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Google celebrates Project Loon’s birthday with first LTE experiments and launch near the equator

Jun16
by on June 16, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, Insider

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Google’s Project Loon is drifting to even greater heights. The company recently tested its balloon-powered internet access venture in Brazil, marking its first LTE experiments and launch near the equator. In the countryside just beyond Campo Maior – located inside the state of Piaui, and roughly two hours outside of Teresina – Google was able to propel its high-altitude balloons into the air and connect a school called Linoca Gayoso to the internet for the very first time. That alone is arguably cause for celebration, but it’s also the first time Google has tested LTE delivery. Google shared a video…

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Microsoft is adding machine learning to its Azure cloud platform

Jun16
by on June 16, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, azure

Microsoft today announced the upcoming release of Azure Machine Learning (ML) as it adds a predictive analytics service to its cloud platform. With the new service, Microsoft is offering the machine learning technology that it built for Xbox and bing through Azure. Some Microsoft partners already have access to an early preview, and a public preview is set to arrive next month. ➤ Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Thumbnail credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

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PayPal bulks up its Buyer Protection scheme to cover digital goods, but only in the UK for now

Jun16
by on June 16, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, UK

PayPal is hoping to tempt British citizens into adopting its online payment services with an upgraded Buyer Protection scheme. In the past, the process has allowed users to dispute physical goods paid for with PayPal. After filing a claim through its Resolution Centre, PayPal would set up a communications channel between the buyer and the seller, before ultimately deciding on whether to refund the original payment. Today, PayPal is increasing the remit of its Buyer Protection program to include services, digital goods, travel tickets and other intangible items. The UK is the first market to receive such benefits and the…

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Facebook updates iPad app with trending topics, videos, and games in new right-hand column for landscape mode

Jun16
by on June 16, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Mobile, Social Media

Facebook today updated its iPad app with a new test that aims to help its users discover even more content. The company says the experiment is limited to the US for now, but we expect that will likely expand as the company becomes confident with the addition. In short, on the right-hand side of the app, iPad users will now see the following: Trending topics: A feature launched on desktop in January, Trending is a list of topics people are talking about most on Facebook right now, personalized to include topics you’re interested in as well as topics trending across…

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BitTorrent has delivered over 100 million ‘direct to fan’ Bundles since alpha launch 13 months ago

Jun16
by on June 16, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

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BitTorrent today announced it has delivered more than 100 million Bundles since the new media format’s launch just 13 months ago. The company also revealed that a typical BitTorrent Bundle now drives over 554,000 impressions, 167,000 downloads, and more than 16,000 streams in just 24 hours. Back in May 2013, BitTorrent launched what it calls “an Alpha experiment in digital publishing”: a BitTorrent Bundle is a multimedia format, a new type of torrent file, which promotes fan interaction within the content as opposed to outside via third-party tools. The company argues that as a result, media becomes more valuable each…

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