Split-screen multitasking 'in the works' for Android

"Split screen is in the works!" for Android N, according to Google's Pixel C team. The announcement was made as part of a Reddit Ask Me Anything session with the development team behind Google's first Android hybrid laptop

The Pixel C is an impressive piece of hardware, equipped with an Nvidia Tegra X1 64-bit processor and Maxwell GPU, 3GB of RAM, USB Type-C charging and a resolution of 2560 by 1800 pixels.

But while Google's productivity apps for Android, including Docs and Sheets, are surprisingly capable, the difficulty of working between multiple apps under Android is a sticking point that makes Google's tablet/laptop hybrid less functional than it might otherwise be.

The addition of a split-screen mode could make the critical difference between the Pixel C's current status as an interesting device with untapped potential and a possible future as a genuinely useful tool for working on the move. However, based on Google's current release pattern, Android 7.0 N isn't set to come out until the second half of 2016, so current Pixel C owners may have a long and impatient wait ahead of them.

10 must read articles for december 11

1. Millions could be cut off from websites as SHA1 encryption support ends

A plan to end the use of SHA1 encryption across the entire web could leave many users unable to access any encrypted https website, with a disproportionate effect on users in developing countries, Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos has warned (Ars Technica). Stamos writes that "Facebook's data shows that 3-7 percent of browsers currently in use are not able to use the newer SHA-256 standard, meaning that tens of millions of people will not be able to securely use the Internet after December 31st". SHA1 is massively vulnerable to forgery attacks, but alternate proposals suggest using legacy certificates that will only use the encryption standard for clients that can't handle SHA-256.

2. New decomposition research can pinpoint time of death

A study identifying exactly which microbes are involved in the decomposition of corpses has added a valuable new technique to forensic scientists' investigatory toolkits (Science). Evolutionary biologist Jessica Metcalf found that rather than primarily being carried out by microbes from the gut -- a previously popular theory -- the prime actors in decomposition are soil microbes. Her team went on to isolate and sequence DNA from soil and corpses, identifying thousands of microbial species. The highly predictable nature and progression of the microbial composition around a corpse provides a new and very accurate way of determining time of death.

3. Google Wallet adds text message money transfers

Google has announced that the latest version of its Google Wallet payment app will let users send money to "anyone in your contact list using just a phone number". They'll be sent a text message with a secure link, and prompted to enter bank details so that the money can be paid directly into their chosen account. It's not immediately clear if the feature will be restricted to the USA or whether UK Google Wallet users will have access to it.

4. Astronomers discover star with a permanent raging storm

Astronomers working with data from Nasa's Spitzer and Kepler space telescopes have discovered a tiny star, the size of Jupiter, with a huge, cloudy storm that has been raging on its surface for at least two years. This is the first time a cloudy storm has been seen on a star. L-dwarf W1906+40, a "failed star" is, with a surface temperature of 2,200 degrees Kelvin, cool enough to develop atmospheric clouds. Lead author John Gizis of the University of Delaware said, "we don't know if this kind of star storm is unique or common, and we don't [know] why it persists for so long".

5. Google spin-off is developing surgical robots

Verily, the Alphabet company that was until recently known as Google Life Sciences, has set up a new company to develop surgical robots in collaboration with medical giant Johnson & Johnson (WIRED). Verb Surgical "aims to develop a comprehensive surgical solutions platform that will incorporate leading-edge robotic capabilities and best-in-class medical device technology for operating room professionals", according to a press release which provides few specifics. Verily CEO Andrew Conrad told WIRED that "we expect to work closely with pharma, biotech, medical device and diagnostic companies, patient advocacy groups, and academic researchers in different ways for a long time to come".

6. Scientists isolate dinosaur blood vessels

Paleontologists from the University of Texas have for the first time isolated the original blood vessels of a dinosaur (Gizmodo). Extracting them was a matter of using strong acid to dissolve away fossilised mineral matter around the blood vessels. In order to identify the structures, however, the team used high-resolution mass spectrometry to analyse the blood vessels' protein structures on a molecular basis.

