Samsung Galaxy S8 may not offer its own AI assistant after all

The Samsung Galaxy S8 was supposed to have its own AI assistant similar to Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana and Google's own Assistant. Now a new, unconfirmed report claims that a previous patent agreement between Samsung and Google may prevent the Galaxy S8 from adding its own digital assistant.

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November 21, 2016

Following Samsung's acquisition of the AI firm Viv Labs earlier this year, the company admitted  in November that it was bringing a new AI digital assistant to the Galaxy S8 and other Samsung products. However, according to a report on Korea Business, Google is putting pressure on Samsung to kill those plans.

The dispute reportedly is based on a patent-sharing agreement that Samsung and Google signed in 2014. It is supposed to allow both companies to use each other's patents in their devices and services for 10 years. However, that deal also has a non-compete clause that, in theory, could be used by Google as leverage to kill Samsung's digital assistant plans for the Galaxy S8.

Of course, these kinds of patent deals could have some loopholes that might allow Samsung to add an AI assistant in the Galaxy S8. Alternatively, the two companies could also enter negotiations so that the non-compete clause would not apply.

As stated previously, this report has not been confirmed by Samsung nor Google, so be sure to take it with a grain of salt.

The most recent rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S8 claim that it will be officially revealed in April at a New York City press event.

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Nokia sues Apple for alleged patent infringements

This post originally appeared on our sister site, TabTimes.

Nokia is clearly not wishing Apple a happy holiday season. The Finnish company has filed lawsuits in both the US and Europe against the Cupertino, California home of the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro. The company claims Apple is using 32 of its patents in its devices without Nokia's permission and is not paying the required royalties for their use.

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1 week ago

Nokia sold off its smartphone division to Microsoft in 2014, but that company has since shut down or sold off nearly all of those assets. However, Nokia still holds claim to thousands of patents under its Nokia Technologies division, which it says are being used in many smartphones, tablets and other products. In today's press release announcing the lawsuits, the company stated Apple did agree to pay for the use of some of its patents in 2011. However, it added that since then the company has been trying to get Apple to pay for the use of other patents it controls for the past few years. Those talks apparently went nowhere, so the company felt it needed to take its dispute to the court system.

Nokia stated the patents that it claims Apple is using, but not paying for, include ones relating to "display, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets and video coding." So far, Apple has yet to officially respond to Nokia's accusations.

This new legal battle comes to light as the Nokia brand is slated to return to the smartphone market in 2017. The company has licensed its name to HMD Global, who will be launching smartphones with the Nokia brand in the first half of the new year.

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Official Netflix and Marvel Twitter accounts hacked by OurMine

A new round of Twitter account hacking from the self-labeled white hat security group OurMine made the rounds today. The accounts that were hit included the official US Netflix and Marvel Comics Twitter pages, along with verified accounts for several of Marvel's super hero characters like Captain America, Tony Stark and others.

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July 9, 2016

The same group previously managed to briefly take over the official Twitter accounts of its own CEO and founder Jack Dorsey earlier this summer, along with Google's CEO Sundar Pichai. As with their previous hacks, OurMine's takeover of the Netflix and Marvel accounts stated that there was no overt malicious intent. They simply were trying to test the security of those pages.

CNET stated they contacted a representative from OurMine via email, who indicated that the group directly hacked into the Marvel Twitter feed, which led to all the other official Marvel accounts getting exposed because they were linked via Tweetdeck.

The OurMine group also indicated that their Twitter hacking may not be done yet. The rep told CNET that the team was "70%" sure there would be another takeover sometime on Thursday.

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AT&T rolls out Marshmallow update for its ZTE ZMAX 2

AT&T first started selling the ZTE ZMAX 2 way back in September 2015. Back then, the phone came with Android 5.1 installed out of the box. This week, well over a year later, AT&T has started rolling out an update to the phone that finally upgrades the OS to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

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2 days ago

The download for this update is pretty large; it has a file size of 1.1GB. That means owners without an AT&T unlimited plan will definitely want to grab this Marshmallow update via a Wi-Fi connection. Also, the ZTE ZMAX 2 only has 16GB of on-board storage, so it's more than possible that owners will have to delete some apps, videos and podcasts so it can have enough free space to download and install the update.

Aside from the upgrade to Marshmallow, AT&T says this update has the November 2016 security updates from Google. Be aware that it may take a few days for the update to show up on your specific device.

As a reminder, the ZTE ZMAX 2 also has a 5.5-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera, a 2MP front-facing camera and a 3,000mAh battery. AT&T is currently selling it as part of its prepaid GoPhone lineup for $59.99.

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T-Mobile One Plus plans now available in two different versions

T-Mobile launched its new One and One Plus unlimited plans a few months ago, although not without some controversy. Today, the wireless carrier has revealed some changes to the premium T-Mobile One Plus plan. It is now available in two different versions, while the original one is getting a big price cut.

