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Google Nexus 5X to cost Rs 31,900 in India

Google has confirmed that Nexus 5X will start at Rs 31,900 in India and will available from mid-October. The new Nexus 5X is made by LG and features a 5.2-inch display with full HD resolution. The Nexus 5X is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, the same chip now seen on LG’s flagship G4 smartphone. 

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HTC refreshes its lineup with Butterfly 3, upgraded One M9+ Supreme Camera edition

We’re still three weeks away from HTC’s big “fall hero phone” launch event, but the presumptive One A9 is far from the only handset the manufacturer has been working on. A few hours back, prior to Google stealing the spotlight with its new Nexus phone announcements, HTC even managed to unveil a couple new phones of its own, launching the Butterfly 3 and an updated “Supreme Camera” One M9+ for Taiwanese smartphone users.

Butterfly 3 rumors were all over the place earlier this year, but the branding the phone picked up when it ultimately launched in mid-May was the Butterfly J. Nevertheless, this is pretty much the same handset we’re talking about today, finally embracing the Butterfly 3 name for its Taiwan release. The phone sports a 5.2-inch quad HD display, runs a Snapdragon 810, and is armed with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage – with support for microSD expansion. That also means some serious camera hardware, including a 20MP Duo camera and a 13MP front-facer. Sales begin in a little under a month, with pricing that works out to about $600.

The One M9+ is another launch from this past spring, but for this new variant we’re looking at a small spec refresh, as HTC upgrades the phone’s 20MP main camera to a 21MP component. In the process, the old Duo camera secondary sensor gets swapped out for a laser auto-focus system (which you can just make out up top). Together with a phase detection auto-focus system for the camera module, those add up to the upgrades that HTC believes warrants this “Supreme Camera” label. Sales should begin in one week, with a price tag that’s the equivalent of $630.

Source: HTC 1,2

Via: GSM Arena 1,2

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LG Nexus 5X specs

Google has shut off the water to the leaky faucet with its announcement of the Nexus 5X, manufactured by LG. It was announced alongside the Huawei-made Nexus 6P. The 5X has been characterized as the little sibling of the pair with some decent specs (if only a bit stale) at a price range that’s been getting all the spotlight as of late with the OnePlus 2, the Moto X Pure Edition and the ZTE Axon Pro, along with other smartphones.

But does the Nexus 5X’s value weigh out in your favor? It’s $379 for the 16GB option and $429 for 32GB of storage. The rest of the deets are down below:

Nexus 5X specs

Component	Description
Screen size	5.2 inches
Screen type	LCD
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Pixel density	423 ppi
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
Type	64-bit hexa-core
Speed	1.8GHz
GPU	Adreno 418
RAM	2GB LPDDR3
Storage	16GB / 32GB
Camera	12.3-megapixel f/2.0 rear with IR laser-assisted autofocus / 5-megapixel f/2.0 front
Flash	Broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash (rear)
Battery	2700mAh w/ fast charging (~3.8 usage hours from 10 minutes of charging)
OS	Android 6.0 Marshmallow
GSM/EDGE	850/900/1800/1900
UMTS/WCDMA	B1/2/4/5/8
CDMA	BC0/1/10
LTE	B1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/17/20/25/26/29/41
LTE CA DL	B2-B2/B2-B4/B2-B5/B2-B12/B2-B13/B2-B17/B2-B29/B4-B4/B4-B5/B4-B7/B4-B12/B4-B13/B4-B17/B4-B29/B41-B41
SIM type	Single nano-SIM
Status	Unlocked for global use (including for Project Fi)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.2
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO w/ dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz
NFC	Yes
Infared	Yes
Sensors	Fingerprint / accelerometer / gyroscope / barometer / proximity / ambient light / hall / Android Sensor Hub
Build	Injection molded polycarbonate
Dimensions	147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm / 136g

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Huawei Nexus 6P specs

In addition to pull the covers off of LG’s Nexus 5X, Google made official its Nexus phablet entry for the year,the Nexus 6P. It’s built by Huawei and certainly packs the innards to be a 2015 flagship. From its weirdo headpiece on the back containing its camera to the full body metal trim, this thing’s definitely a looker — for good or bad reason.

