things you should know about Apple Music for Android

Apple's music service has finally arrived for Android, so now you can rock out to the 30-million song catalog or tune in to live radio on Beats One. Even more importantly, Apple Music offers the first official way to stream music you've purchased from iTunes on an Android deviceThe app is technically Apple's third-ever title for Android, after Move to iOS, an app that helps you migrate photos, contacts and messages from an Android phone to an iPhone and Beats Pill+, which allows you to control a wireless Beats Pill speaker. That's important because while Google has created several apps for iOS, Apple didn't return the favor until 2015. At first look, the apps look very similar, identical in places even. But there are some differences that affect the overall experience of using Apple Music. Here's what you need to know. You need an Apple ID to use it If you've ever purchased something from iTunes, be it a song, album, TV show, movie or something else, you have an Apple ID. But if you've somehow never used Apple's products, you'll need to create an Apple ID to use Apple Music. You can sign up for one within the app, through iTunes on a computer or on iCloud.com. The design is the same, but slightly different than iOS Apple kept much of the same design from the original iOS app, but embraced the typical Android layout too. True to Android design, the app has a left slide-out "hamburger" menu (so named for the three horizontal lines that look like a hamburger) where you can jump to different sections. That menu is where you'll find the For You, New, Radio, Connect, Playlists and My Music tabs. The hamburger menu keeps things a bit more organized, but it does make it more tedious to switch between tabs. Beyond the menu layout, the app looks a lot like the iOS version. In fact most pages look nearly identical and suffer from the same overcrowding, with tabs jam-packed with albums, playlists and other suggestions. That was my biggest gripe with the iOS app and it's still a problem with the Android app. Apple Music on Android has a streamlined design that's very similar to the iOS app. Just like the iOS app, Apple Music for Android is full of musical recommendations, human-curated playlists and radio. You can create your own playlists and access music you've purchased through iTunes on the My Music page. You can download songs, playlists and full albums for offline listening when you don't have a connection. The Connect tab lets you follow your favorite artists and see photos, songs and other updates they share. Beats One, Apple's private radio station is available, ready to listen to day or night. And when you sign up, Apple asks what genres and artists you're into so it can suggest music for you, just like the iOS app does. Music videos are missing, but Apple says those are coming shortly. Overall, there aren't many obvious omissions in the Android version. ...but there's no voice control The one significant absence is voice controls, but that has more to do with iOS than it does Apple Music. On an iPhone, iPad or iPod, you can use Siri to control the music and queue up new songs. It's one of the better features of Apple Music, because Siri understands when you ask to play more songs like the current track or when you ask to play the number one hit from 1992. That's missing from the Android app, because Siri is parts of iOS. Unfortunately, you cannot use Google Now's voice commands to control Apple Music. For example, if I ask Google Now to "play The Rolling Stones" it asks me which app to use, with a list of choices installed on my phone. Apple Music isn't on that list and if I answer with "Apple Music" Google doesn't understand the request. You cannot sign up for a family plan, yet For now, you can only sign up for an individual monthly subscription, which costs $9.99 (£9.99, AU$11.99) within the app. You still get a free three month trial, after which you'll be automatically charged unless you cancel. However, you'll need a Mac or iOS device to upgrade to a family plan, which lets up to six people share a subscription for a total of $14.99 (£14.99, AU$17.99) per month. The Android app is still in beta Apple released Apple Music on Android with a beta label, indicating that it's not quite finished and may still have bugs or other problems . While I didn't encounter major issues, other than the occasionally sluggishness, you may come across a bug or two. The app is also only available for devices running Android 4.3 and up, and doesn't appear to work on tablets right now -- I wasn't able to download it on a Nexus 7 or Nexus 9.There's an option to leave beta feedback in the menu which opens webpage with a survey. You can let Apple know about problems, and also opt-in to automatically send diagnostics about the app's performance.

YouTube's Music app offers "endless music"

The music is endless on YouTube’s terrific new Music app. If you like turning on Pandora and letting the personalized music play, with mostly stuff you’re probably going to like, the YouTube twist is better. The music is even more personalized, and you get to hear tons of alternate versions of songs you might not be aware of. I’ve been playing with YouTube Music, the paid version, since the app was released this morning, and absolutely love what I hear, so far. YouTube Music is a stand-alone app designed to showcase YouTube’s massive music collection, which has far more music than Spotify, Apple Music or other rivals. Beyond the music videos, it also includes live gigs, late-night TV performances, documentary cuts and more. YouTube Music is part of the new Red subscription service, which for $9.99 monthly brings you an ad-free YouTube experience, access to original content, beginning in January, and on the app, the ability to listen to YouTube music both offline, and in the background. Free users will get ads and no background play.

