Moto G5 Plus Now Available via Amazon India as Well

HIGHLIGHTS

• Moto G5 Plus now available via Amazon India
• The smartphone is priced at Rs. 16,999 for 4GB RAM variant
• It was earlier exclusive to Flipkart

Lenovo brand Moto launched the mid-range Moto G5 Plus in March as an exclusive to Flipkart, while the Moto G5 was available only on Amazon India. It now seems like the Moto G5 Plus will also be available on Amazon India as the smartphone has been listed on the e-commerce website. The Moto G5 Plus was launched in India starting at a price Rs. 14,999 for the 3GB RAM+16GB options, and Rs. 16,999 for the 4GB RAM+32GB variant. Notably, Amazon India only lists the 32GB storage variant, while on Flipkart the 16GB variant is marked as unavailable. The smartphone is available in Gold and Lunar Grey on both the e-commerce sites. Apart from online availability, Gadgets 360 learnt earlier this month that the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are now also available through offline retailers. To recall, the Moto G5 Plus sports a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It is powered by a 2GHz Snapdragon 625 octa-core SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM. Notably, the Moto G5 Plus along with the Moto G5 are the first in the series to sport an all-metal design, built using diamond-cut high-grade aluminium 6000. In our review of the handset, we found that the smartphone's metal body and pure Android Nougat experience are some of the winning points at this price point. The smartphone also features a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual autofocus pixels, 4K video recording, an f/1.7 aperture, and dual-LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a wide-angle lens. Connectivity options on the Moto G5 Plus include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, Bluetooth v4.2, 3.5mm audio jack, and Micro-USB. It packs a 3000mAh battery with support for TurboPower charging that will provide six hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging.

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Uber SVP Michael Out, CEO Travis Kalanick Could Take a Leave of Absence

A key Uber executive left the company Monday as the ridesharing giant prepared to release results of a far-reaching independent inquiry into misconduct and ethical practices. A source familiar with the matter said Emil Michael, a senior vice president reported to be close to chief executive Travis Kalanick, was out at Uber, without providing details. Uber was bracing for more turmoil - with some news outlets saying Kalanick himself may take a leave of absence - as a report prepared by former US attorney general Eric Holder was to be given to employees Tuesday. Uber's board met Sunday with Holder and consultant Tammy Albarran to discuss the findings and "unanimously voted to adopt all the recommendations" of the report, according to the source. The recommendations were not immediately known, but Uber is facing pressure to rein in its no-holds-barred management style led by Kalanick and to reform a workplace culture criticized for discrimination and cutthroat practices. Uber also faces questions about its covert use of law enforcement-evading software and tactics apparently aimed at disrupting rivals in the ridesharing business. As part of the revamping at Uber, Nestle executive Wan Ling Martello was named as an independent board member, according to the source close to the company. Michael had been linked to a number of questionable practices at Uber, media reports said, including a visit to a South Korean escort-karaoke bar and an attempt to dig up embarrassing information on journalists. An email from Michael announcing his departure said he would be replaced by another vice president, David Richter, according to The New York Times, which first reported Michael's departure.

Moment of truth

It remained unclear what further changes will be made at Uber, which is the world's richest venture-backed startup valued at some $68 billion (roughly Rs. 4,38,485 crores). "It's safe to say that this week will be the week we finally learn just how committed Travis Kalanick and the rest of the senior leadership team at Uber is to meaningful cultural change," said Jan Dawson, an analyst with Jackdaw Research. The report comes after a series of embarrassing revelations for the company over the past few months. Last week, Uber said it had fired 20 people following preliminary results of the investigation, after examining 215 claims of discrimination, harassment, unprofessional behavior, bullying, retaliation and "physical security." The company also ousted Eric Alexander, who headed Asia-Pacific operations, after reports said he read and discussed medical information about a woman raped in India in 2014 during an Uber ride. Last month, Uber fired executive Anthony Levandowski, who came from Google's self-driving car unit now known as Waymo, for failing to meet a deadline to turn over information for an internal investigation. Waymo's lawsuit contends that Levandowski in December 2015 downloaded files from a highly confidential design server to a laptop and took the data with him to the startup. Top engineering executive Amit Singhal resigned in February after the ride-sharing titan learned he ended his career at Google after a sexual harassment complaint, reports said. In March, Uber's president Jeff Jones resigned after just six months. The woes so far have not hit Uber's growth trajectory, but some analysts say its problems won't fixed without a change in leadership. Uber does not file full financial reports but indicated its bookings last year doubled to $20 billion, with net revenue totaling $6.5 billion and an adjusted net loss of $2.8 billion not counting China operations that it sold. Trip Chowdhry, analyst at Global Equities Research, said Uber is not on the verge of collapse but "they have to reinvent themselves" and "the valuation will be reset." "They have no focus, no strategy - they're like rabbits running to the left and to the right with no direction," Chowdhry said.