But with the size and specs come a premium — the 32GB storage option comes in at $499, 64GB will cost you $549 and the 128GB model comes in at $599. It definitely costs less than comparable flagships fromApple and Samsung. But where does all that cash go to? Find out here:

Nexus 6P specs

Component	Description
Screen size	5.7 inches
Screen type	AMOLED
Resolution	2560 x 1440
Pixel density	518 ppi
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
Type	64-bit octa-core
Speed	2.0GHz
GPU	Adreno 430
RAM	3GB LPDDR4
Storage	32GB / 64GB / 128GB
Camera	12.3-megapixel f/2.0 rear with IR laser-assisted autofocus / 8-megapixel f/2.4 front
Flash	Broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash (rear)
Battery	3450mAh w/ fast charging (~7 usage hours from 10 minutes of charging)
OS	Android 6.0 Marshmallow
GSM/EDGE	850/900/1800/1900MHz
UMTS/WCDMA	B1/2/4/5/8
CDMA	BC0/1/10
LTE	B2/3/4/5/7/12/13/17/25/26/29/30/41
LTE CA DL	B2-B2/B2-B4/B2-B5/B2-B12/B2-B13/B2-B17/B2-B29/B4-B4/B4-B5/B4-B13/B4-B17/B4-B29/B41-B41
SIM type	Single nano-SIM
Status	Unlocked for global use (including Project Fi)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.2
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO w/ dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz
NFC	Yes
Infared	Yes
Sensors	Fingerprint / accelerometer / gyroscope / barometer / proximity / ambient light / hall / Android Sensor Hub
Build	Anodized aluminium
Dimensions	159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3 mm / 168g

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security firm discovers Linux botnet that hits with 150 Gbps DDoS attacks

Akamai announced on Tuesday that its Security Intelligence Response Team has discovered a massive Linux-based botnet that's reportedly capable of downing websites under a torrent of DDoS traffic exceeding 150 Gbps. The botnet spreads via a Trojan variant dubbed XOR DDoS. This malware infects Linux systems via embedded devices like network routers then brute forces SSH access. Once the malware has Secure Shell credentials, it secretly downloads and installs the necessary botnet software, then connects the newly-infected computer to the rest of the hive.

Security researchers had been aware of XOR DDoS since last year but have just recently noticed the effects of the botnet itself. According to Akamai, the network strikes around 20 times a day, though 90 percent of its targets are various businesses in Asia -- typically gambling and educational sites. What's troubling isn't the scope of attacks but rather the size. This botnet is capable of driving anywhere from a couple Mbps to over 150 Gbps of traffic every minute at its targets. That upper figure is many times more than what even most multinational corporate networks can handle. It's the digital equivalent of hunting mosquitos with a hydrogen bomb.

"A decade ago, Linux was seen as the more secure alternative to Windows environments, which suffered the lion's share of attacks at the time, and companies increasingly adopted Linux as part of their security-hardening efforts," Akamai told PC World. "As the number of Linux environments has grown, the potential opportunity and rewards for criminals has also grown." As such, anyone with a Linux rig is strongly advised to review their existing security implementations and harden them accordingly.

[Image Credit: Anirban Basu / Alamy]

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Google Pixel C

Say hello to the first-ever Android tablet built by Google. It's the Pixel C, and just like how the Chromebook Pixel was the creme de la creme of Chromebooks, the Pixel C looks to be Google's attempt at making the best-ever 2-in-1 Android tablet it could possibly make. And yes, it appears to be Google's answer to the Microsoft Surface as well. My initial impression? It's gorgeous. Crafted out of anodized aluminum, the Pixel C is superslim, smooth to the touch, light as a feather and is quite simply one of the most elegant tablets -- nay, gadgets period -- that I've ever held in my hands.

Indeed, the Pixel C essentially looks like the little brother to the Chromebook Pixel. Its aluminum shell has that same look and feel and it has a USB Type-C port (which is new to this year's line of Chromebook Pixels) and a gorgeous display. Specifically, it has a 10.2-inch display with a 2,560 x 1,800 resolution (308 ppi), 500 nits of brightness and a reportedly wide coverage of the sRGB color gamut. All of which comes together in a beautiful and stunning-looking screen that really showcases Android's new Marshmallow operating system.

And while that 10.2-inch size might seem a little odd, it was specifically designed that way to mimic the size of standard A4 paper. It's really thin at only 7mm -- I almost felt like it would slip out of my fingers due to how skinny it was (the smooth surface didn't help either). It also feels light for its size -- about a pound according to a Google spokesperson. A nice little addition is a light-up bar that, well, lights up to tell you how much charge the tablet has. Simply tap the tablet's rear twice to see it. On the back is an 8-megapixel camera while a 2-megapixel camera will greet your smiling face on the front. As for the internals, we're told it has an NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor and 3GB of memory.

