This case will turn your iPhone into a mobile wallet for $70
After a brief tease earlier this week, Incipio has officially unveiled its iPhone mobile payment case. The Cashwrap Mobile Wallet gives most iPhone users NFC payment support at any place that accepts Isis; beyond the case, all you need is a compatible account and a free app. If you’re eager to stop paying with plastic cards, the Cashwrap should be available online for $70. AT&T is only due to launch the peripheral at retail on January 31st, although the recent in-store sighting hints that you might have a chance at scoring a retail unit ahead of schedule.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile, Apple, AT&T
Source: BusinessWire
Apple May Be Forced to Unlock 4G on All Compatible Belgian iPhones [iOS Blog]
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has announced federal government approval of a bill that prevents electronics manufacturers from blocking 4G on compatible devices (via De Standaard). The bill was proposed by Economy Minister Johan Vande Lanotte in response to consumer complaints, and as a result, Apple may be forced to enable 4G connectivity on all 4G-compatible iPhone handsets sold in Belgium, regardless of carrier.
The ruling marks a big win for Belgian consumers, who complain Apple is playing favorites by only enabling 4G access for customers who purchase iPhones from the manufacturer’s commercial partner Mobistar. Mobistar recently launched its 4G network and its coverage is still expanding.
Other carriers like Proximus and Base have active 4G networks, but have been unable to secure 4G approval from Apple, and customers who purchase a 4G-capable iPhone 5/5s/5c from these other carriers are limited to 3G service. This block only affects iPhone owners as Android owners with a 4G handset can access 4G services on all three major wireless carriers.
Apple may face stiff penalties if it fails to comply with the terms of this bill.
(Thanks, Pauline!)
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Nokia’s dumbphones face an uncertain future at Microsoft
“Year-on-year decline.” Those are words that no company looks forward to publishing in its earnings reports, but unfortunately we’ve seen them printed more often than not on Nokia’s quarterly statements. Though there have been a few ups and downs, struggling profits and sales have been a general concern for a long time, and unfortunately this quarter’s earnings report did little to soothe our worries; Nokia sold 600,000 fewer Lumias than the previous quarter. Now that Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services division is nearly complete, much of our focus has turned to how the merger will affect the Lumia lineup of Windows Phones. An even bigger mystery at the moment, however, is what Microsoft will choose to do with the rest of Nokia’s phones — namely, the Mobile Phone division, which consists of the company’s basic featurephones and the Asha lineup of advanced featurephones, none of which run Windows Phone.
Just after Microsoft announced its intent to acquire the phone maker, Nokia insisted that the division wasn’t going anywhere; it has “substantial global reach … and a strong customer base,” but in emerging markets like India and China, it faces intense competition from fully functional smartphone platforms for a similar cost. Even worse, as we learned in yesterday’s report, sales from this division were flat — and as the competition gets heavier, it’s going to get worse, not better. Is it worth it for Microsoft to try saving a lineup of handsets that don’t feature Windows Phone OS? Or does it make more sense to push lower-end Lumia devices to cater to the next billion smartphone users?
We’ve seen several companies make huge moves to compete in emerging markets, where even a difference of $10 or $20 can have a significant impact.
In yesterday’s report, Nokia stated: “Our Mobile Phones net sales were affected by competitive industry dynamics, including intense smartphone competition at increasingly lower price points and intense competition at the low end of our product portfolio.” In other words, an influx of cheap Android and Firefox OS devices is making it difficult for Nokia’s lower-end devices to remain relevant in fiercely competitive countries like India and China.
The Ashas, which bridge the divide between featurephones and smartphones, range from $70 to $100; however, Android devices like the Galaxy Pocket cost around $85 in the same markets and offer similar specs with a much wider variety of apps. Firefox OS devices like the ZTE Open are now available for around $75. Heck, even the Lumia 520, which uses the Windows Phone platform, costs roughly the same as an Asha.
