Apple has announced that it will begin charging for its iTunes Radio service from this month’s end. Launched back in 2013 alongside the iOS 7 and available only in the US and Australia, the service has been free (ad-supported) all this while.

Image credit: Eric Risberg/Associated Press

However, that will change as starting January 29, it’ll become paid. Further, you’ll only be able to access the service – which competes with Pandora – if you’re a paid Apple Music subscriber. For those who aren’t already aware, Apple Music costs $9.99 a month.

“We are making Beats 1 the premier free broadcast from Apple and phasing out the ad-supported stations at the end of January,” the Cupertino-based company said in a statement.

“Additionally, with an Apple Music membership, listeners can access dozens of radio stations curated by our team of music experts, covering a range of genres, commercial-free with unlimited skips. The free three-month trial of Apple Music includes…

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Patience is definitely running thin among Lumia users, as the Windows 10 update has proven an even longer and more confusing affair than anyone could have initially predicted. It is clear that Microsoft’s new mobile OS won’t remain reserved for its new offers, like the Lumia 950 and 550 alone and that it will be dissipated as best as possible throughout the ream of legacy devise as well. However, what was initially set to happen around the end of last year was then replace with a vague promise of an early 2016 release frame. But perhaps worse of all is the almost insurmountable confusion regarding the exact list of eligible devices. Everybody seems to have a slightly varying list of devices it deems trustworthy, from early rumors and all the way to official carrier announcements and even the Microsoft website. It doesn’t help either that reports are already flying in of certain Lumia 535 and Lumia 640 devices, receiving the eagerly anticipated OTA.

Luckily, it seems that the US giant has finally come to its senses and decided to put a stop to all the confusion once and for all, or at least seems to intend to do so with a new app it is developing. Dubbed Upgrade Advisor, it is designed to be a one-stop source for Windows 10 update questions, as well as a source for tips on how to prepare your device for the new firmware and most importantly – whether it is eligible for the update at all. The app can already be found within the Microsoft store, but it is still marked as Beta and not available to everyone. Hopefully this will change shortly.

In the meantime, there are a few already known requirements to get the update that we can reiterate for you. First of all, your Lumia needs to have at least 8GB of storage, 1.5GB of which free as a minimum for the installation process to work. Your current software version must also be 8.10.14219.341 or higher, or in other words, you must have the Lumia Denim update already installed. Also, as far as we currently know, the initial Windows 10 build that is going to seed to legacy devices is numbered 10.0.10586.29.

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One of the definitive cornerstones of Microsoft’s Windows 10 platform is the push towards the new Universal Windows apps platform. It is an ambitious undertaking that is already showing great promise and allows developers to quickly reuse code across the Windows 10 ecosystem, regardless of device specifics. Microsoft Continuum for phones perhaps best illustrates the amazing potential of this approach and the progress the US giant has done with apps like Word and Excel.

But, as you may or may not remember, during the final months before the initial Windows 10 release, Microsoft has building up hype about the Universal apps platform even more by talking of almost dream-like easy migration of existing legacy .NET and Win32 apps to the new platform and even more impressively – software written for third party platforms – Android, iOS and the Web. Amidst all the Windows 10 hype, however, many people forgot the utopian promises, which apparently proved a bit too much for the US giant to handle.

Now, however, in a new development, it seems the iOS software bridge project, dubbed “Islandwood” is still under development and perhaps even on track for a release. This newfound hope for the project comes in the shape of an invitation on Microsoft’s website to sign up for the beta test of a new tool for analyzing and testing existing iOS apps in order to determine their potential compatibility with Windows 10. The tool is expected to go live in the coming weeks.

What this means is that the analyzer will attempt to scurry through the software and break down the basic functionalities of the iOS platform and API calls that it uses in order to determine if and how easily they can be remapped to alternatives within the Windows universal apps platform. The next planned step is for Microsoft to release a set of tools for working with Objective C code and migrating iOS apps as part of the Visual studio suite. Actually, that endeavor seems to be in progress as well, considering an early version of said tools is already open sourced and available on GitHub.