The C in Pixel C stands for "convertible," and it's called that because of an optional keyboard. The genius here is that instead of attaching via a cumbersome dock, the tablet connects to the keyboard via magnets. There's a special flip-up backstop on the keyboard that automatically self-aligns to the tablet's rear, at which point you can position the tablet as a display. Unlike a lot of other tablet keyboards that have only one or two positions, the keyboard on the Pixel C has variable positions -- from flat all the way to a very steep angle (although not quite 90 degrees).

Held with magnets, the keyboard's hold on the tablet is actually very strong -- I was able to turn the whole thing upside-down and shake it vigorously without it falling off. In order to separate the keyboard and the tablet, I was encouraged to "snap" the two apart like you would a breadstick or a Kit Kat bar; that's how strong the hold was.The keyboard itself is designated as a "full keyboard" and it certainly feels that way. But in reality it's about 99 percent of a full keyboard because the sides have been chopped off a tad. A spokesperson tells us that a normal keyboard has 19mm pitch, but the Pixel C's add-on comes in at 18.85mm. Using it for a short period, I really liked the travel of the keys. It reminds me a lot of the Chromebook Pixel -- the chiclet keys are separated and tactile enough for me to touch type. I did make a few typographical errors here and there, but it could just be me not being used to the layout. I really like that the keyboard has a nice padded palm rest too, which is not what you can say for a lot of tablet keyboards out there.

And of course, you can simply turn it the other way round to make the whole thing a smooth portable slab. Even with the attachment, the tablet is still nice and lightweight as the keyboard is only about two or so mm thicker. On the whole I'm pretty impressed with what I got to see here. It's obviously top-notch hardware with a beautiful design and I can't wait to see how it performs in the real world. If you want to try it for yourself, you'll have to wait until the holidays to get it. The 32GB version will cost you $499 while the 64GB is $599. And if you want that keyboard, it'll cost you $149 extra.

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Meet the Nexus 6P

After last year's unwieldy attempt, Google had to think a little more carefully about how its nerd-friendly Nexus line should work and feel. Rather than just offer one new phone today, Google showed off two -- the Nexus 5X and 6P -- meant for different subsets of people. The former? It provides enough horsepower for the masses in a body that normal humans won't have trouble carrying (and I'll have a deeper dive ready shortly). The 6P, on the other hand, is the more sophisticated cousin, and more impressive than it might look at first glance.

First off, it's just as sleek and light as you'd expect a modern Huawei phone to be -- the designs might be different, but you can definitely feel some of the P8's unibody metal DNA here. In fact, it's just that devotion to metal that drew Google to Huawei in the first place. As an Android team staffer casually mentioned while showing me the phone, Huawei is one of only a few companies that can make these unibody metal chassis at scale, and that sturdier direction is what Google was gunning for this year.

Sturdier, in this case, doesn't mean "heavier." Like the fantastic-in-plastic 5X, the Nexus 6P feels almost impossibly light, belying the power of the revised Snapdragon 810 with 3GB of RAM thrumming away inside. Can we real talk for a moment? It feels great. It might seem a little tricky putting a chipset with that much power into a slim metal frame, but nothing we could do with it here at the venue could make the thing overheat. Yet another nail in the coffin of those persistent rumors about the 810's heat-management problems. Anyway, that much power should ensure the 6P runs nice and snappy, which is exactly what I experienced while I was fiddling around with the phone and testing out some of Android 6.0 Marshmallow's newer features. Throw in a nicely saturated, 5.7-inch WQHD display that showed off some sweet, deep blues and the 6P's broad strokes are very encouraging ones.



One of the last big question marks leading up to today's show was the big, black bar that swallowed up the 12.3-megapixel rear camera lens. Turns out, it's actually hiding quite a lot. I'm told that next to the camera and two-tone LED flash is the near-invisible laser autofocus module and a whole host of coils and antennas to help with connectivity. That's the problem with metal bodies, right? Too much metal could mean WiFi, cellular or NFC signals get snuffed out, so Google and Huawei shoehorned a bunch of them behind that black plastic bar. Aesthetically it's still a little weird, but it's a neat engineering solution that should get the job done -- we'll bring the full low-down once we get a review unit. Same goes for the ballyhooed camera that Google and Huawei dropped into this thing; the shots we got in this dim event space were better than I'd expected, but they require even more scrutiny.

