What’s new
The stakes are rising in Google’s antitrust fight with Europe
Over the next two weeks the technology giant will respond to the various antitrust allegations by the European Commission. They come in three buckets: that Google abuses the dominance of its Android operating system (to which it has to respond by today); that the firm has been blocking rivals in online-search advertising (November 3rd); and that it has favored its own shopping-comparison services over rivals (November 7th). In a few months the commission will hand down its verdicts, which are apt to include hefty fines. For Google, Europe’s lengthy effort to rein in how the search giant operates in the region represents a potential threat to the billions of dollars it earns annually from selling online advertising and other, often dominant, digital services across the Continent and beyond. But Google has plenty of opportunities to appeal and the final verdict won’t arrive for years.
You can read more here.
Swiss railway ticket machines will soon sell Bitcoin digital currency
Switzerland’s national rail service (SBB) plans to start selling the digital currency Bitcoin at stations next month. From 11 November, customers will be able to trade Swiss francs for Bitcoins using ticket machines. They will not be able to buy tickets with the web-based currency, though. To buy Bitcoins, would-be purchasers will have to give a mobile phone number for identification.
Transactions will be capped at 500 Swiss Francs (£415 / $500) each. One Bitcoin currently equals around 708.64 Swiss Francs, but it is possible to buy fractions of the currency. The ticket machine system may prove popular with people who have struggled to buy Bitcoins through their bank accounts, as many have reported high fees for international transactions and a delay before their funds arrive.
More info are available here.
New products
Huawei MediaPad M3
Huawei MediaPad M3 is perhaps one of the most premium Android tablets to land in the market this year. That is, a tablet that boasts of high-end, or near high-end specs, like a Kirin 950 (not 955) processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of storage, and an odd 8.4-inch 2560×1600 screen. While it might not exactly have high-end cameras like some tablets, it does flaunt an audio system that tries to play in the big leagues. In terms of design, the MediaPad M3 borrows a few cues from its smartphone cousin, the Huawei P9, particularly in the “visor” that surrounds the rear camera. The brushed metal look also makes the tablet look like an overgrown version of the smartphone.
You can read a full review here.
iPhone 8 will have OLED screen, confirms Sharp executive
Rumors about the iPhone 8 have already surfaced online with reports pouring in about the next generation iPhone. In particular, what has been talked about the most so far, has been the iPhone 8’s look and design. What had been expected in the iPhone 7, could be brought in the iPhone 8. The most recent report pointed out that the iPhone 8 will come in three size variants of 4.7-inch, 5-inch and 5.5-inch. The latest news on the iPhone 8 is that Apple will use curved OLED display.
More info here.
You might want to know about this
Samsung considering offering Galaxy Note 7 customers discounts on new Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and Note 8 upon release
Samsung is in full crisis mode with its Galaxy Note 7 cancellation, as reports say loyal users will abandon future devices from the company. In an effort to make up for its Galaxy Note 7 blunder, the company is reportedly considering Note 7 customers a discount offer on next year’s Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 (if the company doesn’t kill the Note series entirely). It will be interesting to see if Samsung actually goes through with this plan and how much of an impact it will have on regaining customer confidence in its new smartphones.
You can read more here.
Police arrested a hacker who allegedly triggered a DDoS attack on the 911 emergency call system
An Arizona teen is discovering why you should think very carefully about sharing exploits online: you don’t know what people will do with them… or in some cases, that you’re sharing the right exploits. He was arrested after he publicly posted a version of iOS-based JavaScript attack that he thought would only deliver annoying pop-ups, but actually made bogus 911 calls. In the Phoenix region, there were so many hang-up calls (there were 1,849 link clicks in total) that there was the “potential danger” of emergency phone services going down. Reportedly, he was only trying to prank friends with the public post and slipped up by releasing the wrong code.
More info can be found here.
Fun stuff
Google is celebrating Halloween with an adorable, ghastly game
Google’s new doodle gets into the Halloween spirit a bit early this year with a browser game. A magical academy has been overrun by ghosts and ghouls! A cat named Momo accidentally summoned a spirit, which stole the school’s master spellbook.
This is a really clever game. Players disperse the ghosts by drawing the symbol hovering over their heads: A V and inverted V, horizontal and vertical lines, and lightning bolts. Players draw a heart to replenish their lives.
You can read more here.