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3 days ago

When it was first announced, T-Mobile One Plus cost $25 more a month compared to the normal One unlimited plan. Today, the carrier said that customers can now get the benefits of One Plus for a $15 a month fee, cutting its price by $10 a month.

The One Plus plan offers up to twice the data speeds for global roaming in over 140 countries, unlimited HD video day passes, and unlimited access to Gogo's WiFi service on supported aircraft. It also offers voicemail-to-text transcribing features and Name ID, which offers better caller ID features like the ability to block both calls and texts.

In addition, there's the new T-Mobile ONE Plus International plan which offers all of the features of One Plus, with two additions. One gives customers unlimited high-speed smartphone mobile hotspot data. The other is Stateside International Talk, which gives customers unlimited calling from the US to landline numbers in over 70 countries, unlimited calling to mobile numbers in over 30 countries, and discounts for calls to over 200 countries. Customers can get T-Mobile ONE Plus International for $25 a month more than the normal One plan.

T-Mobile apparently has some even bigger news to talk about on Jan. 5. That's when the carrier will reveal "what's next" at a press event during the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

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Facebook update brings Live Audio broadcasting to Android devices

The latest Facebook update brings a new Live Audio feature for those who want to live-stream events without using video. Announced in a blog post earlier today, the feature should be super helpful for those who want to tell a story on Facebook with only their words and the audio around them.

Facebook says its new Live Audio feature will not only alert broadcasters if their signal is low, but also present another option for connecting with audiences in real-time from low-connectivity areas. And just like with live video on Facebook, listeners will be able to listen to audio content right from their News Feed, ask questions and leave reactions in real time.

Live Audio users on Android will be able to listen to a broadcast even if they leave the Facebook app or lock their phones, while iOS users will need to stay within the Facebook app to keep listening.

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June 18, 2016

That's not the only big change coming to Facebook, though. The next time you try signing into a third-party app through Facebook, the process may be much quicker than usual.

Facebook has just introduced a new instant verification tool to its latest developer Account Kit SDK, which provides a two-factor authentication system to help verify users and log them in more quickly. When it comes to other two-factor authentication systems, you'd normally need to receive an SMS and enter in a code to get signed in. Now, when you attempt a Facebook login for a third-party website, you'll be able to simply enter your phone number. As long as the phone number you use is the same one that's associated with your Facebook account, you'll be verified and signed in.

It's worth noting that the new verification process only works if you're logged into the Facebook for Android app on the same device. So no using the mobile app, or a Facebook for Android alternative.

If everything checks out, you'll be able to simply enter in your phone number and be logged in right away. If not, you'll receive a one-time password via SMS that you can enter in on your other device. Facebook notes that this new tool will make it much easier to log into services in areas of the world where SMS delivery is less than reliable.

Developers will be able to take advantage of the new feature by integrating the new Facebook SDK into their apps or sites.

Previous updates

HD video upload

December 7: Facebook has quietly added support for the uploading of HD videos in its Android app, which is certainly a welcome change. In addition to HD video upload, Facebook's Android app has gained picture-in-picture mode for video, the ability to download clips to watch them offline, and specific resolution upload options ranging from 72p up to 360p.

Get it from Google Play

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Asus teases phones for CES 2017: new Tango phone and Zenfone 3 Zoom?

CES 2017 is right around the corner and as we start arranging our calendars, OEMs start teasing what to expect. Asus has just done so with a new teaser for its CES reveals, including what looks like hints toward two new smartphone announcements.

The video shows outlines of a device with two different symbols on it: an infinity symbol and a ^ which could be Lambda, a circumflex, carat, turned V, the logical conjunction "and" or Asus' way of telling us to refer to the comment above. Unfortunately, I loaned my copy of The Da Vinci Code to a friend, so perhaps you can share your thoughts in the comments below on what they mean.

One possibility is the upcoming Tango phone Asus has recently been rumored to reveal in Las Vegas next month. The Asus Zenfone AR will reportedly come with "advanced functionality and performance at a competitive price" according to a statement attributed to Asus CEO Jerry Shen.

Likewise, the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom has recently been spotted at China's TENAA certification agency and also at the FCC. It will reportedly feature a massive 4,850 mAh battery and come with a dual camera setup on the back similar to the iPhone 7 Plus.

The video notes that "without preconceptions or boundaries, we are born explorers. Everything that enters our sight is yet another wonder of life". It goes on to say that it is this human nature that pushes us to innovate, "defying our understanding of the ever-widening universe".

Marketing hyperbole aside, it's easy to see how these comments could be referring to the Zenfone 3 Zoom and Zenfone AR respectively. With just two weeks before the games officially begin, we won't have to wait long to find out.

Let us know what you think Asus has in store below.

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