7. Facebook to publish open source AI hardware design

Facebook's AI Research team has announced that it will be open sourcing its hardware designs for machine learning servers that look to built out of off-the-shelf components (The Register). The information will be published via the Open Compute Project, which the company has already used to release the full design specifications of its rackmount data centre hardware. A key focus of the machine learning server chassis is ease of maintenance, making its storage, eight GPUs and even motherboard easy to snap in and out of position.

8. France will not restrict Tor, public Wi-Fi

Neither Tor nor public Wi-Fi will be banned, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has announced in response to Le Monde's publication of leaked police documents suggesting the measures (Motherboard). The French PM said that the measures were "not a course of action envisaged by the government", but did not entirely rule out changes to France's present internet legislation, saying that "Internet is a freedom, is an extraordinary means of communication between people, it is a benefit to the economy. It is also a means for terrorists to communicate and spread their totalitarian ideology The police must take in all of these aspects to improve their fight against terrorism, but the measures we take must be effective."

9. Lucasfilm issues DMCA takedown notice over action figure photo

When Star Wars fans Marjorie and Justin Carvalho of the Star Wars Action News podcast posted a photo of an action figure bought at a Walmart store by one of their staff to Facebook, Lucasfilm issued them with a DMCA takedown notice (Ars Technica). The Rey figure was not yet supposed to be on sale, but the takedown notice over a photo of an honest purchase seems to entirely ignore the fair use clause of America's Digital Millenium Copyright Act.

10. Take a look at every single labelled item in 1966's Batman TV series

Aaron Reynolds's @Batman66labels Twitter account has collected every single ridiculous labelled item from the 1966 Batman TV show starring Adam West (io9). The labelled items range from the Bat Ladder to the Gossip Phone, a Well-Known Criminals File and even Lemonade. Be like Batman. Label everything you own.

Popular on WIRED.co.uk

Reddit is trying to solve GCHQ's crypto Christmas puzzle

Demonstrating that distributed processing works with humans, as well as idle CPUs, the denizens of Reddit's Puzzles subreddit have set out to solve a Christmas puzzle put out by intelligence agency GCHQ. The grid-shading nonogram puzzle was designed by GCHQ director Robert Hannigan as a bonus activity inside the Christmas cards he's sent out this year, but everyone else can have a go on GCHQ's website.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens: WIRED goes in-depth

All this month WIRED is going behind the scenes on The Force Awakens. Head to our hub page for exclusive interviews, photos, videos and more. And pick up WIRED 01.16 (on sale 10 December) for some extra-special exclusive features.

WIRED Out of Office with Jaguar #NewXF

In WIRED Out of Office, WIRED’s deputy editor Greg Williams investigates the ideas and technology behind the work of pioneering people in our network, to find out what this might tell us about the future of motoring, mobility and beyond. Each report is inspired by the technologies and design elements of the new XF and for the second, Greg Williams meets multidisciplinary designer Francis Bitonti at the makersCAFE in Shoreditch, East London. [PROMO] 

WIRED 12.15 -- on sale now

We go inside Pixar, GE Appliances and games company Supercell to find out how three very different corporate cultures are building huge growth by ignoring traditional rules. Plus our seasonal Gear of the Year wishlist. Out now in print, iPad and our new, better-than-ever iPhone app.

HTC Share Value Climbs 3% in a Day on Account of Smartwatch Rumors, Government Visits.

