APPLE SQUARES UP TO THE CABLE NETWORKS
Talk of an exciting
future for the
Apple TV
_—<2
| 65
ah A
{ ie@)
N
NS
x<
Oo
ba
4K
3840x2160
NEW SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
RUMORED FOR 2015
The Apple TV digital media player has always
had a slightly curious place in the Cupertino
giant's hardware range. There has been
such a device since 2007, and it is presently
in its third generation - albeit, a generation
that has not seen a significant update for
three years. The microconsole has also
long been likened to a "hobby" by Apple
executives, and yet, bigger plans seem to
be afoot - including a subscription service
and possible 4K content.
There has been talk of Apple TV taking on
a bigger role within the company for many
years now, but there had been few stirrings
in terms of actual announcements until, at
the firm's most recent March 9 keynote, a
price drop from $99 to $69 was confirmed.
As insignificant a move as it may seem in
the grand scheme of things, it has simply
been the trigger for further speculation
about the future of this forgotten child of
the Apple family of products.
Despite the Apple TV never being a strong
seller, the firm has continued to support it,
and indeed, the last few years have seen
evidence that it will soon be going up in the
world, considerable improvements having
been made to its hardware and content.
Buy an Apple TV now, and you can already
use it to watch more than 40 different
channels, including HBO GO and Netflix.
| 67
WHISPERS OF A SUBSCRIPTION
TV SERVICE
But with late former CEO Steve Jobs having
been quoted in the past as having "finally
cracked" television, as well as his successor
Tim Cook admitting that it remained a field
of "intense interest" for the company, many
have wondered whether Apple TV will soon
become more... much more. Such pondering
has been further stoked by reports that
the company is planning a limited, low-cost
streaming service.
Various media sources - including The Wall
Street Journal and The New York Times - have
referred to talks apparently held between
Apple and numerous "leading television
groups", as the former looks to develop an
Internet-based TV service that would be
accessible through not just the Apple TV, but
also the iPhone and iPad.
Anonymous "people briefed on the
company's plans" are reported as claiming
that the proposed service will be unveiled
later this year and will offer a smaller
and more affordable bundle of channels
than is available through a typical cable
subscription. These same sources cited
networks owned by the television groups
Disney, CBS, Discovery and Fox as possible
providers of content for the new service. This
means that viewers could be treated to the
likes of CBS, ABC, Fox, ESPN and Discovery
Channel, although the exact number of
channels is yet to be confirmed.
| 69
Movies TV Shows Music
Image: Robert Galbraith
70 |
iTunes Radio
| ©
THE CHANNELS AND PRICING THAT
COULD SAVE OR SCUPPER APPLE TV
The Wall Street Journal's report suggested
a lineup of 25 channels for the streaming
service's initial rollout, but for those who
might consider that a little on the light side,
an article in The Journal provides some
encouragement. It indicates that Apple is
bidding to bulk up that offering through talks
with both Discovery Channel and Viacom,
so that it can offer such networks as Animal
Planet, TLC, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon and
Comedy Central.
Naturally, a lot of the speculation about
this subscription service has centered on
pricing. One of the individuals mentioned
in The Wall Street Journal's piece tipped
a $20 to $25 monthly fee, while another
claimed that it would be around $30. These
sources suggested that the final price would
depend on the aforementioned negotiations
with television groups, as well as the exact
channels offered.
Amid talk that even a $40 monthly
subscription charge is not out of the question,
one analyst has urged Apple to aim lower
if it is not to price itself out of the market.
In a note to investors that was shared
with Applelnsider, Rod Hall of J.P. Morgan
pointed out that Comcast offered both basic
Internet and a cable television service for
an incremental cost of lower than $40 per
month, which would not make an Apple
streaming-only service very attractive at the
same price point.
| 71
72 |
PLUTO TV MIGHT POINT THE
WAY AHEAD
There's certainly a lot for Apple to think about
if it is to launch a successful subscription
service of its own, which could launch as
soon as September. Many eyes are on the
company's Worldwide Developers Conference
(WWDC) in June for the potential disclosure
of further details.
A lot has been said, too, about the direction
in which Apple TV could go with a streaming
| 73
| vl
O8vxX0CZ
CAC
service like this - including 4K content.
Unbeknown to most due to the lack of any
announcement, the A8 chip in the iPhone
6 and iPhone 6 Plus has the ability to play
back 4K ultra HD videos at 3840 x 2160
pixels, which isn't a feature shared by many
of the other recent smartphone models.
What's more, the Wall Street billionaire with
a significant stake in Apple, Carl Icahn, has
previously written an open letter to Apple
head honchos, urging them to get involved
in the 4K TV market by about 2016. Further
evidence that now is the time for a company
like Apple to embrace 4K content comes in
the emergence of Pluto TV, a startup that
curates web-video content into channels
akin to watching TV.
Pluto TV has been pressing ahead by signing
distribution deals with AOL and Endemol
Beyond USA. It also has its own Ultra HD
channel and will be available on the NVIDIA
Shield, a new Android TV powered 4K
gaming console.