Thigs are definitely moving along for the iOS bridge, but sadly, the same can’t really be said about its siblings. Last we heard, the Android bridge, dubbed project “Astoria” was being scrapped or at least put on hold. However, that was back in November 2015 and there might be new, behind the scenes developments, yet to be uncovered. We have even less information about .NET and Wind32 compatibility (project “Centennial”) and Web migration (dubbed “Westminster”).

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The mystery around Samsung’s next flagship line seems to be thickening by the minute. Nobody can still make heads or tails of the often conflicting rumors and definitively deduce exactly how many different Galaxy S7 size, display and chipset variations there will be, nor when each will launch.

As far as we can make out, there will be a total of three sizes and four models. The base Samsung Galaxy S7 will have a flat 5.1″ screen, no curved option. The Galaxy S7 edge will have a bigger 5.5″ screen and there won’t be a flat-screened S7 of that size. The big-screened device, the Galaxy S7+, will have a 6″ screen and will be the only one to have two screen options. A leaked banner also suggests that all but the flat-screen big version will launch simultaneously. And as for chipsets, we have already seen proof, on several occasions of the existence of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 option for all or some of the models and we have no doubt that the rest will use Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 chip.

A newly unearthed pair of certificated out of Indonesia could provide some additional information. It lists two models, SM-G930FD and SM-G935FD. If we break the names down and compare them to the current Galaxy S6 family, there are actually quite a few speculations to be made. First of all, the aforementioned AnTuTu leak backs up the G930 family moniker and it does make sense, since the S6 uses the G920 one, so we are definitely talking about the same device.

Moving on to the next digit, we can’t help but notice that the flat screen S6 and curved S6 edge use the G920 and G925 numbers, respectively, so the aforementioned certification looks to pertain to the pair of allegedly smaller Galaxy S7 models. As for the trailing letters, the “F” most-likely indicates and Exynos chipset, just like the “A” most-likely means a Snapdragon 820 AT&T version. Last, but definitely not least, the FD abbreviation can also be traced to the Galaxy S6 and the SM-G920FD in particular. It is the dual SIM, Exynos version of the handset, designed for Pakistan and the Philippines. If this all adds up the way we think, this means that both the S7 and S7 edge should have a dual Sim alternative on said markets and perhaps in other places as well.

As for the rest of the presumed specs of the Galaxy S7 line, they should carry QHD, Super AMOLED displays, 4GB of RAM and a new Samsung Britecell 12MP main camera. Another rumor talks of a bigger battery, a microSD card slot and perhaps even waterproofing. Currently the big announcement is expected to take place on February 21.

Source (in Indonesian) | Via (in…

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Microsoft has announced a new Xbox One bundle. Dubbed Tom Clancy’s The Division, the bundle includes 1TB Xbox One console, Xbox One wireless controller with 3.5mm headset jack, Tom Clancy’s The Division full game download, and 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial.

“Create your own powerful agent to take back New York City from dangerous factions during a deadly pandemic in Tom Clancy’s The Division, an online, open world RPG experience like no other,” the description read on the bundle’s page on Xbox website. “Team up with friends in co-op on Xbox Live, acquiring new skills and weapons as you investigate the source of the virus and engage in fierce battles together.”

Carrying a price tag of $399, the bundle is now up for pre-order on the Microsoft Store – it is expected to start shipping on March 8. The game is also up for pre-order, with a beta test beginning later his month. Those in the US who pre-order the bundle will also get a code to access the beta test.

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Inline with what the company’s Senior VP Wanqiang Li said last week, Xiaomi co-founder Liwan Jiang has also confirmed that the firm’s upcoming Mi 5 flagship smartphone will be launched in February.

More specifically, Jiang revealed that the device will be unveiled after the Chinese Spring Festival (which falls on February 8 this year), and will be available for purchase a week later.

Specs-wise, it has been officially confirmed that the Mi 5 will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest SD820 chipset. While other specs aren’t yet confirmed, latest rumors say it sports a 5.2″ QHD screen and has 4GB RAM with 16GB as well as 64GB internal memory options.

