Estonia to Tighten Rules for Licensed Crypto Companies

Estonia, one of Europe’s most crypto-friendly nations, plans to tighten its licensing regime for cryptocurrency companies. The financial authorities in Tallinn want to introduce stricter regulations for fintech businesses registered in the Baltic country.  

Also read: Binance Terminates Services for Users in Belarus

Regulators to Increase Oversight

The Financial Intelligence Unit, the Estonian regulator issuing the licenses, has made a number of proposals to strengthen the rules for entities dealing with digital assets. The Ministry of Finance is currently preparing draft amendments to the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counterterrorist Financing Law, the local news outlet Äripäev reported.

The revisions will be presented to the Council of Ministers for approval and then filed in the Estonian parliament for adoption. The ministry believes the anti-money laundering bureau should be tasked with inspecting all companies that provide services in the sector. The monitoring of their activities should ensure they are stable and maintain impeccable reputations.

Once the new regulations are adopted, crypto businesses registered as Estonian legal entities will be required to keep their headquarters in the country. Companies registered in foreign jurisdictions will be obliged to establish subsidiaries in Estonia.

The upcoming changes have been announced a year after the new Estonian Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act came into force. The act transposed into national law the provisions of the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive of the European Union, of which Estonia is a member.

Crypto-Friendly Estonia

Estonia is a trailblazer in Europe when it comes to adopting favorable regulations for the cryptocurrency industry. The small Baltic nation became the first country to introduce a licensing regime for companies in the sector. Many crypto businesses have been attracted by the opportunity to operate legally within a European jurisdiction.

Since the adoption of the regulatory framework last year, the Financial Intelligence Unit has licensed close to 1,000 entities. The regulator issues two types of licenses. According to data quoted by the Estonian news outlet Err.ee, 444 wallet providers and 526 cryptocurrency trading platforms are currently licensed to operate in the country.

Estonia is known for its developed e-government infrastructure and unique e-residency program, which provide private individuals and corporate entities with access to fast and efficient services. As news.Bitcoin.com reported recently, the application process for a crypto license takes only about two weeks. Meeting a number of know-your-customer and anti-money laundering requirements is an important precondition for approval.

Estonia is one of several jurisdictions spearheading the adoption of crypto-friendly laws and rules in Europe, along with Switzerland, Belarus, Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man.

What are your expectations about the future of crypto regulations in Estonia and Europe? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.  

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Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

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4 Useful Tips to Edit More Impressive Videos

Editing videos so that they are more impressive isn’t easy. Each video that you edit will be unique and require different alterations be made to it.

Often experience is needed to know what alterations to make and how they will affect your videos – which adds to the challenge. However if you’d like to start to edit together more impressive videos right here and right now, there are four useful tips that you should follow:

1) Try to avoid jarring transitions when cutting from one clip to the next

When you transition between various clips in your video, you should think about how it will affect the viewer. In general it is best to make the cut as seamless as possible, to the point where viewers aren’t even consciously aware of it.

Certain types of video cuts can help make this easier, such as the cut on action, match cut, or L and J cut if you’re working with audio. By smoothly transitioning between clips, the video will be able to keep the attention of viewers much better.

2) Use color grading to create the aesthetic of the video

Although color grading is often mistaken for color correction, it is not the same thing. Color correction involves balancing the colors in videos to make them look more like they do in real life. On the other hand color grading is about adjusting the colors further to craft a visual aesthetic that affects the tone and mood of the video.

For example you could make the colors brighter and more vivid to convey happiness, faded and washed out if the mood is somber, or dark and shadowy to set a scary tone. By giving it that emotional impact, your video should look far more impressive.

3) Add in background music to set the tone (and the pace)

The right background music can completely transform how your video feels, and make its overall impact much greater. Finding the ‘right’ background music can be tricky however, and you will want it to match the tone that you’re trying to create in your video.

Having background music in your video can help you to structure its pace as well. In most cases it is better to not just add the background music ‘as is’, but cut it and structure it so that it fits the video better in terms of its tempo and climax.

4) Remember that it is all about the story

When you’re editing your video, always remember that you are putting together a story. All the footage that you’re stitching together, the mood of the video, its tone, and pace are elements that you can use to tell that story in a more engaging (and ultimately impressive) manner.

Don’t lose sight of the story at any point, and make sure every choice that you make when editing fits it as perfectly as possible.

After you’re done editing your video, find the right format and settings to encode it based on how it will be used – but keep a copy of the original. After encoding and compressing the video some data will be lost, and every time you convert video it may deteriorate slightly.

By keeping a copy of the original, you will be able to go back to it if you ever need to – and re-encode directly from it as opposed to creating a copy of a copy that will look less impressive over time.