Despite spending about a half hour with the phone, I'm still a little surprised it's a Huawei. Yes, the company makes good, well-built devices. I simply didn't expect Google to give it a public pat on the back like this. Being tapped to build a Nexus phone is no sure sign that a company will find huge success, but it is a very nice gesture toward a company that has made many great phones without a glut of admiration.

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Windows 10 Mobile bug allows Lumia to run Android, at least briefly

Windows 10 Mobile is not just a new version of Windows Phone for new and existing devices, but also a minor paradigm shift in the way Microsoft does things. In the past the struggle to find developers for the platform was clear, but now Microsoft’s approach has shifted to allowing Android apps to run on its new mobile OS. If that statement gave you a brief smile while imagining a Lumia running Android, well there seems to be proof to that, at least briefly.
A recent video was published showing a Lumia 830 running Android 5.0.2 after a bug was discovered in the Android runtime that makes running Android apps possible on Windows 10 mobile. The only sad part is that we wished the hackers would’ve never revealed this, as Microsoft is apparently already working on a fix that will squash the bug. The video is still available, and it the existence of this bug would’ve given some extra light to the use of Windows 10 Mobile, even though we know the quirks involved.

Windows 10 Mobile is reportedly almost set for a final launch in the next few weeks, but then again, that’s what we also heard a few weeks ago

video

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List of HTC phones to be updated to Android Marshmallow leaked

Marshmallow is bouncing toward our Android phones left, right and center. It all begins with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P that we are expecting to be introduced during the Google event in San Francisco tomorrow. HTC is also coming out with an early debutante to the fluff. But the One A9 will be in good, mallowy company.
While some One series devices will obviously get the M update with Sense UI 7 in tow, we now have a more inclusive list of which devices from other lineups will make the jump as well.


LlabTooFeR @LlabTooFeR

List of devices that get Android M + Sense 7 Desire EYE, 816,820,826 HTC One M8,M8s, M8 EYE,E8 HTC One M9, M9+, ME, E9, E9+ Butterfly 2, 3

Follow

LlabTooFeR @LlabTooFeR

Note that list is preliminary, some devices with lack of internal storage like Desire 816 may not receive Android M update.

5:49 PM - 26 Sep 2015

The inclusion of some of the earlier smartphones from the Desire 800 series comes as a little bit of a surprise, but it’s great that the mid-rangers list is as big as it is.
Are you looking forward to an fluffy software upgrade from HTC?


Via: PhoneArena 

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No more “Play” in Google Play Store? (Update: screenshots debunked)

user was running Cyanogenmod v. 12, which is compatible with a theme called MaterialUP, available here on the Play Store (still). Gaurav Garg, one of our readers, has been able to achieve the same results with the skin and has posted the screenshots below. Thanks for the support!
All that said, it is a surprise in any fashion to have a new moniker for the Google Play Store if there is little evidence from Google that things will officially change. There’s also the fact that the text brand asset has yet to be updated with the new Google logo. That’s a major branding oversight from a tech giant. But then again, app developers can tuck and trim their creations at their whims. Hopefully, we’ll see what whims the developer had.We’re attempting to get comment from the app developer and will report back if we hear from him.




Our original story is below:
There’s some speculation going on about the possible evolution of the Google Play Store in time for another Google event — namely, it’s the name of the Google Play Store. It was originally introduced back in 2008 as the Android Market, the name of which was basically a way of conveying a store without saying “store.” Because Apple. It was in 2012 that it converged with Google’s existing eBooks and music efforts into the Play Store, a branding strategy that put users in a position of power (to play) and was open-ended enough to include plenty of “playable” products in Google’s roundhouse.
Now, we’re seeing screenshots showing up with a new moniker for the combined marketplace: Google Store






Google Store originally sold hardware. It may be that this identity will be extended to pretty much everything that Google can feasibly sell. The move also fixes up the whole mouthiness of what the “Google Play Edition” devices gave us in the Play Store. But given the latest development on what Google Play Music will be doing soon, we might find that things won’t be vastly changing during tomorrow’s event.
Really though, is Play too passé now? We’re about to find out to what extent.
Source: Brandon Nunn (Google+)

Via: Droid Life

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The mother of all leaks: Everything about the Google Nexus 6P is out in the open