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WhatsApp to Stop Working on Nokia Symbian, BlackBerry OS on June 30

HIGHLIGHTS

• WhatsApp will end support for BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10
• Support for Nokia S40, and Nokia S60 platforms also dropped
• Users can upgrade to a new device or platform to continue using WhatsApp

If you are among those still using a dated software platform, then it's time you start look for alternatives of WhatsApp. As promised, WhatsApp will be ending support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40, and Nokia S60 platforms on June 30. This step comes after the Facebook-owned brand decided in November to delay ending support for the ageing BlackBerry and Nokia software from December 2016 to June 2017. Support for Android 2.2 Froyo, iOS 6, and Windows Phone 7 was ended by WhatsApp in December last year. The most widely used instant messaging app had last year announced that it will drop support for a few platforms. The company later extended the support until June 2017 after BlackBerry expressed its disappointment with WhatsApp's decision to abandon the platform. WhatsApp gave the reasoning that the dated platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities it needs to expand the app's features in the future. In its Support page, WhatsApp explains, "These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future. If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer OS version, or to a newer Android running OS 2.3.3+, iPhone running iOS 7+, or Windows Phone 8+ so that you can continue using WhatsApp." The Facebook-owned company has advised that anyone with the above-mentioned older platforms who want to keep chatting with friends via WhatsApp will need to upgrade to a newer operating system or a new device. WhatsApp also clarifies that currently there's no way users can transfer your chat history between platforms though the company will provide the option to send your chat history attached to an email, if requested by users. You can head to WhatsApp's Support page to understand the steps. WhatsApp had previously emphasised how much the market changed in the years since WhatsApp was launched in 2009. Recapping the market, the messaging service said that in 2009 Android and iOS platforms were running on less than 25 percent of the devices, while BlackBerry and Nokia's operating systems dominated the market with roughly a 70 percent share. WhatsApp's decision to pull the plug on Symbian and BlackBerry, however, recaps how the platforms have lost popularity.

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Reliance Jio Says Rivals' Failure to Invest in Tech Causing Financial Stress

HIGHLIGHTS

• Reliance Jio alleged rival telcos of not investing in new technology
• They need to invest Rs. 1,25,000 crores, payback debt, & invest in tech
• Jio met Inter-ministerial Group (IMG) to address the issue

Reliance Jio on Monday said telcos not investing in new technology and instead leveraging their balance sheet are themselves to blame for financial difficulties. Newcomer Reliance Jio, which met the Inter-ministerial Group (IMG) said operators need to raise funds by selling stake or invest in new technology through internal accruals. Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio is the newest telecom operator in the country that opened its services to the general public last year, and since has added over 100 million users thanks to competitive tariffs and free voice calling that forced Jio rivals across to slash tariffs of their own, leading to a stress on their financial resources. "Operators (excluding Jio) need to invest Rs. 1,25,000 crores, payback debt and they need to invest in technology, as growth is happening in data...they can do this by selling stake," said a senior Jio official who did not want to be named. Stating that the financial stress being faced by operators was "their own creation", the official said the only policy intervention required is in form of reduction in GST rates, licence fee, and USO levies. Lowering of these levies can generate Rs. 20,000-25,000 crores additional EBITDA for the industry, the Jio official said after coming out from the 45-minute meeting with the IMG. The IMG on Monday began consultation with operators as part of efforts to address the financial difficulties being faced by the sector. The telcos are reeling under a massive Rs. 4.6 lakh crore debt, and are facing pressure on revenue, profitability, and all other financial metrics in face of increasing competition intensified by the entry of Jio.

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‘Pokemon Go’: What Order Are the Eggs Sorted In?

Six months after the launch of Pokemon Go, fans are still trying to crack one of the game’s biggest mysteries: is there any rhyme or reason to the way that eggs are sorted on the inventory screen? In the game, trainers can see all the eggs currently in their possession by hitting the PokeBall on the bottom of the screen, selecting “Pokemon,” and then hitting the “eggs” tab. You’d think that the eggs would be sorted in the order that you obtained them, with the newest at the top and the oldest at the bottom, but that is not the case. They’re not sorted by which eggs are closest to hatching, but they also don’t seem to be arranged in a random order that changes whenever you open the inventory. So what’s the deal? Well, the latest theory is that the eggs are arranged based on how close you are to the area where you originally got that egg. The egg on the top left of the screen would therefore be the egg whose location of origin you are currently nearest to. That theory comes from Reddit user DamnNatureY0uScary, who observed this pattern on the Pokemon Go subreddit The Silph Road this week. The thread generated hundreds of comments and additional discussion threads throughout the Pokemon Go online community, with players sharing their own anecdotal experiences in an attempt to prove the theory true or false. Also on The Silph Road, another player put the theory to the test and noticed that their eggs did indeed seem to be arranging themselves based on the player’s distance from the original pickup, apparently confirming DamnNatureY0uScary’s hypothesis.