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The iPhone 7 Plus 128GB is going for RM2,499. Only in black.

Thai SEC Explains Two Laws Could Apply to Crypto Securities

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly clarified how existing laws can apply to crypto securities. In addition, Thai companies planning to issue securities tokens abroad would be guilty of wrongdoing under the Digital Asset Act for avoiding regulated fundraising channels.

Also read: Indian Supreme Court Moves Crypto Hearing, Community Calls for Positive Regulations

Applicable Current Laws

On Thursday, the Bangkok Post reported that Tipsuda Thavaramara, deputy secretary of the Thai SEC, revealed that “the regulator will have to consider how to deal with STOs [securities token offerings] for issues such as share ownership, voting rights, and dividends.”

Thailand enacted cryptocurrency regulation in May. The country’s Digital Asset Act regulates cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICOs) and installs the Thai SEC as the main regulator of the crypto industry. However, STOs are not included within the scope of any current laws.

The publication detailed:

If STOs have conditions similar to other fund-raising securities, they could undergo processes similar to those for IPOs, thus coming under the SEC Act … STO trading could fall under the Digital Asset Act if fund-raising is carried out in the same manner as for ICOs.

Thavaramara clarified, “At the moment, we have not decided whether STOs fall under the SEC Act or the Digital Asset Act,” adding that “it depends on the STO’s conditions and the details in its white paper.” She emphasized, “The SEC will have to consider carefully how to respond to each STO.”

Thai Company Plans STO Launch in the US

Thai cryptocurrency exchange operator Satang Corp. has announced a plan to launch its own STO in the U.S., the Bangkok Post also reported.

Satang Corp. operates a crypto exchange in Thailand called Satang Pro, formerly Tdax. The exchange has been granted temporary approval to operate in Thailand while its full application is being reviewed by the Thai SEC.

The company “recently said it would issue an STO in the first quarter of next year but file for fund-raising with the US’s SEC and list on the T-zero exchange in the US,” the news outlet wrote on Thursday.

Overstock.com’s August filing with the U.S. SEC states that its Tzero platform aims to provide “current market participants the opportunity to access crypto-securities without having to incur switching costs.” The filing further describes, “Tzero represents a regulated bridge between the traditional securities markets and the fast-emerging world of crypto-securities.”

According to the Bangkok Post, Thavaramara explained:

An STO affiliated with Thai investors launching in an international market at this point would be guilty of wrongdoing under the Digital Asset Act. A company making such an STO launch would be trying to avoid regulated fund-raising channels, such as sales of ordinary shares or sales of digital assets via IPO portals.

What do you think of Thailand’s approach to regulating crypto securities? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Satang Corp., Overstock.com, and Thai SEC.

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Xiaomi And IKEA Partner Up To Bring AI To More Home Appliances

Xiaomi and IKEA has announced a partnership that will bring the former’s AI to the latter’s smart products.

Donovan Sung, Xiaomi’s director of product management at Xiaomi, tweeted that the partnership will come into effect starting December. This followed the announcement made during Xiaomi’s AIoT Developer Conference in Beijing.

Essentially, this will see IKEA’s smart products become integrated and compatible with Xiaomi’s Mi Home app and the Xiao AI assistant. A few new items will be launched with this collaboration in mind as well. And all of them can be controlled using your voice, using Xiaomi’s smart home interface.

@Xiaomi and @IKEA announced a strategic partnership today.

Going forward, IKEA's line of smart lighting products will be connected to Xiaomi's IoT platform, starting in December.#Xiaomi pic.twitter.com/IyVzLx99xe

— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) November 28, 2018

Beyond the announcement, there’s no further information regarding the partnership. This includes when they will be available, and by extension, local availability and pricing.

(Source: AndroidPIT, @donovansung / Twitter)

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Best Buy to hold Super Smash Bros. Ultimate demos across Canada

Best Buy has announced that it will soon hold free Super Smash Bros. Ultimate demos in many of its stores across Canada.

Those interested in trying out the hotly-anticipated crossover fighting game for the Nintendo Switch can pop into select Best Buy stores between December 7th and 9th.

It’s worth noting that Ultimate launches on December 7th, so this isn’t actually a pre-release demo. That said, it’s still a free opportunity to try out what’s sure to be one of the biggest games on the Switch. Presumably, it will be a final build of the game, too, meaning you’ll be able to preview the game’s massive 74-character roster.

