Rugged Turing Phone to Run on Sailfish OS, Not Android

Turing Robotic Industries this week announced that it has uninstalled Google's Android mobile platform in favor of Jolla's Sailfish OS in its yet-to-appear secure smartphone. The Turing Phone, molded from a single unit of the Liquidmorphium liquid-metal alloy, is designed to be more durable to absorb shocks and prevent screen breakage. Preorder pricing ranges from $610 for the 16-GB version to $870 for the 128-GB model. TRI started taking preorders for the smartphone last year.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/1PX9kRS

Apple Pencils In March 15 for 4-Inch iPhone Launch

Apple is planning an event to unveil a refresh of its iPhone 5s and its Apple Watch, as well as to introduce a new version of its iPad Air, according to a Tuesday report. However, the event date could change, or the company could opt for an online announcement. The 4-inch Phone 5se reportedly will look similar to the 5s and sell at the same price point -- $450 -- but it will have a faster processor, Apple's A9 chip and support for Apple Pay.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/1o9noLO

Fitbit's Alta Is Dressed to Kill

Fitbit has unveiled a new fitness tracker that highlights muted colors and fashion-forward design elements. The Alta, priced at $129, has a brushed, stainless steel body that supports interchangeable bands, so that it doesn't stand out for the wrong reasons. Consumers can select bands from the Classic line, available in plum, teal, black and blue for $30 each. They can step up the style with hide-leather Luxe bands that come in graphite and lush pink for $60 each, or take it up another notch with a hand-polished stainless steel band for $100.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/1TEMZbD

MIT Team Runs Victory Lap in 1st Hyperloop Competition

A team from MIT won the best overall design award in the first round of the Hyperloop pod design contest, held last weekend at Texas A&M University. About 120 teams participated in the event. The MIT entry focused on speed, braking, stability and levitation. Powerful magnets placed over a conducting plate -- the aluminum SpaceX track -- will accomplish levitation in an actual pod. The magnets generate lift. The MIT team's capsule, which is about 8 feet long and 3 feet wide, weighs about 550 pounds. It's not meant to hold people or cargo.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/1SYEetB

T-Mobile Wins OpenSignal Speed Tests

T-Mobile's 700-MHz rollout has given its mobile users some of the fastest data speeds in the U.S. market, according to a report OpenSignal released Tuesday. OpenSignal crowdsources data on carrier signal quality from users who have its consumer mobile application installed. T-Mobile has the fastest 4G LTE download speeds in the country, overtaking Verizon by a slight edge. Its expanded LTE coverage is almost identical to AT&T's coverage and is closing the gap with Verizon's coverage, according to the "State of Mobile Networks: USA" report.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/20H58Y6

Europe, US Cut 11th Hour Safe Harbor Deal

Europe and the United States on Tuesday announced a new Safe Harbor agreement that neutralizes the threat of enforcement actions against domestic companies handling overseas data. Called the "EU-US Privacy Shield," the agreement aims to protect the privacy of data belonging to European citizens when it's handled by U.S. companies. "The new EU-US Privacy Shield will protect the fundamental rights of Europeans when their personal data is transferred to U.S. companies," said EU Commissioner Vera Jourová.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/208PpPn

Harvard Researchers Debunk Warnings of Terrorists 'Going Dark'

The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University on Monday released a report that questions the so-called "going dark" phenomenon. The U.S. government and its surveillance and law enforcement agencies have been calling for an end to encryption because they say it lets terrorists communicate and plan with impunity and is responsible for going dark -- the inability of law enforcement to monitor communications. That's not true, according to the Berkman Center.

from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/20F5FKi