US wins bid to remain on UNESCO executive board

 The United States has been re-elected to UNESCO’s executive board, a symbolic victory for Washington as it seeks to retain sway in the U.N. cultural and scientific agency even though the U.S. stopped financing it. 

Secretary of State John Kerry, who recently travelled to Paris to woo UNESCO diplomats, hailed Wednesday’s decision. In a statement, he said the U.S. would use its role to counter violent extremism, improve education for girls and promoting research and media freedom.

He also pledged to work to restore U.S. funding to UNESCO, halted in 2011 after the agency voted to include Palestine as a member. U.S. law forbids government funding to international organizations that recognize Palestinian statehood.

After Kerry’s visit, no challengers emerged to threaten the U.S. board seat, making Wednesday’s vote a formality.

Google announces end of Chrome support for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista

Attention, Windows XP and Vista users: Google is cutting you off. Come April, Chrome won’t get any more security updates or new features.

Microsoft stopped issuing security patches for XP in April of 2014, meaning Google has offered Chrome updates for the platform two years longer. Today, however, the Chrome team announced they’re dropping support for Windows XP and Vista. Mac users are affected too: OS X versions older than Mountain Lion (10.8) will also stop seeing Chrome updates come April.

“Starting April 2016, Chrome will continue to function on these platforms but will no longer receive updates and security fixes”, Google announced in a blog post.

The change means any Windows version without a numbered name, and any OS X version named after cats instead of places in California, isn’t getting security updates — leaving them perpetually vulnerable to any exploits discovered from that point on.

Of course, this is part of what deciding to use an older operating system means: All the programs you love eventually stop offering upgrades for you, leaving you increasingly vulnerable to all kinds of exploits.

Google recommends users upgrade to a newer OS if they want to keep getting Chrome updates. Mac users can upgrade to a newer of OS X free of charge, and maybe this change will inspire a few people to do just that. For Windows users, however, the change means spending money on an OS for hardware that’s presumably toward the end of its lifecycle. We think it’s unlikely people who haven’t already upgraded from XP or Vista are going to do that.

Luckily not every major browser is abandoning them: Mozilla’s Firefox doesn’t currently have any plans to stop supporting XP or Vista. So long as you’re using XP Service Pack 1 or newer, you can download the latest version of Firefox without issue.

It’s not Chrome, sure, but it’s a modern, full-featured browser that’s still getting security updates. Make sure you switch by April.

Google helps you control all your data in a new About Me page

Google is nothing if not a massive repository for all our data. Our search results, our emails, contacts, backups, and more are mostly processed through the company’s services. Not everyone is embedded in Google’s services 100 percent, but most of us use at least one of its apps or online services, so having a place to put all of that information in perspective could be useful. That’s what the new Google About Me page is all about.

In a nutshell, it shows all of the information that is publicly available about you via various Google services. But better than that, it lets you control it. If you have a Google+ account, chances are your name, place of work, and picture will show up at the top, along with any other information you may have entered there.

Other information like your work history, contact details, and education are also likely to be listed, though they may feature one of several symbols by them. The green globe lets you know that anyone can find that information about you, whereas the linked red circles indicate that only those within your social circles can see it.

If you’d like to expand the amount of information that is available to select groups, you can do so by clicking the little plus symbol at the bottom, which gives you a few options for being more open with the world.

However, if you would rather circle your privacy wagons a little more, but aren’t sure where to start, there’s a “Privacy Checkup” tool that makes it that bit easier. It lists different aspects of your various profiles, which will be visible to the public and your circles of friends While this new page may present a somewhat confusing change of pace for those used to fine tuning their settings with Google’s various tools, the hope is to simplify the process of changing privacy settings.

VW diesel emissions investigation widened to include other brands

German car regulators are expanding their investigation into suspected diesel emissions manipulation beyond Volkswagen to more than 50 models from brands including BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Volvo, Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover.

The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) regulator said on Wednesday it would run tests on models made by 23 German and foreign car brands on suspicion of further manipulation of nitrogen oxides emissions.

The Volkswagen emissions scandal explained

 

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KBA said the tests were triggered by Volkswagen’s admission it had rigged such tests but also cited “verified indications from third parties regarding unusual pollutants emissions“.

“Since the end of September, KBA has been investigating whether further manipulation of emissions, of nitrogen oxides in particular, is taking place in the market,” KBA said in a statement. 

The watchdog said it has been comparing readings in a test setting with those from portable meters in real-life tests and two-thirds of the measurements had already been taken. 

