What’s new
Kodak will launch a cryptocurrency called ‘Kodakcoin’
KodakCoin is cryptocurrency for photographers. KodakCoins will work as tokens inside the new blockchain-powered KodakOne image rights platform that can trawl the web and search for copyright violations. The digital currency is meant to create a new economy for photographers to receive payment and sell work on a secure platform. Both the platform and cryptocurrency are supposed to “empower photographers and agencies to take greater control in image rights management”, according to the press release from Kodak.
You can read more here.
Microsoft claims that security patches are slowing down servers and PCs
Microsoft has announced that software patches released to guard against microchip security threats Meltdown and Spectre slowed down some personal computers and servers, with systems running on older Intel processors seeing a noticeable decrease in performance. Microsoft also said that security updates froze some computers using chipsets from AMD.
More info are available here.
New products
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
The phone has a 6-inch OLED screen, Kirin 970 processor and 6GB of RAM. It comes with Android Oreo, 128GB of storage, and a Leica 12 MP dual main camera.
More info here.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus
Galaxy A8 Plus has a 6-inch Super AMOLED display, Exynos 7885 processor and 6 GB RAM, It comes with 64 GB of storage, a 3500 mAh battery and a dual-camera on the front with 16 MP and 8MP sensors.
More info here.
You might want to know about this
Vivo revealed the first in-display fingerprint scanner
Vivo showcased the world’s first ready-to-produce in-display fingerprint scanning smartphone. This latest fingerprint scanning technology delivers a whole new mobile experience by enabling users to unlock their smartphone through one-touch fingerprint scanning directly on the smartphone display.
You can read more here.
Mainstream support for Windows 8.1 has ended
Windows 8.1 devices are still eligible for extended support, which provides security fixes for the OS and will last until January 10, 2023. But, if anything ends up breaking in the OS from now on, Microsoft is no longer obligated to fix it.
More info can be found here.
Fun stuff
AEE Selfly is a phone case that turns into a drone
Selfly is a drone that folds into the back of a phone case, and it includes a camera that can record, live stream and take photos in 1080p and 60fps, using Sony sensors. The Selfly will be available in the spring for $130, with a separate charging hub available for $30.
You can read more here.