4K
3840x2160
APPLE'S PLACE IN THE EVOLVING
WORLD OF TV
In a recent blog post on the Stratechery
website of the technology writer and
consultant Ben Thompson, entitled The
changing - and unchanging - structure of
TV, he gave greater insight into these latest
rumors about an Apple TV subscription
service, suggesting how it might work and
what it might mean for the wider world of TV.
He referred back to a previous
pronouncement of his that "Cable TV is
socialism that works; subscribers pay equally
for everything, and watch only what they
want, to the benefit of everyone. Any ‘grand
vision’ Apple, or any other tech company, has
for television is likely to sustain the current
model, not disrupt it directly."
Thompson also outlined a series of factors
that he said made Apple "a particularly
attractive partner for content companies",
including that the company was able to
increase the addressable market by providing
access to individuals, as well as that it was
one of the few firms that had successfully
convinced young people to pay for content.
Thirdly, he added that the Cupertino firm
was experienced in the management of the
customer relationship.
Image: Laura Johnston
78 | iii
A STREAMING SERVICE WITH WIDE-
RANGING BENEFITS
When one also considers the scope for
such a subscription service to increase the
attractiveness of the iPhone and Watch,
it becomes clear just how profound the
advantages could be across the Californian
giant's ecosystem. Consumers will win, too,
given the offer of superior integration with
their devices, an improved user interface
and Apple's already strong customer
service offering.
It's almost like no one loses from such an
arrangement - so is the Apple TV streaming
service inevitable? It increasingly looks so, but
we'll have to wait and see what happens in
the months ahead.
by Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan
| 79
PLAYSTATION GETS SPOTIFY, REPLACING
SONY'S OWN MUSIC SERVICE
80 |
Spotify is coming to the PlayStation, replacing
Sony’s own Music Unlimited service, as the
company continues to expand the game console
into an entertainment hub beyond video games.
Spotify hits the PlayStation 3 and 4 on Monday,
with a new app adapted for large television screens.
Sony says partnering with Spotify expands its music
service to 41 countries, rather than the 19 available
with Music Unlimited, and offers better tools for
playlists and music discovery.
| 81
Image: Dado Ruvic
82 |
PlayStation users have long been able to watch
DVDs and stream Netflix, Amazon and YouTube
shows with the console. Just two weeks ago, Sony
launched an online television service, PlayStation
Vue, offering more than 50 over-the-air and cable
channels starting at $50 a month.
Spotify has 60 million active users worldwide,
including 15 million paid subscribers. Its music app
is available on some Internet-connected TVs and
set-top boxes, but Spotify says it worked closely
with Sony to optimize its service for the PlayStation.
Notable features include: the ability to listen to
music while playing a game and still listening to
sound effects, or automatically pausing the game
while changing volume or playlists.
| 83
r
New Releases
Mechanical Bull
e Kings of Leon
wy
(nar
_
|
Blurred Lines
Robin Thicke
Mer
Vie
Home Channels MyLibrary Playlists Search @
Top Songs i
| Supersoaker
Mechanical Bull
King f t
KING rLeon
2 Blurred Lines
Blurred Lines
if |
hir
DIN. TICKS
3 The Other Side
Tattoos
4 Pusher Love Girl
The 20/20 Exper
Supersoaker ot
All »
op Albums
Tattoos
Jason Derulo
The 20/20 Experie...
Justin Timberlake
¥ Long Way Down
SF, Tom Odell
® IsseiA
The service is free with ads, or costs $10 a month
for a premium ad-free version that offers offline
playback. Although free users aren’t allowed to
choose specific songs on mobile devices, they will
be able to on the PlayStation, just as they now do
on traditional computers.
Customers who do not already have a Spotify
account can sign up on the PlayStation. Existing
Spotify customers will get access to the PlayStation
app with their usual sign-in. Music Unlimited
subscribers won’t be automatically switched over;
those that subscribe on other devices such as S
| 85
COOK CALLS ‘RELIGIOUS
OBJECTION’ LAWS DANGEROUS
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that so-called “religious
objection” legislation being introduced in a number
of states is dangerous and bad for business.
The bills, like the one enacted last week in Indiana,
create a legal framework for individuals, mostly
business owners, to claim that a law or regulation
mandated by the government infringes on their
religious beliefs.
In an op-ed piece for The Washington Post, the
leader of the nation’s largest corporation said
that the bills under consideration “have the
potential to undo decades of progress toward
greater equality.”
He cited actions taken by lawmakers in Texas,
Indiana and Arkansas, but said that a “wave of
legislation” has been introduced in more than two
dozen states.
Cook said he was opposing the legislation
on behalf of Apple Inc. He came out as gay
in October, saying that he wanted to make a
difference for others.
88 |
90 |
In a letter he wrote then, Cook said, “there are
laws on the books in a majority of states that
allow employers to fire people based solely on
their sexual orientation. There are many places
where landlords can evict tenants for being gay,
or where we can be barred from visiting sick
partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless
people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse
every day because of their sexual orientation.”
