Nexbit opens online store, limited number of Robin smartphones available for sale

Nextbit and its Robin Android smartphone have one of the most refreshing and exciting takes on what a modern smartphone should be. The company has just unveiled its online store and to celebrate, they have made a limited number of models available for purchase. Running the Nextbit OS, the Robin is a cloud-connected smartphone sold unlocked and with an open bootloader. 

The Robin runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor. It has a 5.2-inch 1080p IPC LCD display featuring Gorilla Glass 4, 32GB of onboard storage, 100 GB of online storage and 3GB of RAM. Cameras are a 13 MP rear shooter with autofocus, pahse detection and a dual-tone flash plus a rear facing 5MP number. It features a Fingerprint sensor, quck charge USB Type C and is compatible with most GSM and CDMA bands. Cost is US $399 but with the Canadian dollar being what it is, expect to pay upwards of CAD $530.00

Source: Nextbit

Skype's group calling feature coming to Android and iOS today

Skype users on Android and iOS can now enjoy the group calling feature on smartphones and tablets which will allow multiple users to join a Skype call. Microsoft has made it easy to send links to Skype group calls via text, email or various other messaging apps. It looks like they have put a lot of thought into this update, which offers a lot of customization and even the ability to Pin specific users.  Read more about it here.

Source: Skype Blog

James Dyson Award now looking for 2016 entries

For the first time ever last year, a Canadian team took home the international prize for the James Dyson Award. Now, if you want to follow in the footsteps of the four engineering students from the University of Waterloo, you can start sending in those entries. Run by the James Dyson Foundation, the James Dyson Award is now open to 22 countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, and the USA.

You have until July 19^th to submit your entries. The national winners and finalists will be announced on September 8^th and the shortlist will be released on September 29^th. The winning team and finalists will be announced on October 27^th. The international winner stands to win $60,000 for the student and $10,000 for the student’s university department. There will be two international runners-up that will take home $10,000 each. The national winners, on the other hand, will take home $4,000 each.

Google's Sundar Pichai weighs in on FBI encryption issue, sides with Apple's Tim Cook

Google's CEO Sundar Pichai took to Twitter to raise his concerns over the FBI's attempt to gain access to an iPhone backdoor which could expose user information. Pichai seems to agree with Apple CEO Tim Cook who today released a strongly worded public letter in response to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's desire to be able to access the contents of people's iPhones in investigations.

"The government is asking Apple to hack our own users and undermine decades of security advancements that protect our customers — including tens of millions of American citizens," Cook declared in his open letter.

Click to read more ...