The schedule for the demos is as follows:

• Friday (5pm to 9pm)
• Saturday (12pm to 4pm)
• Sunday (12pm to 4pm)

Best Buy stores in the following provinces will be holding demos:

• Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton)
• British Columbia (Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley, Richmond, Vancouver and Victoria)
• Manitoba (Winnipeg)
• Ontario (Brampton, East York, Etobicoke, London, Markham, Mississauga, North York, Oakville, Ottawa, Scarborough, Toronto and Woodbridge)
• Quebec (Anjou, Laval, Montreal and Quebec City)
• Saskatchewan (Regina)

Most of the stores will hold demos all three days, although some will not be offering demo opportunities on Friday. A full list of stores can be found here.

Ahead of the game’s launch and demo, though, several retailers (including Best Buy) are offering a special edition Smash-themed Switch bundle, as well as various Smash-related controllers and other accessories.

Are you interested in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Let us know in the comments.

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Netflix to broadcast two Rogers TV projects

Netflix will stream two Rogers TV projects.

According to a press release from the Rogers Group of Funds, the latest funding decisions from the Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund board of directors show investments totalling $2.6 million in 13 TV projects.

Marblemedia Blown Away 1 Inc.’s Blown Away will broadcast and stream the show on Netflix and Blue Ant Media, and Yap Cabin Productions Inc.’s Unabomber: The Mad Truth will be streamed and broadcast on Netflix, Reelz Channel and Discovery Canada.

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Amazon Canada teases ’12 Days of Deals’ with big discounts on select items

Ready for another onslaught of deals from Amazon Canada?

Well, it’s coming and this time around it’s called the “12 Days of Deals.” The festivities will begin on December 2nd and last until December 12th. Amazon Canada notes that it will offer “the best discounts on hot holiday items – from high tech toys to fashion and beyond, shoppers can even purchase holiday decorating necessities online.”

While the complete list of deals is not listed yet, Amazon has teased what is upon us. Here is a list of what you can expect:

• Save $90 on the Oculus Rift + Touch VR System
• Save up to 30% on select men’s and women’s activewear
• Save 30% on select Suunto Watches
• Save 20% on Command Holiday Decorating Hooks
• Save up to 20% on LUCID memory foam mattresses
• Save $100 on the iRobot Roomba 890 Wi-Fi Connected Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
• Save 17% on the Snow Joe Cordless Snow Blower

We’ll update you on December 2nd with the latest deal.

Source: Amazon Canada

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Sirin Labs Launches Blockchain-Centric ‘Finney’ Smartphone

Nintendo Switch predicted to outsell PlayStation 4 in 2019

The Nintendo Switch just had a record-breaking Black Friday sales weekend, but the momentum isn’t likely to stop there.

Now, market research firm Strategy Analytics has predicted that the Nintendo Switch will outsell the PlayStation 4 worldwide in 2019.

Specifically, the firm estimates that Nintendo will sell 17.3 million Switch units next year, slightly ahead of projected sales of 17.1 million PS4 and PS4 Pro consoles. The third major console player, Microsoft, is expected to remain in third place with 10 million Xbox One and Xbox One X units sold.

However, it’s important to note that by 2019, the PlayStation 4 will be entering its sixth full year on the market, having originally launched in North America in November 2013. The console recently surpassed 86.1 million units sold, but sales are likely reaching a plateau after several years on the market, especially as Sony prepares for the console’s inevitable successor.

The Switch, meanwhile, launched more recently in March 2017, therefore having, presumably, several more years left in its lifecycle. Two of the system’s biggest games, the recently released Pokémon: Let’s Go and upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, will certainly drive console sales in the months to come.

Meanwhile, the Switch has several other notable games lined up for 2019, including new mainline Pokémon and Animal Crossing titles. Reports also suggest that a new iteration of the Switch will land in 2019.

Via: TechCrunch

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Tesla now produces 1,000 Model 3 cars per day, reduces production cost

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk sent an email to Tesla employees celebrating that the workers now produce around 1,000 Model 3 cars every day.

Musk mentioned near the beginning of November that the company was on track to hit the 1,000 model 3s per day goal by November 27th or 28th, and it looks like he was right, according to InsideEVs.

The InsideEVs report also mentions that Musk is encouraging the workers to keep up this new higher pace of production.

The highlight of the report is that Musk says it currently costs the company $38,000 USD to build a Model 3. In other words, the company has reduced production costs, bringing it closer to offering the Model 3 for the promised $35,000 USD. Currently, the car retails for $46,000 USD.

Source: InsideEVs

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Google is fixing a bug that caused end of call tones to play loudly

Android is a relatively large system, and as such, it can be hard to find and fix all the bugs.

Thankfully, Google has finally fixed a longstanding bug related to the loud end call beep on some phones, including Pixel 2 and 3 devices.

According to an Issue Tracker thread for the issue, the development team fixed the bug and added the fix to the next build. That means the problem should be resolved in the next update.

Further, the update will also allow users to silence the end of call tone by putting the phone in silent mode.