Cook said in his criticism of religious objection
laws that he has great respect for religious
freedom, but that it can never be “used as an
excuse to discriminate.”
The legislation is not a political or religious issue,
but rather “about how we treat each other as
human beings,” Cook said.
“Opposing discrimination takes courage. With the
lives and dignity of so many people at stake, it’s
time for all of us to be courageous,” Cook said.
abby
| 91
92 |
#01 - Facebook Messenger
By Facebook, Inc.
Category: Social Networking
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus.
#02 - Facebook
By Facebook, Inc.
Category: Social Networking
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus.
#03 - YouTube
By Google, Inc.
Category: Photo & Video
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#04 - Instagram
By Instagram, Inc.
Category: Photo & Video
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone
#05 - Snapchat
By Snapchat, Inc.
Category: Photo & Video
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible wit
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#06 — Trivia Crack
By Etermax
Category: Games
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#08 - Jelly Jump
By By Ketchapp
Category: Games
Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatil
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#09 - Agent Alice
By wooga
Category: Games
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible wi
This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6,
#10 - iTunes U
By Apple
Category: Education
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, al
#01 — OS X Yosemite
By Apple
Category: Utilities
Compatibility: OS X 10.6.8 or later
#02 - Xcode
By Apple
Category: Developer Tools
Compatibility: OS X 10.8.4 or later
#03 - Microsoft Remote Desktop
By Microsoft Corporation
Category: Business
Compatibility: OS X 10.7 or later, 64-bit processor
#04 - Slack
By Slack Technologies, Inc.
Category: Business
Compatibility: OS X 10.6 or later, 64-bit processor
#05 - Bitdefender Virus Scanner
By Bitdefender SRL
Category: Utilities
Compatibility: OS X 10.7 or later, 64-bit processor
7 Ba es @
#06 - Kindle
By AMZN Mobile LLC
Category: Reference
Compatibility: OS X 10.6 or later
kin
jae
#07 - App for Instagram - Instant at your desktop!
By Joacim Stahl
Category: Social Networking
Compatibility: OS X 10,7 or later, 64-bit processor
#08 - The Unarchiver
By Dag Agren
Category: Utilities *
Compatibility: OS X 10.6.0 or later
#09 - Microsoft OneNote
By Microsoft Corporation
Category: Productivity
Compatibility: OS X 10.9 or later
#10 - Memory Clean
By FIPLAB Ltd
kt int Category: Utilities
Compatibility: OS X 10.74 or later, 64-bit processor
i @ BO %
94 |
#01 — Minecraft - Pocket Edition
By Mojang
Category: Games / Price: $6.99
Requires iOS 5.1.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#02 - Trivia Crack (Ad Free)
By Etermax
Category: Games / Price: $2.99
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#03 - Heads Up!
By Warner Bros.
Category: Games / Price: $0.99
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#04 - Scholly: Scholarship Search
By Scholly, LLC
Category: Education / Price: $0.99
Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#05 - Monument Valley
By ustwo™
Category: Games / Price: $3.99.
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 4,iPhone 45, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c,
iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad, and iPod touch This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#06 — Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
By Scott Cawthon
Category: Games / Price: $2.99
Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#07 - Geometry Dash
By RobTop Games AB
Category: Games / Price: $1.99
Requires iOS 5.2 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
— Fruit Ninja
rick Studios
ry: Games / Price: $0.99
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, andi
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#09 - Afterlight
By Afterlight Collective, Inc
Category: Photo & Video / Price: $0.99
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
#10 - Facetune
By Lightricks Ltd. *
Category: Photo & Video / Price: $3.99
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c,
iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5,
iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus.
el
(N)
«6
#01 - GarageBand
By Apple
Category: Music / Price: $4.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.9 or later
#02 - Disk Doctor
By FIPLAB Ltd
Category: Utilities / Price: $2.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.7.3 or later, 64-bit processor
#03 - Batman Arkham City GOTY
By Feral Interactive Ltd
Category: Games / Price: $4.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.7.5 or later
#04 - FaceTime
By Apple
Category: Social Networking / Price: $0.99 4
Compatibility: OS X 10.6.6 or later.
J
#05 — OS X Server
By Apple
Category: Utilities / Price: $19
Compatibility: OS X 10.9.5 or lat
#06 - BetterSnapTool
By Andreas Hegenberg
Category: Productivity / Price: $1.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.6 or later, 64-bit processor
#07 - Duplicate Detective
By FIPLAB Ltd
Category: Utilities / Price: $1.99
Compatibility: OS X 10,7 or later, 64-bit processor
#08 — Logic Pro X
By Apple
Category: Music / Price: $199.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.84 or later, 64-bit processor
#09 - App for Netflix
By Fresh Squeezed Apps
Category: Entertainment / Price: $1.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.7 or later, 64-bit processor
#10 - Final Cut Pro
By Apple
Category: Video / Price: $299.99
Compatibility: OS X 10.9.2 or later, 64-bit processor
Mac OS X
Trailer
[iTunes Preview |
Ol
by Christopher Nolan
Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Released: 2014
Price: $19.99
KKKKK
996 Ratings
Interstellar
The latest epic from the director behind The
Dark Knight trilogy, Christopher Nolan, charts
the tale of a team of astronauts who embark
on a covert journey through a wormhole,
in search of anew home for humanity. The
pioneers’ quest to find an alternative habitable
planet is prompted by the threat posed to life
on Earth by epidemic crop failures.