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'Pokemon Go' Latest News & Update: Augmented Reality Mobile Game Tops List of Google Play Trending Games for 2016

Niantic Labs' "Pokemon Go" continues to dominate the trending games lists everywhere. Google Play has just announced that the augmented reality mobile title is the most trending game on the app store. According to Venture Beat, the announcement was made on Thursday. The news doesn't come as a surprise for those who have heard of how the game has slammed records ever since it was released. "Pokemon Go" is indeed a dominant name in the mobile gaming world. The latest statistics reveal that "Pokemon Go" has a total of 500 million unique players in its fan base. It is also said to be the fastest mobile game in terms of reaching a revenue estimate of about $500 million. The game has also managed to top "Clash of Clans" when it comes to earnings. "Pokemon Go" may retain its trending reign if it receives an alleged huge update this month. An earlier report says Niantic Labs will provide players what they've been demanding to get from the hit game. There will be over a hundred new Legendary Pokemon added into the title. It is also said that player-versus-player battle modes will be included.
Fans will have to wait for further news on the purported new update for "Pokemon Go" but many are looking forward to seeing the changes applied. There are some players who have reportedly stopped playing the game due to the developer's lack of attention to their requests. However, the upcoming update may be Niantic's response to these demands.
The following creatures are expected to be added into the "Pokemon Go" database: Charmander, Metapod, Weedle, Beedrill, Pidgeotto, Sandslash, and many more. Ditto is the most recent Legendary Pokemon who has been included in the roster. It is widely speculated that there will be additional Legendary Pokemon that will be added so fans will be more pumped up to play the game.
"Pokemon Go" was released July 6 and during its first 90 days in the mobile gaming community, there were already over 500 million downloads recorded. The game has also been reported to have made about $600 million in revenues during the said period. It remains to be seen how this rumored huge update will affect the game's current revenue records.

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Xbox One Digital Black Friday Deals Discount GTA V, FIFA 17, Battlefield 1, and More

After teasing us with Black Friday deals earlier in the week, Microsoft has unleashed discounts on Xbox One and Xbox 360 games along with exclusive offers for Xbox Live Gold members.
“Xbox Live Gold members get early access to the weeklong Black Friday deals on Nov. 18, and everyone has access from Nov. 22-28. Plus, check back for even more great deals that will run over the Black Friday weekend, from Nov. 25-28,” wrote Xbox’s Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb.
While the likes of Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, and Recore have not been discounted yet, it seems that they will be soon. And until the trifecta of Windows 10 and Xbox One exclusives see a price drop here’s what’s worth buying.

Best Xbox One Black Friday digital deals

FIFA 17:

EA’s annual football franchise is now Rs. 2,100 down from Rs. 3,500. Though in our opinion, PES 2017 is the better game, it’s still worth checking out at a lower price.

Titanfall 2:

this sci-fi mech-parkour title’s strong single-player campaign is worth checking out at Rs. 2,100 instead of Rs. 3,500 even if the studio behind it is unsure of the prospects of another game in the franchise.

Battlefield 1:

yet another EA game worth a purchase. At Rs. 2,345 this scenic romp through World War 1 is entertaining thanks to a competent campaign and enjoyable multiplayer.
WWE 2K17: the latest instalment in this wrestling franchise sees a price of Rs. 2,800 making each suplex all the more sweeter.
GTA V: this open-world crime classic is reduced to Rs. 1,750. Worth the price of admission and then some.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: quite possibly the best role-playing game of this generation can be yours for a paltry Rs. 398. The Game of the Year Edition which has all its downloadable content is available for Rs. 1,250.

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Google Calendar for iOS Gets Landscape Mode for Month and Week Views, Spotlight Search, and More

HIGHLIGHTS

• Update adds support for non-Gregorian calendars
• The app can now arrange rooms and time for your meetings
• Update already available on App Store

Google Calendar app on iOS has been a useful alternative to the native calendar app and with its latest update, the search giant has added some features to make it even more useful apart from easier to use. Google has updated its Calendar app on iOS to version 1.6.3 and the update adds several features including landscape mode support for Month and Week views within the app.

Apart from the Landscape mode addition, the Google Calendar v1.6.3 for iOS brings along the ability to perform Spotlight searches for events, reminders, and goals within the app. However, the additions do not end there as the company has also added alternative calendars to the app with its latest update. Users will now get the option to add non-Gregorian calendars like Lunar, Hindu, and Islamic calendars within the app.

Another addition, which is only applicable through G Suite, enables the Calendar app to arrange for meeting rooms and decide the meeting time for users. As per the feature's description on App Store, you have to just "add colleagues as guests to your event and Google Calendar will find the best meeting times & rooms for you."