Despite the impending fix, some users want more. Namely, a settings option to toggle or adjust the end call tone volume.

I tend to agree with those users, as it seems overboard to silence the whole phone just for one sound.

Regardless, at least Google has fixed the issue. Now, users can hang up calls without hurting their ears.

With the next version of Android, users will be able to answer calls without hurting their ears as well. One of the first uncovered features of Android Q is a system to reduce ringtone volume when the phone is held up to your ear.

Source: Google Issue Tracker Via: XDA Developers

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Uber is looking into grocery delivery in Toronto

A new job posting on Uber’s Linkedin page suggests that the ride-hailing company is looking into grocery delivery in Toronto.

According to the job posting, which was first spotted by Business Insider, Uber is developing “a brand new product offering which will fundamentally evolve how people purchase their groceries.”

To do that, the company is looking to hire a ‘Head of Grocery Product’ to operate out of Toronto. The job posting reveals little else, however.

Uber already deals in fast food delivery through its Uber Eats service, but this would mark the first time that the company would offer shipments on grocery items. It remains to be seen if Uber would partner with delivery companies like Instacart or Inabuggy or use its own grocery products, similar to Amazon.

When asked about grocery delivery by Business Insider, Uber responded that it is “always looking to expand into new areas where our technology can help people get food more easily and efficiently.”

Should Uber get into the Canadian food delivery business, it would be competing with major retailers like Costco, Loblaws, Sobeys and Walmart.

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Canadians had the lowest cost per Netflix title — until the price increased

Canadians used to get more value out of their Netflix subscriptions than any other country.

Following a price hike for Netflix subscriptions in Canada, Canadians will no longer get the most value for their dollar.

According to Comparitech, which acquired data on the number of shows and movies available on Netflix in 78 countries, Canadians paid the lowest average cost per title. Further, Canada was about 10 percent cheaper per title than the U.S. and U.K.

However, with the new prices mean Canada isn’t on top for long. Under the new pricing structure, Canadians will fair just a little better than the U.S.

It also means we’re dropping to sixth place, with Columbia, India, Mexico, Brazil and Japan all moving ahead.

Despite the change, Canadians still come out ahead. Comparitech calculated the average cost per title by dividing the minimum monthly fee converted to USD by the number of titles available in a country.

Initially, that meant $8.99 in Canada (about $6.90 USD), with a library size of 5,561. Based on that, Canadians paid about $0.00124 USD per title.

After the change, Canadians will pay $0.00135 USD per title, less than the U.S. at $0.00137 per title and significantly less than, say, Denmark at $0.00361 per title.

So overall, even with the price hike, Canadian Netflix is still a decent deal. We pay less per title than many other countries.

Source: Comparitech

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Google Hangouts will shut down sometime in 2020: report

Google has finally realized it has too many chat apps and will shut down Hangouts in 2020.

According to 9to5Google, a source familiar with the product’s internal roadmap said it would shut down sometime in 2020. Considering Google essentially stopped updating the app over a year ago, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

What is surprising is that the search giant will keep Hangouts alive for another year.

While consumers may lose the well-known chat app, Hangouts will live on for enterprise users as Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet. In the consumer market, Google has turned its focus on RCS and its Messages app.

Despite its impending demise, Hangouts is still featured prominently in some of Google’s other popular services, such as the Gmail web client. Hangout remains on the Play Store as well, even though reviews have cropped up complaining about bugs and performance issues.

How do you feel about the demise of Hangouts? Is it past time for the app to go, or is Hangouts your go-to chat platform? Let us know in the comments down below.

Source: 9to5Google

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2018 LA Auto Show : The Rivian EV Revolution

TechMalak
2018 LA Auto Show : The Rivian EV Revolution

In the first article regarding the 2018 LA Auto Show, I mentioned an independent manufacturer under the name Rivian. Rivian is a Michigan, USA, based manufacturer with some big ideas that could stir up the EV market. Judging by their debut vehicles on this years edition of the show, they’re targeting both the working class […]

2018 LA Auto Show : The Rivian EV Revolution
Filip Malbasa

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New Bitcoin Cash Opcode Shows an Onchain Game of Chess is Possible

Spotify might add ability to import your personal music collection on mobile

Apple Music, Google Play Music and Tidal all have ways to combine your personal library of music with the hundreds and thousands of songs on their streaming platforms, and now Spotify might be doing the same.

Spotify has long been near the top of the music streaming game, but as competition with Apple Music heats up, it looks like the company is trying some new things to try and win back or keep its users.

For a long time and for unknown reasons, Spotify has avoided combining personal libraries with music on its platform. But student turned app reverse engineering mastermind Jane Wong suggests a recent Spotify Android Package Kit (APK) suggests that it’s getting closer to adding the feature.

