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Jumat, 02 Agustus 2019

Verizon's New 'Unlimited' Plans Are Just Screwing With Us Now - Gizmodo

Illustration for article titled Verizon's New 'Unlimited' Plans Are Just Screwing With Us Now — Photo: Verizon

Starting August 5th, Verizon is rolling out a new batch of “Unlimited” plans. But after seeing the names of the company’s new offering and what they include, I feel like Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Verizon’s new phone plan lineup includes four “unlimited” packages that start at $70 per month for one line and go up to $90 per month, along with the Just Kids plan the company announced last month.

Start Unlimited is the cheapest plan and includes “unlimited” 4G LTE data, unlimited talk and texting allowances, 480p “DVD-Quality’ video streaming (which doesn’t qualify as HD), talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, Verizon Up rewards, and a 6-month subscription to Apple Music. Notably, this plan does not come with 4G LTE hotspot functionality.

Finally, you can also add on support for 5G service for $10 a month, which will upgrade the plan with unlimited 5G data and hotspot usage, assuming you’re in a location that 5G service.

Moving up to Verizon’s $80 per month tier you actually have two somewhat similar plans aimed at slightly different audiences. The highlight of Verizon’s Play More Unlimited plan is that it comes with 720p HD video streaming, while the Do More Unlimited plan offers more productivity-minded bonuses including 500GB of cloud storage, discounts on any additional connected tablets and standalone hotspots, and 50GB of “premium” data, but only 480p video streaming.

The premium data is where things start to get tricky, because despite being called unlimited plans, the fine text at the bottom of Verizon’s infographic notes that “In times of congestion, your [unlimited 4G LTE] data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (only after 25 GB/mo on Play More Unlimited, 50 GB/mo on Do More Unlimited and 75 GB/mo on Get More Unlimited).”

In other words, Verizon’s premium data is essentially a soft data cap, after which your data speeds could be throttled based on network congestion. And despite costing the same, the Play More Unlimited plan only comes with 25GB of premium 4G LTE data instead of 50GB like you get with the Do More Unlimited plan.

Both plans also come with 15GB of 4G LTE hotspot data, and if you use up that data, hotspot data speeds will be reduced to just 600 Kbps, which is basically just a trickle. On top of that, the two plans also come with free unlimited 5G data and hotspot usage, but only for a limited time. After Verizon’s promo goes away, access to 5G will cost $10 a month per line. And with the Play More Unlimited plan’s emphasis on mobile entertainment, it also comes with a free subscription to Apple Music, while the Do More plan only gets a 6-month trial.

Finally, there’s Verizon’s top tier plan which has been somewhat oxymoronically named Get More Unlimited. (How are you supposed to get more of something that’s supposedly infinite?) It comes with everything available in Verizon’s less expensive plans along with 75GB of “premium” 4G LTE data, 720p HD video streaming, 30GB of 4G LTE hotspot data, and Apple Music.

Confused yet? Hopefully, the chart above makes things a little easier to understand. But even so, Verizon splitting its $80 per month offerings into two different plans is particularly frustrating. You can either get more “premium data” or higher quality video streaming. If you want both, you have to upgrade to Get More Unlimited.

Annoyingly, there are a few more small but potentially important details you should know. While all of Verizon’s new “unlimited” plans come with talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, you only get 512MB of international data before your data will be reduced to 2G speeds.

And if you select one of the plans with a 6-month trial of Apple Music, unless you live in New Mexico, you better remember to cancel your sub after the trial ends, or else you’ll be charged $10 a month per line.

In the end, the thing that is truly infuriating is the manner in which Verizon tosses around terms like “unlimited” and “premium data,” which somehow has only gotten worse since the last time Verizon updated its phone plans. Depending on which plan you choose, Verizon’s definition of “unlimited data” changes, and even when you’re staring at the chart, between deciphering the names of each plan and determining which features and limitations matter most, trying to figure out which plan is right for you is enough to make your head spin.