The updated Google Calendar app is already available and can be downloaded from the App Store. On Monday, Google also announced a major overhaul to Gmail for iOS. The update brings the Material Design interface, the Undo Send feature, improved search suggestions, as well as the ability to swipe to archive or delete mails.

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Reserve Bank of India Website Down After PM Narendra Modi's 500, 1000 Notes Announcement

HIGHLIGHTS

• PM Narendra Modi announced that 500, 1000 rupee notes will be demonetised
• People are looking towards the Reserve Bank of India website for details
• But the RBI website seems unable to cope up with the load

PM Narendra Modi dropped a proverbial bombshell on Tuesday by announcing that Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes will be demonetised as of midnight. While the Prime Minister announced that banks will accept these notes for a fixed amount of time, many have been turning to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to figure out the fineprint of how the exact process will roll out. There's just one problem - the Reserve Bank of India website seems to have crumbled under the load.
Multiple attempts to access the Reserve Bank of India website by Gadgets 360 between 10:30pm and 11:20pm IST on Tuesday night were greeted by the "Cannot find server" message, which indicates the RBI website cannot handle the heavy demand. Now, sure, this can also be the result of a scheduled maintenance, but you would typically see a "This website is under maintenance" kind of a message from a website like the Reserve Bank of India, instead of an error message like this.

While we wait for the RBI website to be accessible again, here's some basic information about the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes that became clear from PM Narendra Modi's speech on Tuesday.

• What you need to do with your Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes:
• Deposit them at the bank or post office from November 10 to December 30
• Exchange them from a bank or post office till 24 November. The limit for exchange is Rs. 4000
• Take Aadhaar card and Pan Card when you go to exchange notes
• After December 30, these can be deposited at the Reserve Bank with a declaration
• Tourists can change the notes at airports
• Your Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes be accepted till November 11 at:

• Petrol Pumps and government hospitals
• Railway, airline, government bus ticket booking counters
• Consumer co-operative stores run by state or central government
Milk booths authorised by state governments
• Crematoriums and burial grounds
• Tourists can change the notes at airports
• Your Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes be accepted till November 11 at:

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BSNL Eyes Spectrum in 700MHz Band for 4G Services

Weeks after the 700MHz spectrum went unsold in India's biggest auction, BSNL has approached the Telecom Department for airwaves in the premium band for rolling out 4G services. The telecom PSU has suggested that a 5MHz block in the 700MHz band be assigned to it by the government through the equity route. When contacted, BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava told PTI, "Yes. We have written to the Department of Telecom seeking 5MHz block on 700MHz band through equity route". In the recently concluded spectrum auction, the debt-ridden telecom sector had ignored premium radiowaves in 700MHz band - which was put up for sale for the first time - at a reserve or base price of Rs. 11,485 crores per MHz. Industry bodies like GSMA have urged Indian Government to reconsider the pricing for 700MHz band, which failed to find buyers due to its "unrealistically" high pricing. But Shrivastava downplayed the concerns on pricing, saying that spectrum in the 700MHz band would be an asset for the corporation, given its plans for 4G services. "We do not have right kind of 4G spectrum which can give us coverage, although we have some 4G spectrum which can give us the capacity. But 700MHz, if it comes, in combination with 2500MHz band available with us, will put us in a position to roll out 4G services through spectrum route across the country," he said. He also said that 700MHz offered clear advantage such as "good coverage" with lesser number of base stations. "The 700MHz spectrum can penetrate homes, so that means improved indoor coverage," he said. Explaining the model being proposed by BSNL, he said that the spectrum could be assigned, in lieu of Government raising its equity in the corporation. "We are proposing that 700MHz spectrum comes to us and in lieu of that, the paid-up equity of the government can increase to that extent in BSNL," Shrivastava pointed out. BSNL is a 100 percent Government of India Public Sector Undertaking.

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How to watch the presidential election results from your laptop, phone, or streamer

No cable? No problem. Here's how you can get the results of the presidential election with only your computer or phone.

The 2016 presidential election that's been obsessing the nation for months culminates tomorrow, November 8. Election Day has become a charged event characterized by polarized views of the candidates, and while all eyes will be glued to the results, the good news is that you don't need to be glued to your TV to watch the states' votes trickle in.
If you're out and about as the numbers tally, or you've cut the cord and don't own a TV, there are some excellent options for getting the election results straight to your computer, phone or streaming device.