Yes, the Huawei-manufactured, Google-sanctioned Nexus 6P gradually let its key selling points slip during the past few weeks, including a sophisticated design, snazzy quartet of paint jobs, all-accommodating storage options, Snapdragon 810 SoC, 5.7-inch Quad HD display, and 3GB RAM.
But now all the inside information has come together in one monumental exposé, mere hours ahead of the grand San Francisco press event where the LG Nexus 5X is also expected to once and for all confirm the recent rumor bonanza.
Anything that this cluster of slides for “reviewers and presenters” doesn’t reveal or corroborate? Actually, yes. There’s no mention of price tags, essentially the only major question mark left unanswered, and a commercial launch date is likewise missing, although October 5 has been bandied about of late.

The “slim” metal unibody is brought up more than once in the internal documents as a main differentiator between the Nexus 6P and previous vanilla Android-running handhelds, and we must admit the somewhat controversial design is starting to grow on us.
The camera hump is less conspicuous than back when the first live pics made their way online, and since it promises stellar low-light performance, we’re no longer bothered by the rear snapper’s sub-flagship 12.3 megapixel count.
Around the front, you’ll get 8MP for the best possible selfies, as well as dual speakers for top-notch sound. The circular fingerprint sensor placed on the back’s phone is said to “match a natural grip” and will register different profiles for more than one user, while the USB Type-C connector should ensure “faster charging and quicker data transfer rates” in addition to basic reversibility.





At 178 grams, the Nexus 6P is comfortable enough in its skin to pack a massive 3,450 mAh battery, good for “all day and into the night” endurance, capable of quick charging, and optimized for higher energy efficiency with a new Android Marshmallow feature called Doze.
The aluminum, graphite, frost, and gold color options are (un) officially set in stone, the same for 32/64/128GB storage, as well as Gorilla Glass 4 screen coating, and a 7.3mm waist. Not too shabby!

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Dell will use recycled carbon fiber in Alienware and Latitude products

Later this year, Dell will increase the amount of recycled materials that it uses to make its products. Before the end of 2015, the company will begin using excess carbon fiber and other scrap materials in a few Alienware and Latitude devices. The effort with expand across those two lines in 2016 as the Dell says its plan to use the recycled carbon fiber is "an industry first." The company is teaming up with the supplier SABIC on the initiative, and it says estimates show the duo can keep 820,000 pounds of carbon fiber from hitting landfills. The computer maker began using recycled plastics for enclosures back in 2014, re-using 4.2 million pounds since that time in a number of displays and its OptiPlex desktops.

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What to expect from Google's Nexus and Android event

What better way to close out the busy month of September than with a Google event? Nearly three weeks after Apple announced its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the search giant is preparing to do the same, with a keynote of its own tomorrow in San Francisco. But while the event will likely focus on a refreshed set of Nexus handsets and the upcoming public release of Android Marshmallow, there are signs that Google is also planning to deliver a couple new Chromecast products -- including one that's all about audio. We also wouldn't be surprised to hear more about Android Wear, especially since we've seen a number of new devices introduced over the past month, like Motorola's second-generation 360 and the Huawei Watch. All will be revealed tomorrow, but for now, let's break down the leaks and rumors.

The Nexus 5X and 6P

Almost a year after its release, Google's Nexus 6 isn't exactly what we'd call a hit. The reasons? Its battery life was nothing to write home about, while the camera left much to be desired. Also, some people weren't willing to give up a comfortable one-handed experience in exchange for a large screen. Google might've been better off having a smaller option for them, rather than a single massive phone. But now, the company seems to want to get back to the days of the successful, LG-made Nexus 5, one of its best smartphones to date -- both in terms of software and hardware. To do so, it appears the company is teaming up with LG yet again, this time on a device called the Nexus 5X, which actually looks a lot like the Nexus 5, if these leaked images are to be believed.

Under the hood, the 5X reportedly packs a 5.2-inch (1080p) display, Snapdragon 808 processor, up to 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera, fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C port. It also looks like you'll have a variety of colors to choose from, including black, white and a less traditional (but pretty) mint green. According to multiple news outlets, the Nexus 5X is also said to be priced starting at $380 for the 16GB model, or $100 more for 32GB.