FIVE FACTS:
1. Interstellar stars Matthew McConaughey,
Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael
Caine.
2. The film was inspired by the work of
Caltech theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, who
also served as an executive producer and
scientific consultant.
3. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shot
the film on anamorphic 35mm and IMAX
70mm photography.
4. Filming took place from late 2013 in
Alberta, Iceland and Los Angeles.
5. The movie won the Oscar for Best Visual
Effects at the 87th Academy Awards.
See more in
iTunes
(ep)
(ep)
Interview with Christopher Nolan
The Imitation Game >
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as British
cryptanalyst and World War II hero Alan
Turing, whose real life leadership of a motley
crew of scholars, linguists, chess champions
and intelligence officers was instrumental
in cracking the codes of the Nazi German 4 =H PB
Enigma machine - but who was also subject IM ITA . 0 N GAM E
to a tragic fall from grace. bs gpl te celle arc t
FIVE FACTS:
1. The film's screenplay, by Graham Moore, is
loosely based on Andrew Hodges biography,
Alan Turing: The Enigma.
2. The screenplay topped the annual Black List
for the best unproduced Hollywood scripts in
2011. by Morten Tyldum -
Genre: Drama
3. Other cast members include Keira Releaseds2014% ee
Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, .’ > Prego oe
Charles Dance and Mark Strong. = *
q tke
4. Turing’s nephew, Sir John Dermot Turing, 308Ratings
has described Cumberbatch as the -
“perfect casting. | couldn’t imagine . —
anybody better: . -_s
5. The movie won the Academy Award for
Best Adapted Screenplay.
Trailer
100|
‘102|
Black Sun
Genre: Alternative
Released: Mar 27, 2015
11 Songs
Price: $10.99
KKK
173 Ratings
Kintsugi
Death Cab for Cutie
Kintsugi - the eighth studio album of the indie
rock band, and its first since 2011 - may be
the last to feature lead guitarist and founding
member Chris Walla, but there's still plenty
more of interest here, not least the work of
Walla's replacement on production duties,
Rich Costey. Indeed, it is the group's first
album to feature an outside producer.
FIVE FACTS:
1. The album's title refers to the Japanese
art of kintsugi, which involves the fixing of
broken pottery and treats breakage and
repair as part of an object's history, rather
than something to disguise.
2. It is the follow-up to 2011's Codes and
Keys.
3. The band was formed in Bellingham,
Washington in 1997.
4. The group presently comprises vocalist,
guitarist and pianist Ben Gibbard, bassist
Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr.
5. Death Cab for Cutie is associated with the
indie rock, indie pop, emo and alternative
rock genres.
|105
No Room in Frame
~
fo)
a
Wale collaborated with Jerry Seinfeld on this
fourth studio album, the rapper describing
the comedian’s role on The Album About
Nothing as “the narrator”. However, the sitcom
star is just one member of a strong supporting
cast that also includes producers like Jake
One, DJ Khalil and Soundz. Usher, Jeremih and
J. Cole are among the featured artists.
FIVE FACTS:
1. Wale is the stage name of Olubowale
Victor Akintimehin.
2. Akintimehin was born on September 21,
1984 in Washington, D.C.
3. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his
song “Dig Dug (Shake It)” became popular
in his hometown.
4. He was discovered by producer Mark
Ronson the same year, later being signed to
Allido Records.
5. Wale has described the new album as
“super personal. It’s like a journal that my
whole lifestyle is based around.”
108|
‘Si ply)
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Released: Mar 31, 2015
14 Songs
Price: $9.99
kk kk
459 Ratings
The Body
110] LS
VOURBRANDHAS#
S000 LU MPANY
EA APPLE vs SAMSUNG
‘SAMSUNG VOUS TO APPEAL
(AFTER LOSING PATENT BATTLE
yA he
aye ‘ip — of Lt ae
Ba ian Pace niin Windows 8 The New iMac
APPLEMAGAZINE.COM
It’s all about Apple
The right magazine for the right audience
Wy Apple
is Now available on
Apple iPhone/iPad/Android/Windows8
and Web
wAaMe
ae es
GET FIT WITH YOUR iPHONE
Download And Read it
on Magzter
From your Android Table! please go to From your Windowsé divice please go to
Google Play and search for Magzter Windows Store and search for Magzter
From your Apple iPad please go to
App Store and search for Magzter
http://www.magzter.com Te 2)) /MobileMagzter
114
REVIEW:
NEW HTC ONE
PHONE IS STRONG
CONTENDER
HTC’s flagship One phone has a lot going for it -
except for strong sales.