Streaming TV news stations

Traditionally, broadcast news stations have been the place to go for election coverage, but even if you don't have a TV or you want to watch on the go, you can still get news from your favorite station.
Most of the broadcasters that have been giving the presidential election TV airtime will also post overviews of their coverage, along with a live stream, online. Because these stations are broadcasters and can be picked up by anyone with a TV antenna, you don't need a log-in to get started. Just go to the website and press "play."
For example, networks like CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox all have dedicated landing pages for the elections, and they'll all live-stream their news coverage for free. Not only will you find access to live streams here, but you can also find articles, video clips, and further analysis (Disclaimer: CBS is CNET's parent company).
These live streams work great on your laptop, but you can also watch on your phone. Many of these broadcasters have optimized mobile versions of their websites, and while the look of the site may be slightly different, the content is usually the same. If you want an even more seamless mobile experience, download the broadcaster's news app. CBS, NBC, Fox and ABC all have news apps, and you can access their streams straight from the app. In the case of the CBS News and ABC News app, you don't even need to create an account. Just download the app and tap the live icon for instant access.
If you prefer local news, you may be in luck. Local news stations that provide TV coverage of the election are likely to post coverage on their websites. In the past, this has also included live streams of the election results. Because local news differs depending on location and there are too many to name, just head to the station's dedicated election or live stream section on its website on Election Day. From there it'll be clear if that specific station will post results.

Sling TV

If you aren't a subscriber to Sling TV's paid service, you don't have to rule it out as a way to watch election results. Sling TV offers a free 7-day trial that doesn't require any contracts and can be canceled at any time. With Sling TV's most basic subscription package, Sling Orange, you get over 25 channels, including news stations like CNN, where you can watch election coverage remotely.
Sling TV has been a go-to source of live television for cord-cutters. If you haven't already considered it, here's everything you need to know about Sling TV. Sling TV stands out for stripping away all the contracts tied to traditional cable TV. You can download the Sling TV app for Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One. That means you can watch on your computer, phone or anywhere with internet access. If you were already mulling it over, you could try it out for Election Day coverage, enjoy a free week of TV, then decide if its worth keeping.

Twitter and Buzzfeed

What you get: Live stream, articles
If you think Twitter or Buzzfeed would be a weird place to watch voter results, think again. Come Election Day, reporters from Buzzfeed will be covering the incoming results, which the site will stream live on Twitter. This isn't the first deal of its kind -- recently Twitter live-streamed events including the presidential debates and NFL games.
The live stream will be accessible on both Twitter's desktop version and the phone app. On Election Day, head to the Moments tab in the Twitter app to view the live stream. If you have an Apple TV, Xbox One, or Amazon Fire TV, you can also view the live stream on your TV, thanks to Twitter's new TV app.
The live stream will be available on at 6pm ET by going to election.twitter.com. You can also access the stream on Twitter's Moments page.

VoteCastr

What you get: Live stream, interactive data
This real-time election startup is hoping to change the way we get our election results. Traditionally, major news networks embargo the polling results and don't release the final numbers until they have all been counted. The thinking is that early results could influence people who have yet to vote.
But VoteCastr does things differently. The startup has teamed up with Slate to give everyone a look into the number of votes in a few key states as they come in. If you want some early information on the election, or want to place bets with you friends, this is the place to go.
On Election Day, you'll be able to view these results in VoteCastr's app. This data will also be discussed by VoteCastr's very own live broadcast that will start when the first poll opens and end when the last poll closes. To get more information about the apps and updates, go to the VoteCastr website and enter your name and email.

Politico

What you get: Live stream, articles

If you want to get a breakdown of voting results without having to watch a live stream, Politico has you covered. The political media site has an interactive map on its website that will show the election results and break it down state by state. This is great if you want to pull up the map on your computer or phone, and check every so often while it gets updated. Plus, the state-by-state data is broken down in a chart that is quiet pleasant to look at. Politico also offers its own live stream on its website in case you think the map isn't enough.

NPR

What you get: Live radio, articles, audio clips, interactive data
If radio is your thing or you'll be stuck in your car on Election Day, tune in to NPR through your radio for its live election coverage. NPR has teamed up with PBS to deliver election news to audiences across digital, television, and radio outlets. NPR will have election coverage and a special live broadcast on the night of the election.
If you want to listen but don't have a radio, you can tune into NPR by going to its website and listen on your computer. NPR's website also has a mobile version that will allow you to listen to its live broadcasts from your phone's browser. Otherwise, you can always download a radio streaming app like TuneIn Radio and access the radio on your phone.

While you are on the NPR website, be sure to check out its professional analysis on all things election-related. Information will come in all forms, including live blog posts, data graphics, and an interactive map. The election night broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and go all the way until 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT, transitioning right into a one-hour recap starting at 4 a.m. ET /1 a.m. PT and then regularly scheduled morning programming on November 9. NPR will also be live on its Facebook page and NPR One App.

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Black Friday 2016 phone and tablet deals from T-Mobile, Amazon, BestBuy and more

It's that time of the year again, when even the non-consumerist throws a glance at a Black Friday deal or two, be it only to gauge whether they are losing out by not participating in the gold rush.
Black Friday 2016 falls on November 25th, but the deals have already started to ooze out of retailers' marketing materials, and we are rounding up some of the best Black Friday bargains on phones and slates you can get this year. We'll be updating this list as the leaks progress, and carriers, retailers or manufacturers announce their official Black Friday baits.