Why does picking a phone plan need to be this difficult?

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https://gizmodo.com/verizons-new-unlimited-plans-are-just-screwing-with-us-1836909106

2019-08-02 14:53:00Z
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New Galaxy Note 10 specs leak packs a huge surprise that no one saw coming - BGR

With just a few days to go until the Galaxy Note 10 becomes official, we have an unexpected twist in the Note 10 story. It turns out we didn’t know everything there was to know about the upcoming handset after all, as Samsung might have one surprise left. Well, it would have been a surprise if it didn’t just leak…

Samsung flagship phones usually come with two different processors, including the latest Qualcomm and Samsung processors. The Snapdragon flagship platform usually powers the US- and China-bound Galaxy S or Note phones, while a comparable Exynos chip made by Samsung is found inside the versions sold around the rest of the world.

This will change significantly starting with the Galaxy Note 10, well-known leaker Evan Blass revealed on Twitter. “In the US, only Verizon Note 10 models will be Qualcomm-powered, and they will be regular Snapdragon 855, NOT SD855+,” he said. “The other carriers, like the rest of the world, will have Exynos 9825 versions, I’m told.”

In a previous message, Blass said that Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 855+ platform would power some of the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ phones. That’s not going to be the case if this new information is accurate.

It’s unclear at this time why only Verizon’s Note 10 phones will pack Snapdragon 855 chips. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Verizon still operates a CDMA network, or that Verizon will also sell the 5G version of the Galaxy Note 10. Or both. Then again, Sprint also operates a CDMA network and might sell the Note 10 5G phones soon as well.

As for the new Exynos 9825, recent reports have shown that the new chip will be faster than the Exynos 9820 chip that powers the Galaxy S10 sold outside of the US and China. The upgrade is what made us wonder whether the Qualcomm version of the Note 10 would get the brand new 855+ platform a few weeks ago. But it sure looks like that’s out of the question, and Samsung is also seemingly looking to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm silicon.

The Galaxy Note 10 series will be unveiled on August 7th, at which point the phones’ specs will be made official.

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https://bgr.com/2019/08/02/galaxy-note-10-specs-leak-snapdragon-855-vs-exynos-9825-versions/

2019-08-02 13:36:00Z
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Nintendo And Tencent Share More Details About Switch Launch In China - Nintendo Life

Nintendo's plans to introduce the Switch and its games to the Chinese market appears to have taken another positive step today as the company, along with partner Tencent, have revealed more concrete plans.

The information comes from a press event hosted at the ChinaJoy gaming conference in Shanghai. Various Tencent staffers including Qian Wei, the general manager of the company's Nintendo Cooperation Department, and ex-Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata took to the stage to discuss the partnership and how the two would complement each other going forward.

Essentially, it appears Tencent will offer cloud services and servers necessary for Switch's online platform and will localise Nintendo's games into Simplified Chinese for release in the market. The Switch's eShop will be slightly different in China, with Tencent's WeChat payment system being implemented for easy payments, and games like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have now been announced.

Nintendo shares were seen to significantly rise recently after it was confirmed that Tencent would distribute the Switch in the country a few months ago.

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http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/08/nintendo_and_tencent_share_more_details_about_switch_launch_in_china

2019-08-02 13:35:00Z
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Android users in Europe will get to pick their default search provider - Engadget

Apple and Google have stopped letting humans listen to voice recordings - MIT Technology Review

The suspension is only temporary, though, and in Google’s case it has only ended the practice in European Union countries.

The news: Last week, the Guardian revealed that about 1% of conversations with Siri are reviewed by people, without Apple providing any notifications or seeking any consent from consumers. Today, Apple has said it will suspend the program worldwide. It has promised to review the quality control process and issue a software update to give people the option to opt out.

Google too: Google, which has also been caught out sharing voice assistant recordings with contractors, has suspended the practice too, but only in the European Union (most probably because of the bloc’s tighter data protection laws). It’s promised to suspend the program for at least three months, while it works with German regulators (which are currently probing the company’s data practices).