In Samsung’s and Apple’s shadows, HTC barely has
any market share despite having good phones.
But the latest edition of the HTC One, dubbed M9,
is even better than previous year’s models, as it
addresses a major shortcoming: the camera.
The latest One keeps an elegant, all-metal design
with a few changes. The power button moves
from the top to the right side to keep the phone
from sliding down and out of your hand when
pressing. The back edges are also sharper to
improve grip, though it does give the phone a
boxy feel. The M9 screen stays at 5 inches, as
measured diagonally.
Advance orders for the One have already begun in
the U.S. The phone will be in retail stores on April
10, though it might ship sooner for those ordering
it now. No-contract prices range from $600 at
Verizon to $709 at AT&T.
Here are other things to know before you buy.
F wll Gl 10:08 am
aoc.
10° London - Sun, Mar 1
The Chestnut Box
usion
& Yelp
\115
116)
BETTER PICTURES
The 4 megapixels in previous One cameras was
quite low, resulting in fuzzy images, especially
when cropped or enlarged. HTC had turned its
attention to making each pixel capture more light,
but the phone didn’t always succeed in taking
better indoor and night shots.
The new One fixes that by squeezing in a standard
20-megapixel rear camera. Images are indeed
better when enlarged. The new One does well
in low light, too, compared with test shots taken
with last year’s model.
The One still doesn’t always do as well as the
iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 in focus, color
and exposure, especially in extreme situations.
Many indoor shots had a purple tint, and
outdoor close-ups were out of focus. You can get
good everyday shots, but don’t get the One just
for the camera.
\117
118)
IT’S IN THE LOCATION
HTC adapts the home screen to your location. At
work, for instance, you’re shown apps for email,
calendar and note-taking. At home, you see
music, YouTube and an app store for more ways
to waste time. When you're out, you get Maps.
Choices change based on what you use. After a
few days, the phone added Netflix while “Out,”
given my bad habit of watching video while
dodging traffic on sidewalks. Location also
influences suggestions for new apps.
It’s a good feature, though it ought to
automatically figure out whether you’re home
or at work. You need to specify that - something
many people won't bother to do. And it would be
nice to have more options beyond “Out.” Apps
you need on your daily commute will differ from
what you’d want on the weekend.
When you’re not home, the phone will
periodically recommend nearby places to eat,
based on Yelp recommendations. Late Thursday
afternoon, it sent me to a coffee shop about 15
minutes away by foot. (| went to a pub instead.)
we
SMASH-SAFE, SUPERB SOUND, STORAGE
HTCis offering U.S. customers an extended
protection plan for one year. You get a free
replacement if you crack the screen, drop the
phone in the toilet or damage it in any other
way. You're limited to one replacement, and the
plan doesn’t cover loss and theft. If you don’t
need the replacement, you'll get a $100 credit on
your next One.
he One also has superb sound, through twin
front-facing speakers. And it’s one of the few
s still letting you add storage. You can’t
he battery, though.
|121
i
> will 10:08 am
10°€ London - Sun, Mar 1
nking about lunch?
COMPROMISES
There’s no fingerprint reader like the latest
iPhones and high-end Samsung phones. The One
has a full high-definition display at 1080p, but it’s
short of what comes with the latest Samsung and
LG phones.
HTC also got rid of a second rear lens, which had
captured depth information and allowed you to
change the area of focus after the fact. Other
cameras do this with a single lens, but not very
well. HTC sacrificed that to fit in its 20-megapixel
sensor. It’s a good trade-off, as everyday pictures
are much better now. But avid photographers
will do better with an iPhone or a Galaxy S6. Then
again, if you’re clumsy, you can’t beat the promise
of a free replacement.
|123
GOOGLE MAPS
TURNS INTO
PAC-MAN‘S
CHOMPING
GROUNDS
Start game
Use your keyboard arrows to move
PAC-MAN.
RETURN TO GOOGLE MAPS
SO es
The virtual streets of Google Maps are being
transformed into Pac-Man’s chomping grounds in
celebration of April Fools’ Day.
Google added the option to convert its popular
navigation service into the Pac-Man video game
on Tuesday morning, around the same day the
calendar turned to April 1 in Asia. That ushered in
a day when Google shows off its playful side by
injecting more frivolity into its services.
The gag on Google Maps enables visitors to
click on a Pac-Man symbol in the lower left of
the screen to play the video game on whatever
location is listed in the address bar. As has been
happening for nearly 35 years, Pac-Man eats
blinking dots while trying to elude four “ghosts” -
Pinky, Blinky, Inky and Clyde.
RETURN TO GOOGLE MAPS
128|
oun
L)
The game can be played in Google Maps on
desktop computers or mobile devices that have
the latest app update for Apple’s iOS or Google’s
Android software.
This isn’t the first time that Google Inc.’s engineers
have paid tribute to Pac-Man. In May 2010,
Google tweaked the doodle on its main search
page to accommodate games of Pac-Man.