T-Mobile

Galaxy S7 and Note 5 BOGO: the Un-carrier leaked a BOGO offer on Samsung phones, and a plethora of other deals. You can buy a Samsung Galaxy S7 (no S7 edge, sorry) or the Galaxy Note 5, and you will get the second one at 50% off with bill credit;
Apple iPhone SE: for Apple fans, the 16GB iPhone SE will be up for grabs for just $99 after bill credits;
А free 4th line when on T-Mobile ONE, but you'll also be able to get a free iPad 4 Mini via bill credits with a wireless plan. The 32GB iPad Pro 9.7 and the iPad Air 2 will be available for $250 off, which is yet another great deal;
On Thanksgiving, T-Mobile customers will receive free phones via bill credits with a new line. Here is the list of smartphones you will be able to choose from: Samsung J7, LG K7, LG K10, Samsung On5, and LG G5;
Accessories: Logitech's UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom will be available at T-Mobile for just $99 and $199, respectively. Also, there will be a promotion where iPhone accessories will be 30% if you buy three of them;
T-Mobile will offer a $200 bill credit when you activate 4 lines and port in numbers on each. A $50 bill credit is given away as well when you activate just one line, and port in a number.

Sam's Club

Sam's Club will have a grand sales event as soon as November 12, and the prices for that, which you can see below, are usually a good indicator of the discounts you can expect on November 22, when the retailer's Black Friday events start. Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: $250 gift cards and waived activation fees on any iPhone bought on installments, including the iPhone 7. Pricing starts at $0 down “for well-qualified members,” and you can order up to five. As usual, limited quantities are expected, and it’s not known what iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models will be in stock; Galaxy S7 and S7 edge: the same $250 gift card and waived activation fee deal that you read above for iPhone, is valid for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge on November 12, too; Apple iPad Pro: Sam’s Club will also discount the Apple iPad Pro by $175, regardless of storage or connectivity option. The iPad deal is valid online only and should get you some nice savings if you’re shopping for brand new iOS tablets this year; Samsung Galaxy Tab A: a $188.84 Samsung Galaxy Tab A and a 32GB microSD card bundle (save $100).

Amazon

Not to be outdone, Amazon is starting the buildup to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday rush with daily deals which include some phones, tablets and accessories as well.
ASUS ZenFone Zoom unlocked, 64 GB, black, with U.S. Warranty, for $249 instead of $399;
ALCLAP S6 Edge Battery Case, 4200mAh, for $17.99;
Nextbit Robin, black, U.S. Warranty, for $169.99.

BestBuy

BestBuy introduced some sweet deals on unlocked phones for the holiday shopping craze, with notables going for $50-$100 off their regular pricing there:
Honor 8 goes for $349.99 instead of $400, and it is in the sought-after Sapphire Blue color to boot;
Galaxy S7 edge for $669.99;
Sony Xperia X Compact for $399;
Moto Z Play for $449 and $50 off MotoMods.

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Pokémon Go is getting daily bonuses

Pokémon Go will soon have a reason for players to check back in with the game every day, Niantic announced in a blog post. A daily bonus feature will be introduced in an upcoming update, giving players additional experience points and items for catching Pokémon and visiting PokéStops on a regular basis. Catching at least one Pokémon every day will grant a user 500 experience for their trouble. They’ll also receive 600 stardust off the bat, which goes a long way toward strengthening monsters. If players add one Pokémon to their collection for a week straight, they’ll receive a 2,000-point bonus and 2,400 stardust. Inspecting a single PokéStop a day grants 500 experience points and “a number of additional items,” which Niantic didn’t go into detail about. After a week of spinning the PokéStop markers on the regulr, players will receive “a greater number of additional items” with their 2,000 experience points. There’s no timing for the feature update, so players will have to sit tight until Pokémon Go’s daily bonuses arrive. The game’s first global event wrapped just yesterday, which celebrated Halloween by granting players extra candy and making certain ghost-type Pokémon more abundant.

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Netflix Might Soon Have an Offline Viewing Option, Says COO Sarandos

HIGHLIGHTS

• "Looking at" offline viewing feature, says Sarandos
• Netflix understands people have "different levels of broadband speeds"
• Amazon Prime Video, coming soon to India, already supports this

It looks like Netflix may get an option for offline viewing after all, which will allow subscribers to download movies and TV shows prior to watching.

Speaking to American TV outlet CNBC before the premiere of its new original series, The Crown, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said it’s a feature they’re "looking at it now, so we'll see when" it actually happens.

Sarandos said this shift in the company’s policy has to do with the prevalent downloading culture that’s already a part of the audience’s behaviour in the 130 countries Netflix expanded to, at the beginning of the year.