We’ve seen several companies make huge moves to compete in emerging markets, where even a difference of $10 or $20 can have a significant impact. Unfortunately, this means it’s much more difficult for the Asha lineup to compete today than just a couple years ago when they were first introduced. At the time, the concept was sound — if you offer a featurephone with smart abilities like a developer platform, messaging/email, social networking and so on, the customers will come. But today, as other platforms like Android and Firefox begin to flourish in emerging markets for the same prices, developers have less incentive to focus on making apps for Asha products, and consumers will become more hesitant to buy into the ecosystem.
There’s still a place for the simplest of phones. The $20 Nokia 105, for instance, is a basic candybar phone that offers a few nice extras like FM radio, flashlight and (best of all) month-long battery life. But what about the $85 Nokia 301 (pictured above), which offers a camera, HSPA connectivity and Mail for Exchange? How about the $160, aluminum-clad Nokia 515? We’re not so sure there’s a place for them in the years to come. It’s fantastic to see a lot of variety in the low end, but these handsets won’t be able to stay afloat in a sea of similarly priced phones that have more capabilities.
These handsets won’t be able to stay afloat in a sea of similarly priced phones that have more capabilities.
Nokia states that featurephones won’t be going away under Microsoft’s reign, and everything under the Mobile Phone umbrella will continue on. But outside of the Nokia 105, we just don’t see how selling a featurephone that costs more than $60 makes sense — and if Microsoft continues the Asha lineup, it would have to add even more functionality in order to compete with phones that boast full smartphone platforms. This is where a device like the oft-rumored Normandy would play an interesting role, since it’s reportedly an Asha-class phone that features a forked version of Android. However, Microsoft may not be so keen on Nokia launching the phone for that very reason.
Regardless of what happens to the Normandy in the end, we doubt it will have much of an effect on Microsoft’s end goal — to help Windows Phone blossom and grow. The best place to do that right now is in emerging markets, where it’s finally becoming affordable to get a smartphone. Nokia created a lot of momentum with low-end smartphones like the Lumia 520, which Softpedia claims was the best-selling Windows device in the world in September. Microsoft should take advantage of those successes instead of focusing on products that deter from its objective.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Sony teases ‘slimmest’ PlayStation device coming to the UK on January 30th
We’ve had a lucky run with product teasers recently. Instead of being totally vague, they’ve deliberately given us some inkling of what to expect, and we’re hoping that the Sony flyer above — summoning us to a PlayStation event in London — does so too. We’re told the briefing will introduce UK journalists to the “slimmest” PlayStation device, but we’re not told that we’re definitely going to witness the launch of a whole new product, which — to our minds, at least — suggests we might be looking at the UK launch of the PlayStation Vita TV (though it’s probably just a new Vita model). At just 13.6mm thick, the Vita TV is the thinnest PS device that we know of and it’s currently only available in Japan, so a launch in the UK (or anywhere outside of Asia) could potentially be a big deal. We’re gonna go ahead and rule out a super slim PlayStation 4 already, but the other alternative is that this could be the UK launch of the slimmer version of the PlayStation Vita handheld — in other words, the 2013 Japanese model, which has an LCD screen instead of OLED, better battery life and is just 15mm thick (20 percent skinnier than the current UK model). In any case, we’ll be there at the event on January 30th, with a flask of coffee and a pair of calipers.
LG G Pad 8.3 with LTE could be on its way to Verizon
With LTE speeds putting coffee-shop WiFi to shame, many tablet makers now produce in pairs: one model with WiFi, and another with extra 4G radio and SIM slot. Not LG’s G Pad 8.3, though, as both skinned and Google editions of the slate spurn LTE for the sake of their ol’ buddy WiFi. It appears, however, that Verizon may’ve persuaded LG to pull together a cellular version of the G Pad for its network, if puzzle pieces from a recent FCC filing end up fitting together as we’d expect. All we know from the official docs is that an LG tablet, model number VK810, has been approved for the US market with LTE support for Bands 4 and 13 — Verizon’s magic numbers. As PhoneArena points out, the mystery tablet’s dimensions are more or less identical to those of the G Pad 8.3, which is where the trail ends. So, it’s more than likely we’ll see LG launch a 4G model with Big Red soon, but if being tied down ain’t your bag, then at least let it’s existence foster hopes of a carrier-agnostic LTE model sometime later.