The feature isn’t exactly the same as Google or Apple’s cloud-based solution, but it does accomplish almost the same thing. When it’s implemented in Spotify, it allows users to browse the local files on their phone and then add them to their library. Since the feature requires access to locally stored files it will likely only work on Android.

On the desktop version of Spotify, users can add local music to their library. If both their mobile device and computer are on the same network,  you can transfer that locally-stored song to a playlist and then download that playlist on your phone to have access to the song. It is a weird workaround, but it does work when I tested it.

While not a perfect solution, it does allow users to add other music that isn’t on Spotify to their playlists in a bit of an easier way.

Wong discovered more changes coming to the Spotify mobile app such as a new look for the Library section. The updated layout lets users swipe between their playlists, saved albums, songs and podcasts, as opposed to the long list of content locations that is used now.

In the update, your favourite songs are saved in a playlist, so you can now see all their favourite songs in one place. This likely means that the updated now playing interface that Spotify seems to be A/B testing will become the norm since it adds more emphasis on favouriting songs.

Finally, when users search in this update, they’re able to filter the results to just search through podcasts, or music.

Source: Jane Wong

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Amazon files trademark application for Amazon Pay in Canada

E-commerce giant Amazon has filed a trademark application for its Amazon Pay online payments processing service in Canada.

The application was submitted on November 16, 2018 and formalized on November 21st, 2018.

The filing suggests that Amazon plans to bring the platform to Canada in the near future.

Amazon Pay launched in 2007 in the U.S. Its services are similar to PayPal, in which the user can pay with their account on external merchant websites. The idea of using this type of service is helpful to merchants, who can put a button allowing customers to pay with their Amazon account, trying to keep customers from abandoning their carts and speeding up the checkout process. 

For our neighbours down south, the service charges merchants 2.9 percent + $.30 per transaction, which is similar to PayPal.

Amazon doesn’t reveal how many merchants use its payments platform, but Techcrunch reports that in February 2017 Amazon announced over 33 million customers have used Amazon Pay to make a purchase. Amazon noted that number was up 10 million from April 2016.

MobileSyrup has reached out to Amazon for more details on the service and will update the article.

Source: Canadian Trademarks Database

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Niantic says Pokémon Go Battles are coming soon

Through a series of tweets from the official Pokémon Go Twitter account, Niantic has shared that player vs player battles are coming to Pokémon Go.

This is huge news for trainers since battling is an integral part of the traditional pokemon experience, but has been missing from Pokémon Go since it launched back in 2016.

Get prepared… Trainer Battles are coming soon to Pokémon GO #GOBattle pic.twitter.com/AUWyhNGlT7

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018

There’s been almost no information shared about how battling will work, but it looks like a new exclamation mark icon will signal the beginning of a battle and players will fight each other in one vs one battles similar to how Pokémon battles worked in the first Gameboy games.

There’s no news if there will be a new turn-based battle system like in the mainline pokemon series or if battles will use the fast and charge attack formula that’s present in Pokémon Go Gyms and Raids.

Source: Twitter

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Samsung Galaxy A8s With a Display Hole Cutout Gets FCC Clearance

After Huawei Nova 4 made headlines appearing with an Infinity-O display, Samsung Galaxy A8s has surfaced on American agency FCC for certification and it is speculated to sport the first-ever Infinity-O display as promised by Samsung during SDC 2018. According to the screenshot that surfaced online, a Samsung smartphone bearing model number SM-G8870 that appeared on FCC presumably Samsung Galaxy A8s shows an irregularity in its a status bar which has sparked a row of rumors claiming that it is because of a cut-out or hole at the left top side of the screen.

Per the screenshot, icons on the status bar are clearly visible. At first, the screenshot looks not-so suspecting, however, if you take a glance at it, you’ll see that the icons on the right side of the status bar are placed just along the right-side while there is a margin or buffer of few inches on the left side of the screen. This has given rise to the rumors that the icons are spaced because of a cut-out for the front-camera or say a hole for the front sensor that comes with the new Infinity-O display.

Also, it is clear that Samsung has greatly improved the aspect ratio from 18.5:9 used with Galaxy A6 and flagship smartphones like Galaxy S9 and further, this particular model uses a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Samsung Galaxy A8s is speculated to roll out in China only where it will be tested before it could be rolled out in other parts of the world if Samsung ever plans for it although Europe is one of the potential candidates for its next rollout after China.

Also, GSMArena stated that Samsung Galaxy A8s could be a precursor to the much awaited Samsung Galaxy S10 expected to roll out in early 2019 with an Infinity-O display which is highly likely although Samsung could roll it out as a completely different device as well. Samsung enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the launch of Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Lite, and Galaxy S10 Plus that will bring a number of firsts such as 5G technology, Infinity-O display, Exynos 9820 SoC, and others.