“They all have different levels of broadband speeds and Wi-Fi access,” he said, talking about the varying heights of Internet infrastructure found in places like India and elsewhere. “…As we get into more and more (of the) undeveloped world and developing countries that we want to find alternatives for people to use Netflix easily,” Sarandos added later.

For what it’s worth, rival Amazon already offers offline viewing options for its Prime Video service. And with Amazon India expected to debut Prime Video in the country, that – amongst other things – could be the deciding factor for new subscribers and converts. With Netflix facing saturation in its US home market, focusing on features that international viewers call for makes sense to drive a regular uptick in subscribers. Companies such as Google have long understood this, building India-specific features for YouTube in Smart Offline earlier this year, and following it up with the YouTube Go app just last month.

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LastPass Now Provides Password Sync Across Devices for Free

HIGHLIGHTS

• Some features kept exclusive to the premium version of app
• Cross-platform sync was earlier available only with premium version
• Free version will come loaded with ads

It seems like a trend is about to start as after Instapaper, which made its premium features available for free recently, LastPass has decided to provide some of its premium services across platforms for free. However, it should be noted that unlike Instapaper, which made all premium features free, LastPass has still kept some of the features reserved for its premium subscribers. LastPass, like most password managers, helps users to store passwords and sync them across devices for easy availability. Earlier, users had to pay a subscription fee of $1 (roughly Rs. 67) per month in order to sync passwords across their devices but from here onwards, they will be able to get this service for free.

"By offering LastPass for free across all your devices, we're making it that much easier for everyone to make good password habits the norm. Because when you have a password manager that goes everywhere you do, you have a strong foundation for securing and taking control of your identity," the company said in its blog post on Wednesday. Notably, LastPass Premium subscribers will continue to enjoy exclusive services such as priority customer support, family password sharing with up to 5 other people, desktop fingerprint identification, and additional two-factor authentication options like YubiKey, the company said. Premium subscribers will also get 1GB of encrypted file storage.

The free version of LastPass app will come loaded with ads but the premium subscribers will get the ad-free version of the app. It is important to note here that even though password managers provide additional security to users; they are not breach-proof and can be potentially hacked. LastPass itself suffered a hack last year, where hackers made off with email addresses, password reminders, and encrypted master passwords.

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Latest Roku TV update makes any smartphone a wireless headset

One of Roku's smartest features was the company's decision to pop a headphone jack right into the remote, turning it into a wireless headset and saving your housemates from overhearing potential spoilers in the process. With Roku's latest OS 7.5 update, users can now get that same feature on any Roku TV model using any iOS or Android device connected to the same WiFi network.

Rather than plugging into the remote, users running the latest update to the Roku TV can listen and control playback through the Roku mobile app on their mobile device. It's a feature that was already available on some of the company's streaming boxes -- now available on TV sets with Roku's built-in tech.

In addition to private listening, the latest OS update now allows Roku TV users to pause live broadcast TV when they've got a digital antenna connected to their Roku set. (You'll need somewhere to store all that digital video though, so you'll have to bring your own USB stick with 16GB or more of storage.) Finally, Roku OS 7.5 allows multiple iOS and Android devices to share photos to the big screen at the same time through Play on Roku, and there's also expanded screen mirroring support for Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+ and Roku Ultra. The new update is available today and will continue rolling out to Roku devices over the next few weeks.

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Samsung’s new tablet is one way to get your hands on the S Pen

Seeing as how Samsung’s primary S Pen delivery device has been killed off due to a number of exploding devices (you didn’t think we’d be able to get through a Samsung story with mentioning that, did you?), its become a fair bit tougher for fans to get their hands on the company’s stylus (just don’t call it a stylus).

While it’s sure not to spark (sorry) nearly as much interest as the Galaxy Note 7, the company is offering a slightly updated version of its 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab A slate with a the writing/drawing peripheral bundled in. Because, hey, they’ve got to get the things into customers’ hands somehow or other.

The new version, which is set to go on sale here in the States October 28, is priced at $349. The tablet also gets a RAM upgrade over its non-US version, bumping it from 2GB to 3GB. Otherwise, there’s nothing really all that special from a spec standpoint.

The display clocks in at 1920 x 1200, there’s 16GB of storage augmentable via microSD and the 7,300mAH battery promises 13 hours of playback, according to the company’s numbers. The tablet ships with Android 6.0 running on an Exynos 7870 octa-core processor.

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Xiaomi pushes design in latest product update

Xiaomi unveiled a pair of new smartphones, with the limelight being captured by its Mi Mix “concept phone” with edgeless design.

Mi Mix

MiMix has a 6.4-inch display with a 91.3 per cent screen-to-body ratio (for comparison, Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus has a ratio of around 68 per cent). It also has a ceramic body.

The company placed a lot of emphasis on the design, wheeling out designer Philippe Starck to sing its praises – Starck was apparently involved in the process.

Mi Mix is also high-spec under the hood: powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, it is available with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (CNY3,499 [$516]) or with 6GB RAM, 256GB storage and 18K gold detailing (CNY3,999).