Filed under: Tablets, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon, LG
Via: PhoneArena
Source: US FCC
PlayStation Vita TV review: Sony’s first mini-console has some growing pains
Sony had a tiny surprise to share just ahead of the Tokyo Games Show: the PS Vita TV, appearing from inside SCE President Andrew House’s jacket pocket. Having already announced a new, slender PS Vita handheld less than an hour earlier, Sony showed off this minute console — roughly the same footprint as a smartphone — that plays Vita games, PlayStation games and streams video content, as well as music and video from Sony’s own store. It can also connect with multiple PS3 DualShock controllers, allowing for proper, responsive gaming — something we’re not quite used to getting from something so tiny.
You could see it as a brutal counterstrike from the PlayStation team against the cheap, mini-console likes of OUYA and GameStick, even Huawei. Aside from contemporary Vita titles and indie games, you can also tap into an ever-increasing catalog of hits from yesteryear — something that the Android and iOS platforms also dip their feet into, but with the peace of mind (read: stability) of PlayStation hardware, and the ability to steer the action with a DualShock controller. Sound like something you’d like to try out? Well, unfortunately, unlike the new PS Vita, this is currently a Japan-only deal. What’s more, availability in Nihon is directly tied to compatibility there, too; you’ll need a Japanese PSN account to even use it. We’re still getting a vague line from SCE on whether it will eventually arrive outside of Japan. (It would be a convenient bit of hardware to sell alongside Sony’s PlayStation Now streaming-game service, set to launch in the US later this year, right?)
So, is this just a tenuous experiment or a whole new console line for PlayStation? Or, given that it’s practically got all the same internals, would you be better off just buying a Vita?
Hardware
It’s deck-of-cards small. And stylish. And somehow cute. Sony clearly got the hardware right, with neatly curved sides and all the cable ports relegated to the back. It comes in an off-white finish, which, oddly, is slightly darker than the companion white DualShock controller that came included in the 15,000-yen ($144) value pack we tested for this review. The front panel is glossy, with some Sony branding on the left and a single LED to display when the Vita TV is on. There’s also the 19-year-old PlayStation logo on the top, but that’s about it. It’s an unassuming little console, and we like it for that, though once you’ve got all the necessary cables plugged in (HDMI, power, possibly Ethernet), it loses some of its style points. That can’t really be helped though, can it? Maybe. Sony could have tried powering the whole device through MHL (the same standard that allows smartphones to shift content to HDTVs while charging it at the same time) and that would have wrapped those display and AC adapter ports together. We’re guessing the relatively high level of graphics rendering and processing that the Vita TV has to do might be too much for an MHL port.
Because it isn’t housing bleeding-edge GFX, it’s quiet. So quiet. Sony has told us that it uses the same processor found in its Vita handheld, which makes sense: The mini-console loads and responds to navigation at an identical pace. You will, however, need the aforementioned DualShock controller to do this, which might bump up initial costs if you don’t already have one from a PS3. (As we’ll elaborate on later, a PS4 controller also works.)
The USB port along the back acts as the charging port for controllers, meaning you’ve got yet another cable there to clutter up the design. To the right, there are HDMI and Ethernet ports, while a 5V AC socket for powering everything is on the far edge. On the other side of the USB port, you’ll find the second media slot, alongside another for Vita game carts. This is for your Vita memory card, which could mean another add-on purchase, assuming you didn’t already plump for the value pack. The cards are still overpriced, but at least there’s now a 64GB one — which seems like it could be enough to last the lifetime of one’s Vita TV. If you already own a Vita handheld, you’ll need just the one card. We could eject the Vita game cart and memory card, slot them into our portable Vita and play the same games from the same game saves. Aside from wrestling the memory card out of the slot, it’s a pretty straightforward process, meaning you can continue your portable gaming on a bigger screen, with an arguably more comfortable control setup.