Planting Pac-Man into maps probably won’t be
Google’s only April Fools’ stunt, based on the
Mountain View, California, company’s colorful
past. Among other things, Google previously has
promised to introduce search by smell, provide a
translation tool for animals and posted notices for
jobs on the moon.
|129
__SCIENC
132|
Every year, slightly more boy babies than girl
babies are born worldwide. But back when sperm
meets egg, the two sexes are conceived in equal
numbers, a new study suggests.
That contradicts the idea found in many
textbooks and scientific articles that males are in
the majority at conception, researchers said.
And it implies more females than males die before
birth, resulting in the excess of male births, says
Steven Orzack, a study author.
“NWNe don’t have good information on the cause of
this difference,” he said.
The work, released Monday by the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, also estimates
the ratio of males to females at various points
in pregnancy. It finds a see-sawing pattern over
that time in which sex is more prone to die in the
womb, as various genetic influences take their toll.
“NWNe’re gaining fundamental new insights in the
biology of humans in the first nine months of life,”
Orzack said.
That biology “unfolds differently, starting
soon after conception, between boys and
girls,” he said.
Orzack is president of the nonprofit Fresh Pond
Research Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
He reports the work with scientists from Harvard
and Oxford universities and elsewhere.
In general, around 105 boys are born for every
100 girls we ide. The imbalance, first noticed
centuries ago, is a natural phenomenon not due
to selective abortion of girls in some areas.
The study authors drew on a variety of sources for
information on the male-female ratio throughout
pregnancy, including abortions, genetic sampling
of fetuses in the womb, and fetal deaths.
\133
1135
136|
To estimate the sex ratio at conception, they
examined data on nearly 140,000 embryos
that had been routinely screened at fertility
clinics in the United States and elsewhere for
genetic problems.
The embryos were 3 to 6 days old. Analysis
concluded that by that point, the sex breakdown
was virtually 50-50. So extrapolating backward,
“the best evidence we have is that the sex ratio at
conception is even,” Orzack said.
The fertility-clinic data provide the best available
stand-in for what happens in natural conception,
the authors said; their analysis shows those two
ways of conceiving produce identical sex ratios for
babies at birth.
Online: Journal: http://www.pnas.org
|137
hati ae Mais
ats lah ewesiesal
138|
WHITE HOUS
UNVEILS PLA
TO FIGHT
ANTIBIOTIC-
RESISTANT
GERMS
wa ey
140|
The White House on Friday announced a five-
year plan to fight the threat posed by antibiotic-
resistant bacteria amid fears that once-treatable
germs could become deadly.
Repeated exposure to antibiotics can lead germs
to become resistant to the drugs, so that they
are no longer effective. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention estimates that drug-
resistant bacteria cause 23,000 deaths and 2
million illnesses each year in the United States.
The World Health Organization said last year that
bacteria resistant to antibiotics have spread to
every part of the world and might lead to a future
where minor infections like strep throat could kill.
Antibiotic resistance also threatens animal health,
agriculture and the economy.
President Barack Obama, who ordered the plan,
said drug-resistant bacteria are one of the most
serious public health issues.
“This is one of those problems that doesn’t
always rise to the top of people’s day-to-day
concerns until somebody in the family is
impacted,” Obama told reporters before meeting
privately Friday with members of his advisory
council on science and technology. “We take
antibiotics for granted for a lot of illnesses that
can be deadly or debilitating.”
“If we start seeing those medicines diminish in
effectiveness, we’re going to have problems,”
he said.
The White House’s overall goal is to prevent
and contain outbreaks of infections at home
and abroad. It’s aiming to maintain the ability of
current antibiotics to fight illnesses and develop
new treatments.
The plan is the result of an order Obama signed
in September forming a task force on the issue.
Obama also has asked Congress to nearly double
its funding to fight antibiotic resistance to
$1.2 billion.
142|
Critics said the White House needs to go further,
particularly in terms of the antibiotics used
in animals processed for meat. The Food and
Drug Administration has already successfully
encouraged many drug companies to phase out
the use of antibiotics used for animal growth
promotion. But advocacy groups have called
on the agency to limit other uses of animal
antibiotics as well, such as for disease prevention
when holding animals in crowded conditions.
“Once again, the administration has fallen
woefully short of taking meaningful action to
curb the overuse of antibiotics in healthy food
animals,” said New York Democratic Rep. Louise
Slaughter, a microbiologist who has sponsored
legislation to stop routine antibiotic use in
animal farming.