Elliptic Labs said Xiaomi is using its ultrasound technology to replace the hardware proximity sensor used in Mi Mix, used to turn off the screen during calls. This also means the sensor can be used to move the speaker behind the glass screen, enabling a more svelte design.

In order to give the edgeless design, the front camera has also been moved below the screen, from the more traditional position above. And in a reference to Apple’s decision to drop the headphone jack from its latest iPhones, Xiaomi said that on Mi Max it is “intact for now”.

Unveiling the device, Xiaomi said that because of the ceramic body and large screen, “mass production for this phone is not an easy job”. Other features include 16MP rear and 5MP front cameras, HD audio (192kHz/24 bit) and 4,400mAh battery with quick charge. Availability is scheduled in China for 4 November.

Mi Note 2

Xiaomi also updated its Mi Note phablet line, with Mi Note 2 featuring a 5.7-inch screen with dual curved edges – similar to Samsung’s approach

According to reports, the screen has a 2K (quad HD) resolution.

The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, has 23MP rear and 8MP front cameras, and 4,070mAh battery with quick charge. It also offers global LTE support.

Three versions will be available: with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for CNY2,799; with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for CNY3,299; and a “global” version which also has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for CNY3,499.

VR headset In addition the company unveiled a VR headset, called Mi VR, which is compatible with a number of its latest smartphones (Mi Note 2 and Mi 5 series).

Priced at CNY199, it includes dedicated motion sensor and delivers “ultra-low latency”.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Reportedly Explodes While on Charge

HIGHLIGHTS

• The new Galaxy S7 Edge was a replaced unit
• The smartphone caught fire while on charge
• Samsung is offering Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge as replacements

Looks like problems for Samsung just refuse to end. In the midst of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 controversy, a user has now reported that his Samsung Galaxy S7 exploded while on charge. The user was charging his phone with the original Samsung charger overnight, when his phone caught fire automatically.

PhoneArena reports that the user had replaced his Galaxy Note 7 for the second time, and finally settled for the Galaxy S7 Edge after Samsung announced that it is killing the Note 7 altogether. The pictures shared by the publication show that the Galaxy S7 Edge is completely totalled, and beyond repair. The publication got this information from an anonymous source working at the carrier firm, where this complaint was lodged.

This is not the first time reports of Galaxy S7 explosions have surfaced. A report last month alleged that a Galaxy S7 Edge exploded inside the pocket of Ohio resident Daniel Ramirez giving him second and third degree burns. Ramirez has even filed a lawsuit against Samsung, after he had to undergo a complicated skin graft surgery, and is now under extensive physical therapy.

Samsung, this month, sent pop-up messages to customers reassuring them that their Galaxy S7 units were safe, and that there was no recall for their devices. However, in the light of this incident, it may soon become important for Samsung to change stance and investigate seriously. Of course, no product using lithium ion batteries is immune to isolated incidents - as a recent report pointed to the iPhone 7 catching fire. Apple is said to be investigating the incident.

All of the downfalls haven't prevented Samsung from thinking ahead. The company confirmed its plans to launch the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 next year by announcing its new exchange plan. In a fresh statement, Samsung informed its Note 7 customers, that they could trade up for a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8 smartphone launching next year through an upgrade programme. This refutes the rumour which claimed that Samsung would only launch one flagship every year moving forward.

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Pokémon GO Gets A Few Adjustments In Latest Update

While the team at Niantic is all set to begin celebrating their first ever in-game event for Pokémon GO to celebrate Halloween, the game has also gotten a nice little update prior to event, which is due to start on October 26th. The update while small as it holds mostly just a handful of game adjustments and no major feature adds, was likely to help smooth over the gameplay and perhaps to lay the groundwork for the event content that will go live in a couple of days. With that said, the update should be hitting users fairly close to now as Niantic have already started pushing it to devices, although it is worth pointing out that it’s entirely possible that not all users will see the update today.

As for what’s been changed, players may find that Niantic has fixed some of the text in the game UI, although if you have never noticed any issues with the text before now then you likely won’t notice the fixes either. Beyond that, it appears that there are now going to be some new Pokémon type icons that were added to the information screen. Niantic states that there will be icons for each Pokémon that will be listed, so you’ll probably see a lot of these.

If you’re one of the lucky people that have been able to get a hold of the Pokémon GO Plus wearable, then there is now a low-battery indicator that has been added so that you can tell when your devices needs to be charged. Presumably, the wearable will blink when your phone battery is close to dying. The last little tweak that was made is in reference to Professor Willow, and mentions that he has now discovered that eggs have patterns on them that are unique, based on how far of a distance the user had to travel to get them hatched. What this means is that players will likely see an egg with a completely different pattern from another if they had to walk a different distance to hatch it, so this is a small visual adjustment here.

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