Along the back, on the far left edge, there’s a power button, although with a wireless controller in hand, we tended to power down from inside the menu — it’s one of several software differences between the Vita TV and the handheld that came before it.
Software
The PS Vita TV has the same interface as the Vita handhelds: Games and apps are housed in floating bubbles, and you press the PlayStation button to switch out of games, multitask and get back to the home screen. However, with the Vita TV there’s no touch panel to navigate through those icons and menus, which does fight against how it was originally designed.
Fortunately, its sheer simplicity means we had no real issues making our way through it using a DualShock controller. Yes, typing is more of a chore than with a touchscreen, but because the Vita TV explodes exactly the same view from the Vita handheld to your HDTV, the onscreen keyboard is just as huge and this editor found it easier to use than the one on the PS3. Again, this is a credit to its simplicity. Because of the lack of presses to hold and swipes to delete we were using on the Vita, the Vita TV occasionally throws up subtle reminders for how to do these things — a relief, because we wouldn’t have known how to otherwise.
As a games console, you can play Vita games (on physical media, or downloaded) as well as a back catalog of PSP and PSX titles, both of which are easy to play on a DualShock controller. However, a lack of touch input (the original Vita has both a touchscreen and rear touch panel) does ultimately hamper which games you can actually play. Tearaway, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Wipeout, Uncharted and Gravity Rush are all unfortunate casualties of this compatibility oversight, each requiring a degree of touch within gameplay. The TV unit also lacks cameras and a built-in compass — again reducing the list of compatible titles, but this doesn’t seem to preclude any especially notable games.
When a compatible game demands some sort of touch input, Sony’s come through with a system (included within a patch that automatically downloads) that attempts to lash a two-dimensional touch area to the analog sticks. Pressing R3 summons two pointers for the front panel, while L3 does the same for the rear one. Pressing both analog sticks down produces pointers on both. If our description sounds confusing, good — because it’s even more difficult to grasp in use, and it’s only really a workaround for a handful of cases. Those aforementioned titles simply won’t load to start with.
Regardless of which generation of PlayStation gaming you choose to dip your toes into, the Vita TV automatically upscales to 720p — an improvement over the manual process needed on the Vita. Predictably, it’s the Vita games that look the best on an HD screen. Animation is smooth and while upscaling from the handheld means that it doesn’t quite look as sharp as on the original (it’s a pixels-per-inch issue), it still looks good — which surprised us. We’d cite Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as one game that handles the big screen particularly well.
The years haven’t been so kind to original PlayStation titles.
Alas, the years haven’t been so kind to original PlayStation titles. To their credit, the likes of Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy and the original Wipeout play just like they used to. The original PlayStation was the first Sony console to use a dual-analog pad, the DualShock 3′s distant ancestor, meaning that if there’s a game available on the PlayStation Store, it’ll work on the Vita TV. (Funnily enough, the Vita iteration of Wipeout doesn’t work.) Despite that, the Vita TV is a wake-up call to middling (cheap) plug-in consoles that haven’t quite made the cut. Regardless of the sluggish launch schedule of Vita games, there’s that huge back catalog of titles to play through, along with all those indie hits. And aside from that touchscreen barrier, they all work; they work well; and there’s no controller lag — it is a PlayStation, after all.
The Vita TV isn’t just gunning for cheaper console challengers, however. Alongside its gaming talents, there’s a handful of video services too, besides Sony’s own Video Unlimited store. Japanese rental chain Tsutaya offers both a video-on-demand store as well as a monthly subscription service for unlimited viewing. Hulu is meant to be here too. As of this writing, however, it still isn’t available at the store.