 

Source

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New book lays out Microsoft’s Surface plans for 2019, 2020

Next year could be an exciting year for Microsoft’s Surface line, according to a new book called Beneath a Surface.

Tech journalist Brad Sams’ book dives into the story behind the Surface line and how Microsoft made it one of the best selling names in the PC market. However, the last chapter of Sams book is potentially the most interesting, as it lays out the roadmap for the future of the Surface lineup.

For one, Sams writes that fourth quarter 2019 will bring us a new Surface Pro with smaller bezels, rounded corners and USB-C. Additionally, the new Surface Pro could have several new colour options.

This lines up with an earlier report that said Microsoft is working on a thinner Type Cover for a new Surface Pro.

Along with the new Surface Pro, Sams says we can expect a new Surface Laptop in late 2019, possibly with an AMD processor instead of Intel one.

Further, gamers could see a pair of new low-cost Xbox One S devices, including one digital-only option without a disc drive.

Finally, in spring 2019, Sams suggests Microsoft could hold an event to unveil an “ambient computing” device. The device would be able to respond to a user’s presence. Sams writes that the device is designed to deal with some of the “common frustrations” of using a smartphone, but that it won’t be a smartphone.

In 2020, Sams says we could see a new Surface Book and Surface Studio with a modular design. We could also see Andromeda, Microsoft’s long-rumoured dual-screen foldable device that could be the company’s next attempt at the smartphone market.

Overall, it sounds like Microsoft has some big plans for the next few years of Surface. If Sams predictions are accurate, Microsoft’s Surface line-up could set the PC bar even higher.

Source: GeekWire

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OnePlus 6T users are experiencing a static wave display issue

Some OnePlus 6T owners are noticing a display issue with their handsets.

6T owners are taking to the company’s forums to report that a static wave will sometimes appear on their phone’s display.

The bug involves a short burst of static on the screen, as seen above.

It’s currently unknown why the glitch has started to occur. A factory reset reportedly doesn’t fix the issue.

Users are saying that it’s difficult to know when the static waves will go across the screen. Moreover, the wave will sometimes only appear on certain parts of the display.

Additionally, it appears that different variants of the 6T are experiencing the issue. Users also say that the wave will appear after the screen turns on with low brightness, but that doesn’t seem to be everyone’s experience.

I’ll note here that our 6T review units at MobileSyrup haven’t developed this issue.

Source: OnePlus forum, Via: TechRadar

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Bitcoin Mining Startup Envion Ordered to Close by Swiss Court

A court in Switzerland has ordered the closure of bitcoin mining startup Envion AG over concerns of poor corporate governance. The company raised $100 million in an initial coin offering (ICO) in January, but a succession of boardroom wrangles have led to a breakdown in its corporate structure, bringing operations to a halt.

Also read: Canadian Bitcoin Miner Fortress Blockchain Reports $1.16M Loss in Q3

Founding Partners Sue Each Other

Founding partners Michael Luckow and Matthias Woestmann have repeatedly gone to court to sue each other over allegations of subterfuge, which supposedly took place at the time of the ICO or immediately after, according to a Handelsblatt Global report on Nov. 28.

Among other things, Woestmann, who has since resigned as board chairman, “accused Luckow of manufacturing more coins than agreed on, so he engineered a capital increase that diluted Luckow’s share,” the paper alleged.

In the capital increase, Woestmann allegedly issued actual shares, rather than tokens, effectively diluting the 81 percent stake of Luckow and his partners to 31 percent.

Now, the cantonal court in Zug — Switzerland’s cryptocurrency haven — has ordered Envion to shut down, citing its lack of a functional board of directors and “the complete lack of any auditing function.” The company is to be liquidated, the court ruled.

The article quoted a Zurich-based lawyer, Urs Schenker, as saying that Envion would likely go under. Schenker said liquidation was “unavoidable” because the financial regulator appeared to have reached a decision to investigate the cryptocurrency miner.

The Lure of Riches

Envion raised about $100 million in an ICO that attracted 30,000 investors between December 2017 and January 2018, when the cryptocurrency gold rush was at its peak. Investors paid $1 for each token in the offer, lured by the promise of over 160 percent growth and Envion’s low-cost approach to mining, using renewable energy. Today, the token is worth just $0.05, reports say.

However, relations between the founders went sour after the ICO, with accusations of cheating, causing operations at the company to come to a standstill. Handelsblatt Global reports that both Luckow and Woestmann are now under investigation by regulators in Switzerland and Germany.