In terms of camera, the handset features a 16MP main unit and an 8MP front shooter. There’s a 3,600mAh battery to keep the lights on, as well as a fingerprint scanner embedded in the physical Home button on the front.

The flagship is also said to arrive in two different…

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The Xiaomi Mi Pad tablet has received an official price cut in India – its price has been slashed by INR 2,000, which is around $30 at current exchange rates. The news was announced by the Chinese company in a Tweet.

Our favourite #MiPad is now Rs.2000 off! Get yours now at Rs.10,999/- only on https://t.co/D3b3QtmvaT and @Flipkart. http://pic.twitter.com/L5TMbj0pxg— Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) January 15, 2016

Previously available for INR 12,999 (around $190) in the country, the Mi Pad will now set you back INR 10,999 (around $160). Online retailer Flipkart as well as Mi.com are now selling the tablet at the new discounted rate.

Launched in India back in March last year, the Mi Pad comes with a 7.9-inch (2048×1536 pixel resolution) IPS display, NVIDIA Tegra K1 SoC, 2GB/16GB memory configuration, 8 MP rear camera, and 6,700mAh battery. It runs MIUI 6 on top of Android KitKat.

It’s successor – the Mi Pad 2, which was launched in November – is yet to arrive in India.

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After the Coolpad Note 3, the company has launched a smaller and cheaper variant of the phone in the Indian market, the Coolpad Note 3 Lite.

The Note 3 Lite comes with a smaller 5.0-inch 720p display compared to the 5.5-inch display on its bigger brother. It also has a quad-core MediaTek MT6735 chipset, 3GB RAM, and 16GB storage with microSD support. It’s a dual SIM phone with LTE support on both slots. The phone is powered by a 2500mAh battery.

One of the best features of the Coolpad Note 3 was the fingerprint sensor, which made it the cheapest phone on the Indian market to have one. That title now belongs to the Note 3 Lite, as it carries over the fingerprint sensor from the bigger model. It also retains the 13 megapixel camera on the back and 5 megapixel camera on the front.

The Coolpad Note 3 Lite is priced at INR 6,999 ($103) and will be available exclusively on Amazon India. The phone will go on sale on January…

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Samsung will launch the dual SIM variant of its Galaxy Note5 flagship smartphone in India tomorrow. The 32GB model will carry a price tag of INR 51,400 (around $760), while the 64GB model will set you back INR 57,400 (around $845).

“In the high-end segment, we saw a very strong trend of people using dual-SIMs in our A series smartphones,” said Manu Sharma, director-product marketing at Samsung India. “Consumers want a premium device, which has a local SIM and space for another SIM.”

The South Korean company expects to extend its dual-SIM strategy to more flagship devices, including the Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+ in the future. “We will continue doing products that will address an opportunity and we will drive the dual-SIM market in the premium segment, starting with the Note 5,” Sharma…

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The team behind the popular video player application VLC is currently working on the Windows 8.1 version instead of Windows 10 Mobile. This was revealed by the main developer of the app, Thomas Nigro, on Twitter.

.@Nitsiitian We’re working on a Windows 8.1 release and preparing the Windows 10 port, it takes time for many reasons. We’ll give news :)— Thomas Nigro (@ThomasNigro) January 15, 2016

He said the reason the team is still focusing on Win8.1 is because they think there are many Win8.1 devices that won’t receive the Win10 update.

.@JCalMN But currently, honestly, we’re still focusing on Windows 8.1 instead of Windows 10 because we think many WP8.1 won’t receive W10M.— Thomas Nigro (@ThomasNigro) January 15, 2016

Nigro further revealed that although a Win10 port is being prepared, the focus would shift to the Win10 version only “when we think we have a good last release to send to the WP8.1.”

.@JCalMN We’ll start working fully W10/W10M when we think we have a good last release to send to the WP8.1 that will not see W10M.— Thomas Nigro (@ThomasNigro) January 15, 2016

Back in September last year, Nigro revealed that VLC for Windows Phone has hit the 3 million downloads milestone.

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