Now, back to smartphones with big screens. This year, Google appears to be taking a slightly different approach than in years past, announcing two Nexus phones simultaneously. According to the rumor mill, Google is partnering with not only LG, but also Huawei. Leaks suggest that the Chinese firm is making the larger of the two Nexuses, the 6P. It reportedly features a 5.7-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 display, Snapdragon 810 processor, a fingerprint sensor on the back, dual front speakers, USB Type-C and a beefy 3,450mAh battery. Of the two, this would obviously be pegged as the higher-end model, but that's not to say the Nexus 5X isn't also appealing on paper. Android Police says pricing is set to be $500 for the 32GB version.

Not surprisingly, both will run Marshmallow at launch, although Google has yet to confirm a release date for its new software. Let's not forget the fingerprint-reading scanners either: These will be the first Nexus devices to offer this feature, which you'll need to take advantage of the soon-to-be released Android Pay. For the sake of all our impatient readers out there, let's hope Google starts selling these new Nexus phones as soon as tomorrow, or at least puts them up for pre-order.

Android Marshmallow

Speaking of Android Marshmallow, chances are we'll learn more about its release date; other than revealing the OS' official name, Google has been stingy on details. Still, we do know that one main feature Marshmallow brings to the table is support for fingerprint readers, so it's nice (and unsurprising) to see that both Nexus 5X and 6P apparently support this kind of authentication.

Beyond that, there's probably going to be talk about when Marshmallow is expected to hit existing devices. Of course, Google's own Nexus smartphones will be first in line to receive the update, but here's hoping carriers and OEMs don't take their sweet time to bring it to as many handsets as possible.

Chromecast... for audio?

Android Wear, Android TV and everything else

All signs point toward Nexus, Android and Chromecast being the standouts at tomorrow's event. But, don't be surprised if we hear more about Android Wear compatibility with Marshmallow, as well as upgrades to Android TV and Android Auto.

We'll be liveblogging the action as it happens tomorrow, so be sure to tune into our dedicated page at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET

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Sony doesn't see a market for a PlayStation Vita sequel

You may be jonesing for a follow-up to the PlayStation Vita, but Sony isn't so sure that it's a wise idea. The company's Shuhei Yoshida told those at a recent developer session that the "climate is not healthy" for a Vita sequel. Simply put, he believes that smartphones have dampened enthusiasm for gaming handhelds. Why get a dedicated device and buy games when you can play free games on the device you already have? He hopes that the culture of portable gaming will live on, but he doesn't currently see Sony fostering that culture with new hardware.


Yoshida is right in that mobile gaming has had an impact -- even Nintendo has given in to pressure to develop phone games after saying that it wouldn't. As Kotaku points out, though, Sony's reluctance to make another Vita may stem more from its own troubles than the market. Sony hasn't really given the Vita the blockbuster first-party games that sell systems (many of them are minor offshoots of existing franchises), and hasn't lavished nearly as much marketing attention on the Vita as it has the PS3 and PS4. Why would you buy a handheld that perpetually lives in the shadow of its TV-based siblings? While there's no guarantee that a Vita replacement would fare any better (even if it hits all the right marks), Sony would have a stronger argument if it had devoted more energy to the portable it's already selling.

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Google and NASA extend their D-Wave quantum computing contracts

D-Wave, a Canadian quantum computing firm, announced on Monday that a consortium between Google, NASA and the USRA (Universities Space Research Association) has agreed to extend its existing contract with the company for another seven years. This new agreement will see the existing 500-qubit D-Wave Two hardware remain at NASA Ames research center as well as install new quantum computers as they are invented. The Google-led consortium employs these computing platforms to study how the emerging technology could help develop AI and machine learning systems. NASA specifically uses the computer to generate better mission-control supports.

[Image Credit: NASA]

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Microsoft will deliver low-cost broadband to 500,000 rural Indian villages

A major partnership with Google putting free Wi-Fi in 400 train stations wasn't the only major network news coming from India today. The Indian government also announced on Monday that it will pair with Microsoft to bring low-cost broadband connectivity to half a million villages throughout the subcontinent. That should help at least some of the estimated 4 million people that go without internet connectivity every year

"We believe that lost-cost [sic] broad band connectivity coupled with the scale of cloud computing intelligence that can be harnessed from data can help drive creativity, efficiency and productivity across governments and businesses of all sizes," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during a news conference. The plan will work the same way as Microsoft's previous efforts in Africa, leveraging unutilized white-space spectrum to deliver a broadband connection. Further details on the plan's implementation and rollout are expected to be announced in the coming days.

[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]

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