It turned out that Envion’s finances and operations were being run from Berlin by Luckow’s company, Trado, even though the startup was registered in Switzerland. “Woestmann continues to blame Luckow, accusing him of not providing information about the ICOs. Luckow says Woestmann always planned to push the firm into liquidation, but he will fight it and believes the original concept can still work,” the article said.

The Zug court ruling is not final, as either party can still appeal the decision. In the meantime, all that investors can do is wait and hope for the best, as failed ICOs have already cost investors billions of dollars in losses throughout the world.

What do you think about the counter lawsuits at Envion? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Amazon Echo speakers to get Apple Music Alexa skill in Christmas update

Instagram rolls out ‘Close Friends’ feature for private Story sharing

Instagram has rolled out a ‘Close Friends’ feature that allows users to share Stories with a select group of followers.

To use the new feature, go to your profile and select ‘Close Friends’ from the side menu. From here, you’ll be able to add any number of your followers to your Close Friends list. Only you can see this Close Friends list and no one can request to be added.

Once you’ve chosen your Close Friends, you’ll have the option to share Stories to just those people. If you’ve been added to someone else’s Close Friends list, you’ll see a green badge when viewing their stories. A green ring will also be displayed around their profile photo in the Stories tray.

Close Friends is now rolling out to users around the world in the latest version of Instagram for Android and iOS.

Source: Instagram

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Learn to code on your own time with this comprehensive bundle for 75% off!

Technology moves forward at a blistering pace and if you don’t keep up, it’s easy to get left behind with nothing but a typewriter and a beeper. Fortunately, it’s never too late to pick up a new skill — you can learn everything you need to know about technology and immediately apply it to your professional life with The Ultimate Tech Training Bundle.

This tech-centric bundle gives you lifetime access to over 900 courses and 2100 hours of instruction. It covers many popular tech topics like web and app development, software engineering, cloud computing, data analytics, and even graphic design.

This bundle includes mock tests and online quizzes to fortify your knowledge. It also gives you a certificate of completion for each course you finish. Regardless of how tech-savvy you are, you can easily elevate your existing skills and learn new ones with this comprehensive bundle.

The Ultimate Tech Training Bundle normally costs $3088.20 CAD, but you can get it for just $24.98 CAD. Plus, you can use the code CMBUNDLE75 to save an additional 75% off.

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ACT joins PIAC in boycotting CRTC’s ISP proceeding

Ageing + Communication + Technologies (ACT) says it “supports” the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and will join in boycotting the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) internet service provider (ISP) code of conduct proceedings.

ACT said, in a November 29th, 2018 press release issued by the PIAC, that it was joining the boycott because it felt the CRTC’s decision to deny PIAC’s request to extend the deadline for submissions “perpetuates digital divides in Canada.”

It added that “it prevents non-profit and research organizations – many of whom represent older and vulnerable populations – from participating in public proceedings that are foundational to a healthy democracy and fair media policy.”

ACT is PIAC’s research organization. It actively engaged in the CRTC’s proceeding to inquire into misleading and aggressive sales practices.

“That the CRTC expects us to drop everything and contribute meaningfully to something as important as an internet code in six weeks is unrealistic,” Kim Sawchuk, ACT’s director, said in the press release. “Organizations like ACT and PIAC have a strong sense of what Canadians think about issues like this, but we won’t have time to represent these important perspectives.”

PIAC announced it was boycotting the ISP hearing on November 23rd, 2018 following the CRTC’s decision to deny its request for an extension. PIAC had initially submitted its deadline request on November 10th, 2018, arguing that the ISP code of conduct proceedings would be influenced by any decision made regarding the CRTC’s ongoing investigation into allegations of aggressive or misleading telecom sales practices.

The CRTC publicly opened its ISP code of conduct file on November 9th, 2018, establishing a deadline for initial submissions on December 19th, 2018 — precisely 40 calendar days after the file’s opening — and a final submission deadline on April 8th, 2018. It has until February 28th, 2019 to submit a final report to the government regarding its investigation.

PIAC told MobileSyrup on November 23rd, 2018 that it would only participate in the ISP code of conduct proceeding if the CRTC is willing to acquiesce and revise its deadlines.

Right now groups have until December 19th to submit initial comments and have until January 29th, 2019 to submit replies to initial comments. The deadline to submit responses to CRTC requests for information is March 21st, 2019.

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Crazy-looking Vivo Nex 2 could feature two screens and a ‘Lunar Ring’

This Western Digital 256GB SSD Black Friday deal is your Passport to savings

Apple releases new iPhone cases and Watch bands in time for the holidays

Apple launched three new case options for the iPhone XS and XS Max alongside nine new Apple Watch straps.

The silicon cases and watchbands come in three colours: ‘Mellow Yellow,’ ‘Hibiscus’ and ‘Pacific Green.’ To my eye, the Pacific Green colour looks more blue than green, however.