‘NWNith 80 percent of the antibiotics produced in
the United States being used in agriculture mostly
for prevention, any meaningful solution to the
looming antibiotic resistance crisis must begin
with limits on the farm - and trusting a voluntary
policy that lets industry police itself will not bring
about real change,” she said.
hi
}
SONGS
UPTOWN FUNK (FEAT. BRUNO MARS)
Mark Ronson
THINKING OUT LOUD
Eb SHEERAN
LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO
(FROM “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY”)
EiLié GOULDING
FOURFIVESECONDS
RIHANNA AND Kanye West AND Paut McCarTey
EARNEDIT
(FROM “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY”)
THE WeEKND
STYLE
TayLor SWIFT
TIME OF OURLIVES
PiTBULL
TAKE ME TO CHURCH
Hozier
GDFR (FEAT. SAGE THE GEMINI & LOOKAS)
Fio RIDA
I! WANT YOU TO KNOW
(FEAT. SELENA GOMEZ)
ZEDD
\145
—,
ALBUMS
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY
(ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)
Various Arrists
1989
Taylor SWIFT
X (DELUXE EDITION)
Eb SHEERAN
SMOKE + MIRRORS
IMAGINE DRAGONS
SPRING BREAK...CHECKIN’ OUT
Luke BRYAN
SOUND & COLOR
ALABAMA SHAKES
MONTEVALLO
Sam Hunt
AMERICAN BEAUTY / AMERICAN PSYCHO
Fatt Our Boy
PIECE BY PIECE (DELUXE VERSION)
Keétty CLARKSON
IN THE LONELY HOUR (DELUXE VERSION)
SAM SMITH
\147
g
MUSICVIDEOS
UPTOWN FUNK (FEAT. BRUNO MARS)
Mark Ronson
SHAKE IT OFF
Taytor SWIFT
BLANK SPACE
TayLor SWIFT
STYLE
Taytor SWIFT
ALL ABOUT THAT BASS
MEGHAN TRAINOR
ONE LAST TIME
ARIANA GRANDE
FIRST KISS
Kip Rock
LIVING FOR LOVE
MADONNA
LIPS ARE MOVIN
MEGHAN TRAINOR
# HAPPY (FROM DESPICABLE ME 2)
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
P 149
150|
a na
Mediaieaibtinad, Liver ee
>
ethldshyansinninenninamuminiee
TVSHOWS
THE DISTANCE
THE WaLKING Deap, SEASON 5
IT’S ALL MY FAULT
How To Get Away With Murver, SEASON 7
THE WANDERER
Vixines, SEASON 3
THE NIGHT LILA DIED
How To Ger Away Wito Murver, SEASON 7
HERO
Berrer CALL SAUL, SEASON 7
STARING AT THE END
Grey's Anatomy, SEASON 17
CONNECTION LOST
Mooern Famity, SEASON 6
INTENT
Suits, SEASON 4
THEM
THe Watkine Deap, SEASON 5
aS
THE INTIMACY ACCELERATION
Tue Bic Bane THeory, SEASON 8
\151
The Nig
152|
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
Pauta HAWKINS
FIFTY SHADES DARKER
EL James
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY
EL James
FIFTY SHADES FREED
EL James
A THOUSAND ACRES
JANE SMILEY
AMERICAN SNIPER
Curis KYLE AND OTHERS
FIFTY SHADES TRILOGY BUNDLE
EL James
THE NIGHTINGALE
Kristin HANNAH
STILL ALICE
LisA GENOVA
GONE GIRL
GILLIAN FLYNN
\153
154|
US TREASURY SECRETARY
PRESSES BEUJING ON
TECHNOLOGY CURBS
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew pressed
Chinese leaders on Monday to suspend proposed
curbs on foreign security technology and
said a Beijing-led regional bank should work
in partnership with existing institutions, an
American official said.
The United States and Europe say Beijing is
improperly blocking access to its market with the
curbs in proposed anti-terrorism and banking
security measures. The measures have prompted
an unusually high-level response, with U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry and other Cabinet
officials writing to Beijing opposing them.
Lew emphasized the seriousness of the issue for
Washington and urged Chinese officials to suspend
enforcement, said the senior Treasury official, who
briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. He
said Chinese officials said their purpose was not
to keep out U.S. products, but the official gave no
indication they changed their stance.
Image: Andrew Harrer
155
jing to build up the
chpbliers Since the late 1990s, they have tried
repeatedly to compel foreign suppliers to disclose
how encryption products work but have dropped
| most of those attempts following an outcry by
) other governments. —
i
ie Ina meeting witt Deputy Chinese Premier Wang
Yang, Lew expressed “deep concern” about what
he said were “attempts to bar technological
competition.”
156|
LST |
158|
Lew met later with Premier Li Keqiang and
Finance Minister Lou Jiwei.
Proposed rules would require Chinese banks
to have 75 percent of their information
infrastructure certified as “secure and
controllable” by the government by 2019.
Suppliers worry they might have to disclose
secrets such as the source code at the heart
of their products or shift ownership of their
intellectual property to Chinese entities.
An anti-terror law under consideration by China’s
legislature would require network operators to
build in backdoors for government surveillance,
hand over encryption keys to Chinese authorities
and store user data within China.
Image: Nicholas Kamm
(op)
Ww
a
iy
Lew also told Chinese officials the proposed
Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank should work in partnership with existing
international institutions to ensure high standards
in lending, according to the Treasury official.
