drag2share: Netflix speeds soar on Comcast following controversial deal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/netflix-isp-speeds-connection-deal/

The past few months have been very active for Netflix, as it's faced new challenges with getting its video streams into homes. It responded to customer complaints and dropping average speeds by making a new connection deal with Comcast, while others like AT&T and Verizon also lined up with their hands out. For Comcast users at least, the recent deal between the cable provider and Netflix does seem to be bearing fruit. Thanks to the agreement -- which allows Netflix to connect its network directly with Comcast's infrastructure to bypass the bottlenecked third parties -- average speeds for streams on the network have surged up to 65 percent, going from 1.51Mbps in January to 2.5Mbps in March.

Netflix also notes that it has also seen "early improvements" as a result of its deal with Telenor, an internet service provider in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. "We are dedicated to delivering a great streaming experience and invest in continually improving that experience," states Netflix on its blog. Even if similar deals are on the way with other ISPs, so long as net neutrality only covers traffic over the last mile, Reed Hasting likely has a few more furious Facebook messages in store.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: Netflix

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drag2share: Office comes to the Chrome Web Store along with a slew of upgrades

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/office-online-upgrades/

Microsoft isn't done with Office updates just because it released Office for iPad and made Office Mobile completely free -- it has a bunch of improvements in store for Office Online, too. To start with, Office has reached the Chrome Web Store. You can now launch most of the productivity suite's web apps (Excel is due soon) in the Chrome browser or Chrome OS just by clicking a shortcut. Clearly, the crew from Redmond is no longer averse to supporting your Chromebook.

Each of the apps has received at least one big upgrade at the same time. OneNote Online now offers printing support, while its Excel counterpart finally lets you add comments; PowerPoint accurately previews text, and it's far easier to put footnotes and lists into Word. If you've been holding off on an Office 365 subscription because its web component was lacking, there may be enough tweaks here to justify giving it a second look.

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

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Source: Office Online Blog

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drag2share: Broadcasters' backup plans for thwarting Aereo include live TV streaming

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/broadcaster-backup-plans-for-aereo/

The big US broadcasters are primarily leaning on legal action to shut down Aereo's antenna-based streaming TV service, but what if the startup prevails in court? Apparently, the media giants aren't too worried; they have some backup plans. The Wall Street Journal claims that CBS is considering a subscription-based video service of its own that would offer both live and on-demand shows for a few dollars per month. While it would still include ads, there might also be an option to pay for Showtime's premium programming.

The big providers may not decide to fight Aereo in the marketplace, though. Other options include lobbying Congress for anti-Aereo legislation or even pulling content from over-the-air broadcasting. This last option may be impractical -- it could limit the content that affiliates can offer, hurting both local stations as well as viewers that can't afford (or simply don't want) pay TV. The operators haven't locked down what they plan to do, but Aereo hasn't discussed a failsafe of its own. If it loses its court battle, the networks may not have to lift a finger.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: Wall Street Journal

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drag2share: Google's new terms of service tell you that it's scanning email for ads

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/google-terms-of-service-update/

Many Gmail users know that the service scans email looking for ad keywords, but some have been upset that Google hasn't spelled this out -- enough so that there are several privacy lawsuits underway. The company may have just headed off future trouble, though, by updating its terms of service to clearly state what's taking place. Read through the giant text and you'll see that the company now explicitly warns that "automated systems analyze your content" for the sake of ads, customization and security.

Google tells Reuters that the move is based on feedback from the "last few months" and should provide "even greater clarity" to customers. Both are true, although we'd note that few people read the terms of service for... well, anything. The new language may ultimately be more helpful in educating current account holders than giving concerned newcomers a heads-up.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Via: Reuters

Source: Google

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drag2share: Toshiba's first 4K laptop arrives next week for $1,500

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/15/toshibas-first-4k-laptop-arrives-next-week-for-1-500/

After launching its first 4K laptop in the UK, Toshiba has just announced US availability. Stateside, it'll be called the P55T, but as before, it's a 15.6-inch laptop with 3,840 x 2,160 resolution -- a staggering 282 PPI, if you're scoring at home. Driving all those pixels is AMD's 2GB DDR5 Radeon R9 M265X discrete graphics, 4th-gen Intel core i7 CPU, 16GB DDR3L max memory and a 4K-ready HDMI port. Another hook is Technicolor certification, which ensures that each IPS display is individually calibrated for accurate colors. Along with the included copy of Adobe's Lightroom 5, that'll appeal to photographers and designers -- though the rather anemic 1TB, 5400 RPM mechanical hard drive is a letdown. It'll arrive on April 22nd at $1,500, a price that seems competitive with the few other 4K laptops. Meanwhile, Toshiba also announced some more mainstream models -- hit the break for more on those.

As with the 4K laptop, Toshiba's other new models are similar to those announced in the UK, but with slightly different model names. In brief, you'll get three performance models: the 15.6-inch Satellite S55, 17.3-inch S75 and 14-inch E45. All can be had with up to 1080p resolution, Core i5 or i7 dual-core CPUs (the S55 is also available with an AMD A10 APU), 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Touchscreens are available on the S55t and E45t models. Prices start at $650 for the 14-inch E45.

Finally there's the "everyday stuff" laptops, as Toshiba calls them. Those include the C55/C75 and L55/L75, 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch laptops for each lineup, respectively. As the focus here is on value, the screens have less resolution, with a touchscreen only available on the L55. Toshiba isn't mentioning exact specs, but did say that they'll come with either Intel or AMD CPUs, 12GB of RAM max and up to a 1TB disk drive. The C series will start at $400, while the L models will run $330 and up, with availability for all models starting on June 22nd.

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Source: Toshiba (1), (2)

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