The cases cost $55 CAD individually and the bands cost $69 CAD individually.

The other watchbands are Nike Sport-styled bands, and they now come in Teal/Black, Olive Flak/Black and Smoky Mauve/Particle Beige. These bands cost $69 as well.

There are three new Nike Nylon bands that also come in ‘Teal,’ ‘Smokey Mauve’ and ‘Olive Flak.’ These bands also cost $69.

Source: Apple

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Best Buy Canada offers buy one get one free on Google Home Mini

Best Buy is offering a blowout buy one get one sale on the Google Home Mini.

The retail giant is selling the Google Home Mini for $79, and when you buy one, you get one for free.

To take advantage of the deal users need to add two Google Home Minis to their cart, and then the deal will be applied.

At least with Ontario’s taxes, the total price of the two Minis comes to $92.09 CAD.

Source: Best Buy

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You’ll soon be able to listen to Apple Music on your Amazon Echo

Apple will expand its streaming music service to Amazon’s Echo devices starting on December 17th, according to The Verge. 

Echo users could already play music from Spotify and Amazon Prime Music, so access to another music service is welcome.

Once the feature goes live, users can download an Apple Music Skill from the Alexa Skill shop, and it will allow them to ask Alexa to play music from their Apple Music account.

It’s unknown if users will also be able to control their music from their phones in a similar way to how Spotify does with its connect feature.

Apple isn’t generally one to put its software on other platforms, so it seems like the company is trying to add features to convince more people to use its streaming service. Notably, Apple Music works on Android but it still doesn’t work on Google Home devices.

Source: The Verge

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Get this tiny 128GB USB flash drive for £20 while Black Friday lasts

SEC Hits Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled With Fines for Unlawful ICO Promotion

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Best Buy Canada brings back the tech deals with its ‘Black Friday Extended’ sale

If you didn’t score the tech you wanted during Boxing Day or Cyber Monday, then Best Buy Canada has your back as it has unveiled the “Black Friday Extended” sale.

Of course, this is a leadup to the big Boxing Day sale but there is a decent selection of deals. Check them out below.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – Dual SIM – 128GB Smartphone for $1,017.99 [Save $282]
• Samsung Galaxy S9 – 64GB Smartphone – Midnight Black – Unlocked for $759.99 [Save $200]
• Google Pixel XL 32GB Smartphone – Factory Unlocked for $429.99 [Save $320]
• Jabra Elite Sport In-Ear Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds for $159.99 [Save 120]
• Bose SoundSport Free Bluetooth Headphones for $219.99 [Save $30]
• Nanoleaf Aurora Rhythm Smarter LED Light Panel Kit & Google Home Mini for $209.98 [Save $70]
• Propel Star Wars X-Wing Battling Quadcopter Drone for $69.99 [Save $30]
• Sony PlayStation Classic Console for $129.99
• Apple iPhone X 64GB – Select 2 Year contract for $329.99
• Xbox One X 1TB Console for $499.99 [Save $100]
• Samsung 65″ 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV for $999.99 [Save $450]
• Philips Hue A19 Smart LED Light Bulb Starter Kit with Dimmer Switch for $149.99 [Save $80]
• Garmin vivofit jr. Kids Activity & Chore Tracker for $64.99 [Save $35]
• Bose Soundbar 500 for $639.99 [Save $60]
• Sony XB21 EXTRA BASS Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker for $89.99 [Save $50]
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7″ 32GB Android 6.0 Marshmallow Tablet for $399.99 [Save $100]
• Sphero SPRK+ Robotic Ball for $99.99 [Save $50]
• Samsung 55″ 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV for $599.99 [Save $300]
• WeMo Mini Smart Plug for $24.99 [Save $15]
• August Bluetooth Smart Lock for $129.99 [Save $70]
• Bose SoundTouch 10 Wireless Multi-Room Speaker for $199.99 [Save $50]
• Fossil Q Gen 4 Explorist HR 45mm Smartwatch for $273.75 [Save $91]
• Beats by Dr. Dre Pill+ Bluetooth Wireless Speaker for $129.99 [Save $120]
• Acer Aspire 3 15.6″ Laptop – Black (AMD Ryzen 5 2500U/1TB HDD/8GB RAM/Windows 10) for $499.99 [Save $200]
• Beats by Dr. Dre Studio3 Skyline On-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones for $299.99 [Save $100]
• NETGEAR Arlo Pro Wireless Security System with 4 HD Cameras for $649.99 [Save 150]
• JBL XTREME Splashproof Wireless Bluetooth Speaker with Built-in Power Bank for $229.99 [Save $100]

Source: Best Buy Canada

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