What about Amazon? Amazon was the first company caught doing this: getting humans to review Alexa recordings. It hasn’t yet said whether it will change any of its practices.

Why do people care? These recordings sometimes include highly personal conversations, people’s private medical details, or the sound of them showering or having sex. The outrage has stemmed from the fact voice assistant users were mostly neither informed nor asked for their consent. And in Apple’s case, it’s a blow to the company’s oft-repeated claim that it is the most privacy-conscious of the major technology firms.

Sign up here for our daily newsletter The Download to get your dose of the latest must-read news from the world of emerging tech.

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https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614060/apple-and-google-have-stopped-letting-humans-listen-to-voice-recordings/

2019-08-02 11:18:21Z
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The Morning After: Top Twitch streamer 'Ninja' switches to Microsoft's Mixer - Engadget

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Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Just as summer begins to fade and the back to school push ramps up, Intel is finally ready to deliver its 10nm, 10th-gen Ice Lake mobile chips. In other news, Burger King's not-meat Whopper is about to go nationwide, and Twitch's #1 streamer changed teams.

High-end 'G7' chips have enough power for 1080p gaming.Intel unveils its first 10th-gen 'Ice Lake' laptop CPUs

While Intel's last few processor upgrades felt like incremental steps, the 10th-gen "Ice Lake" hardware seems like a huge leap forward — at least based on their specs. You can expect greater efficiency, faster AI computation, Thunderbolt 3 support for up to four ports and next-generation Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.

The only bad news? More options for embedded graphics means model numbers are getting longer and more mysterious than ever. Check out some early benchmarking action on Upscaled to see just how much faster things can get with the new CPUs.

The former pro 'Halo' player is back with Microsoft.Top 'Fortnite' streamer Ninja is ditching Twitch for Mixer

Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins said in an announcement video that the move is partly about helping him "get back in touch with my roots." There's no word on a financial arrangement between the two, but separating the streamer from his 14.7 million Twitch followers likely means getting in touch with a lot of guaranteed money. Since the announcement, Ninja has grown his Mixer channel to over 230,000 subscribers.

Inevitable.Burger King takes the Impossible Whopper nationwide August 8th

Starting on August 8th, you'll be able to go to any Burger King location in the United States and get your hands on the alternative meat burger. From August 8th to September 1st, DoorDash will deliver the Impossible Whopper with a $0 delivery fee. Users can even order the Impossible Taste Test -- an Impossible Whopper and original meat-based Whopper -- for $7 with no additional delivery fee

Now Amazon is all about 'virtual' dash buttons.Amazon will disconnect Dash Buttons on August 31st

After this month, you won't be able to instantly order household necessities with the tap of a physical button. In a statement, Amazon said "Since sales of Dash Button devices ceased earlier this year, we have seen continued growth of other shopping options to meet customer needs, including Virtual Dash Button, Dash Replenishment, Alexa Shopping, and Subscribe & Save."

'Grading' had contractors listen in to judge Siri's performance.Apple suspends the Siri program where people listened to your questions

Last week, The Guardian dug into a program where third-party contractors listened in to anonymized recordings of Apple users asking Siri questions to judge the assistant's responses, and now Apple has shut it down. While it conducts a "thorough" review, it's suspending the program globally -- and this comes shortly after Google announced it would temporarily shut down a similar effort, but only for users in the EU.

Dongus.Galaxy Note 10 won't have a headphone jack, according to its leaked dongle

Leaks around Samsung's incoming Galaxy Note 10 have reached the point of revealing dongles that will come with it. In this case, it means a USB-C dongle that will ensure your 3.5mm headphones will work with your new productivity-focused phone. Yep, it's the final nod that Samsung, one of the great headphone port hold-outs, is joining the pack with only a USB-C connection to do everything on its next flagship phone.

But wait, there's more...

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/02/the-morning-after/

2019-08-02 11:17:37Z
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