U.S. officials opposed creation of the AIIB, saying
it might undercut the World Bank or International
Monetary Fund by extending credit without
adequate environmental, labor and social
safeguards. Beijing scored a diplomatic coup
when Britain, France and Germany broke with
Washington and joined Asian governments in
seeking membership.
Asked whether the United States might join the
bank, the Treasury official said Lew made clear
that for now, Washington wants to proceed
through partnerships with other institutions.
The official said Chinese leaders told Lew they
would welcome U.S. membership in the Beijing-
based bank.
(161
MEERKAT VS. PERISCOPE:
LIVE-STREAMING APP BATTLE & BUZZ
Download Periscope, Twitter’s just-launched
live video-streaming app, and you'll find people
broadcasting all sorts of mundane stuff: waiting
for AT&T to fix their wiring, getting out of bed in
Silicon Valley, looking outside their office window
in Chicago.
Watch the videos, and you might ask yourself, is
this really the next big thing?
It could be. Check back in a few months, and
you'll likely see much more enticing content.
After all, the first tweet, sent by co-founder Jack
Dorsey in 2006, simply said “just setting up my
twttr.” Now nearly 300 million people tweet
photos and messages every month for work,
play and social commentary.
Twitter bought the company behind Periscope
earlier this year for a reported $100 million. The
launch comes in the heels of rival Meerkat’s
breakout at the South By Southwest Interactive
tech gathering in Texas. The simple app allows
people to live stream anything at the touch of
a button and dominated conversations at the
festival. The app used to let users automatically
tweet live streams too, but since buying Periscope,
Twitter limited Meerkat’s access.
Meerkat, rightfully woried about becoming second
fiddle so quickly, announced Thursday that it scored
an additional $14 million in venture capital funding.
Here are a few things to know about the emerging
trend of live video streaming.
|163
164|
WHY NOW?
Meerkat and Periscope are not the first live-
streaming apps by any means. But they are
emerging as more people are shooting video
with smartphones and sharing their experiences
on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and
a slew of other platforms. And when it comes to
business marketing, smaller, emerging services
might be more effective than getting lost in
the shuffle on big social networks, according to
Forrester Research.
“Marketers who prioritize investments in
Facebook and Twitter’s over-fished waters
are missing a big opportunity to engage with
customers on smaller social networks with
emerging platforms like video,” Forrester’s James
McQuivey and Julie Ask recently wrote.
\165
Meerkat
Tweet Live Video.
Log in with Twitter
166|
MEERKAT VS. PERISCOPE
Meerkat was one of the big surprise hits of
SXSW earlier this month. The app initially let
users automatically tweet live streams to their
followers, but that came to a halt after Twitter
acquired Periscope and limited Meerkat’s
access to its service. While the two have many
similarities, the automatic linking with Twitter
followers gives Periscope a big leg up.
Other differences: Meerkat streams are public-
only and live-only. Periscope lets users limit who
can see their broadcasts and offers viewers the
opportunity to send heart icons to streamers, akin
to Facebook’s “Like” button. Video streams also
can be saved to replay later.
Neither app works without Twitter - you'll need an
account to get started. Facebook, so far, has been
silent on this front.
\167
POTENTIAL?
Remember when sharing a photo of your
breakfast seemed like a crazy thing no one would
ever want to do? It wasn’t that long ago. Live
streams might seem equally crazy now, only to
become second-nature in just a few months.
From news broadcasts to travel adventures and
birthday parties and weddings shown to far-away
relatives, the possibilities are all there. All you
need is a Twitter account and a solid Internet
connection on your smartphone. For companies,
there’s major potential for advertising and a way
for brands to connect directly with customers.
tye the 169
VOURBRANDHAS#
S000 LU MPANY
EA APPLE vs SAMSUNG
‘SAMSUNG VOUS TO APPEAL
(AFTER LOSING PATENT BATTLE
yA he
aye ‘ip — of Lt ae
Ba ian Pace niin Windows 8 The New iMac
APPLEMAGAZINE.COM
It’s all about Apple
The right magazine for the right audience
ctor - ceo@applema q
hip Management - crn Qt ‘SPECIAL THANKS
and Website ler
- ads@apple! Rui da Costa |
t ine.c Lise Berda |
James Jarvis
; Twitter
_/ — @apple_magazine
twitter.com/#l/Apple_ Magazine
Facebook
facebook.com/applemagazineinternational
Authorized Publisher
APP Associated Press The New ork Times EIEMSNEWS Bloomberg fos Angeles Times
UPlcon Sima PRNewswire Dailupress
AppleMagazine © Copyright 2015-2011. All Rights Reserved.
No part of the document may be circulated, quoted, or reproduced for distribution without prior written approval.
Proper Trademark Notice and Attribution iPad, iPhone™, iPod™, Mac™, iMac", Macbook™, iOS™, OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other
countries. Please contact support for additional trademark ownership rights information. ]
The following is a list of Apple's trademarks and service marks http://www.apple.com/legal/ trademark/appletmlist.htmi.
All other trademarks are the properties of their owners. 4
AppleMagazine is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc.
AppleMagazine.com