HTC’s share value has risen 3% this Friday, as
rumors about a HTC-made smartwatch
appeared and also on account of some
Government officials visiting the company’s
HQ. First the shares grew 1.1% then they got
up to 3% during the trading hours.
This happens on a day when the Taiwanese
Stock Exchange closed down 57.46 points and a
bad day for stocks in general. Taipei Mayor Ko
Wen-je visited HTC the night before the stock
rise, being received by chairwoman Cher Wang
and the two talked about information and
communication technology for one hour. Then
the Premier Mao Chi-kuo also visited the HQ,
in order to experience the Vive VR headset.
The smartwatch rumors were still the ones to
make the shares climb the most, as sources
say that we may see an Android-based HTC
smartwatch debuting in February. HTC
unveiled Grip this year, a fitness band made
by HTC and Under Armour, that’s expected to
be released in 2016. HTC got some strong
earnings in November, after strong sales of
HTC One A9 and HTC Desire products.
The company’s consolidated revenues jumped
15% in November, although the first 11
months of the year brought a 33% drop from
the same time in 2014.
via chinapost

HTC Share Value Climbs 3% in a Day on Account of Smartwatch Rumors, Government Visits.

HTC’s share value has risen 3% this Friday, as
rumors about a HTC-made smartwatch
appeared and also on account of some
Government officials visiting the company’s
HQ. First the shares grew 1.1% then they got
up to 3% during the trading hours.
This happens on a day when the Taiwanese
Stock Exchange closed down 57.46 points and a
bad day for stocks in general. Taipei Mayor Ko
Wen-je visited HTC the night before the stock
rise, being received by chairwoman Cher Wang
and the two talked about information and
communication technology for one hour. Then
the Premier Mao Chi-kuo also visited the HQ,
in order to experience the Vive VR headset.
The smartwatch rumors were still the ones to
make the shares climb the most, as sources
say that we may see an Android-based HTC
smartwatch debuting in February. HTC
unveiled Grip this year, a fitness band made
by HTC and Under Armour, that’s expected to
be released in 2016. HTC got some strong
earnings in November, after strong sales of
HTC One A9 and HTC Desire products.
The company’s consolidated revenues jumped
15% in November, although the first 11
months of the year brought a 33% drop from
the same time in 2014.
via chinapost

PhoneNewsandFeatures: BlackBerry Priv Gets Gold Treatment by Karalux

The BlackBerry Priv goes on sale in Vietnam this week and a luxury company - Karalux has gone ahead to get some plated in 24k Gold for those wanting a more premium option.

‎The company stated that the Priv indeed wasn't easy to disassemble, taking 2 hours and another 4hrs to plate with 24k gold.

You'd have to part with $1350 to get them to do this for your Priv.

#PhoneNewsandFeatures: LG Ray X190 Launches. To Be Available In Select Markets

LG Ray X190 has been unveiled by the Korean OEM with midrange specs for select markets. The all-metal smartphone also follows in line with designs from leading flagships with volume controls at the back.

Specs:
•5.5in IPS LCD 720x1280p screen@267ppi
•1.4GHz Octacore MediaTek MTK6592 CPU
•1GB RAM, 16GB ROM exp to 32GB
•13MP camera, 8MP selfie
•Android OS 5.1
•3000mAh battery
•Price - $200

#PhoneNewsandFeatures: Comet CORE - The World's First Water Floating Smartphone

Now when we see a Unique phone, we acknowledge it by all means.

Asides being able to float in water irrespective of depth to which it falls, The Comet CORE packs top specs that will blow your mind.

4.7in 1080x1920p AMOLED screen@468ppi, ‎2GHz 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU, 4GB RAM, 32/64GB ROM, 16MP camera, 16MP selfie, Android OS 6.0, 2800mAh battery, $250/290

#TabletNewsandFeatures: Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 Is Now Official. Comes In Android or Windows 10 Variants

Xiaomi has unwrapped it's refresh of its Mi Pad line with the Mi Pad 2. One cool bit about this launch is that it comes in an Android OS 5.1 variant @ $156/$203 (16/64GB-) & a Windows 10 OS variant @ $203 (64GB-).

Specs:
•‎7.9in 2048x1536p display @325ppi
•2.2GHz Quadcore Intel Atom X5-8500 CPU
•‎2GB RAM, 16/64GB ROM
•8MP camera, 5MP selfie
•USB Type-C port
•6190mAh battery