Germany’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said in a newspaper interview last weekend that diesel vehicles, including those from foreign manufacturers, would be subjected to strict checks.

VW admitted in September to cheating tests for emissions of nitrogen oxides and the scandal widened with the company’s revelation last weekthat it had also nderstated carbon dioxide emissions. 

Diesel car brands being investigated by KBA

BMW: 3 Series, 5 Series
Mini Daimler Mercedes: C-Class, CLS, Sprinter, V-Class, Daimler Smart Fortwo
Fiat Chrysler: Alfa Romeo Guilietta, Panda, Ducato, Jeep Cherokee
Ford: Focus, C-Max
Geely: Volvo V60
GM Opel: Astra, Insignia, Zafira
GM: Chevrolet Cruze
Honda: Honda HR-V
Hyundai: iX35, i20
Jaguar Land Rover: Land Rover Evoque
Mazda: Mazda 6
Mitsubishi: ASX
Nissan: Navara
Peugeot: Peugeot 308
Renault: Dacia, Kadjar
Toyota: Auris
VW: Golf, Beetle, Passat, Touran, Touareg, Golf Sportsvan, Polo, Crafter, Amarok; Audi A6, A3; Porsche Macan

High court appeal of immigration case comes mid campaign

 The Obama administration said Tuesday it will ask the Supreme Court to save its plans to shield from deportation millions of immigrants living in the country illegally. The appeal advances a legal confrontation with 26 states during a presidential race already roiled by disputes over U.S. immigration policy.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Monday effectively blocked President Barack Obama’s plan to protect as many as 5 million immigrants, primarily the immigrant parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. It upheld a Texas-based federal judge’s earlier injunction.

The ruling leaves in limbo the future of the program, called the Deferred Action for Parents and Americans, and promises by Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton to go further than Obama to protect large groups of immigrants from deportation.

Clinton promised in May to expand Obama’s executive actions if Congress does not overhaul U.S. immigration laws. In October she also pledged to be “less harsh and aggressive” than Obama in enforcing immigration laws.

Clinton said Tuesday she hopes the case gets a quick and fair hearing “so that the millions who are affected can stop living in fear of their families being broken apart.”

The future of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally has been debated by Republican and Democratic presidential candidates. Earlier this month Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said if elected he would eventually end Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects from deportation immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

DACA, as the program is known, was seen as an administrative answer to the DREAM Act, legislation once supported by Rubio that would provide legal status to those young immigrants. To date, more than 720,000 young immigrants have been granted permission to live and work legally in the United States. That program is not affected by the appeals court ruling.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday the case was ultimately about the administration’s authority to decide how to use its limited resources in immigration enforcement.

We obviously continue to believe strongly in the legal power of the arguments that we have been making for nearly a year ... about the importance of giving our law enforcement officials the discretion to implement our immigration laws in a way that focuses on those who pose a genuine threat to our national security or to our communities,” Earnest said.

Monday’s 70-page ruling rejected administration arguments that the district court had abused its discretion with a nationwide order and that the states lacked standing to challenge Obama’s executive orders.

It acknowledged that an adverse ruling would discourage potential beneficiaries of DAPA from cooperating with law enforcement authorities or paying taxes. “But those are burdens that Congress knowingly created, and it is not our place to second-guess those decisions,” U.S. Circuit Judge Jerry Smith wrote for the majority. Smith was appointed to the court by Republican President Ronald Reagan.

In a 53-page dissent, Circuit Judge Carolyn Dineen King said the administration was within the law. She cast the decision to defer action on some deportations as “quintessential exercises of prosecutorial discretion” and noted that the Homeland Security Department has limited resources.

“Although there are approximately 11.3 million removable aliens in this country today, for the last several years Congress has provided the Department of Homeland Security with only enough resources to remove approximately 400,000 of those aliens per year,” wrote King, who was appointed by Democratic President Jimmy Carter.

It’s unclear when the Justice Department will file its appeal or whether the high court would take up the case, but the administration may be running out of time to get a final decision before Obama leaves office in early 2017.

While the appeal moves forward, not much will change for the millions of immigrants Obama sought to help without action from Congress.

When Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program last year, they also rolled out a new set of priorities for immigration enforcement that focused on criminals, those who pose a threat to national security or public safety and recent border-crossers.

The result of that renewed focus means the average immigrant whose only offense is living in the country illegally isn’t likely to face deportation.

During the last budget year, which ended in September, the administration removed about 231,000 immigrants living in the country illegally, according to internal government documents obtained by The Associated Press.

It was the fewest number of deportations since 2006 and a 42 percent drop since a record high of more than 409,000 in 2012.