There are other services you’ve probably never heard of, and they offer a pretty limited selection. Skappa On Demand broadcasts live J-League soccer matches and, at the moment, nothing else. Video output is capped at 720p too, meaning the Vita TV trails the likes of Roku and Apple TV in picture quality. The mini-console’s talents outside of gaming are certainly secondary, which is a shame. It has such a small footprint that it could have been a great choice for making non-smart TVs a little more capable.
Because the Vita TV transposes nearly everything from the hand-held version, some of the apps, like the web browser, are downright diabolical on an HDTV. Due to the resolution limitations, you’ll have to read sites one giant paragraph of text at a time — it’s far from a comfortable experience. Ditto for social networking apps like Twitter and Facebook: the text is huge. We spent most of our time scrolling and scrolling and scrolling.
Wrap-up
More Info
Thanks to a combination of petite, understated hardware and more than a little nostalgia, there’s a lot to like about the Vita TV, especially if you grew up with PlayStation. However, Sony’s littlest console still has some game-support issues it needs to sort out. In particular, it needs to get its entire PS1 back catalog online and work out a better way of bypassing the lack of a touchscreen. Relief could come from the PS4 controller, which already houses a tiny touchpad, although Sony hasn’t said anything to that end and given that the fourth PlayStation hasn’t even launched here in Japan, it’s not something we’ve been able to test out. We’re also thinking this could be the cheapest way to play Sony’s incoming PS Now streaming-game service on your non-Sony TV, if/when PS Now and the Vita TV are both available in the same region.
For now, the PS Vita TV is, at its core, a cheap games machine (10,000 yen, or $96) that we can’t recommend as a media-streaming device — although that’s all icing on the cake anyway. But until Sony reveals global plans for the Vita TV, this mini-console remains a tempting Japan-only curio. That’s a shame, because there’s so much more here to recommend it over those similarly priced, rougher-edged Android consoles.
Sprint unveils $30 ZTE Optik 2 tablet
Sprint this morning announced the ZTE Optik 2, an Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean tablet with a rock bottom price tag. Powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 1GB RAM, addition details include 8GB storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera, front-facing 2-megapixel camera, and 3G connectivity. The 7-inch ZTE Optik 2 is available through Sprint’s website and business sales and requires a two-year service agreement on a qualified plan.
The ZTE Optik 2 can be paired with any of Sprint’s Tablet Connection plans, including a special limited time offer featuring 2GB of data for $15. Additional plans allow for 25MB ($5), 100MB ($10), 3GB ($34.99), 6GB ($49.99) or 12GB ($79.99). The tablet can also operate as a mobile hotspot allowing up to five users to connect; an additional fee $19.99 (2GB) or $49.99 (6GB) is required.
The post Sprint unveils $30 ZTE Optik 2 tablet appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Tim Cook Discusses Apple’s Cuture of Secrecy, Sapphire, and More in ABC News Interview
In honor of today’s thirtieth anniversary of the introduction of the Macintosh, Apple CEO Tim Cook and executives Craig Federighi and Bud Tribble recently sat down for an interview with ABC News. ABC’s David Muir was a guest on Good Morning America this morning, where he introduced a short preview of the interview, which airs in full tonight.
In the clip, Muir talked candidly to the trio of executives about Apple’s culture of secrecy, the company’s plans for its Arizona sapphire manufacturing plant and the iWatch. Cook was forthcoming in the interview about his work habits and Apple’s rumored black curtains, but as usual he adeptly deflected questions about Apple’s future product roadmap.
The full interview will air tonight at 6:30 PM on World News with Diane Sawyer.
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Fast Forward: Be Kind to Your Audience With a Video Editing Program
There are many video editing programs to choose from, and they can all help you to make more professional looking videos that are more enjoyable to watch. It doesn’t matter whether you mainly film family videos of important events, business videos for your website or longer projects like films. Even the most simple videos can benefit from video editing software.
But which program should you choose? Here are some factors to consider when choosing an editing suite for your projects, as well as some of the best that are currently available on the market.
Choosing the Right Software
The first thing to do is decide on a budget. Video editing programs range from completely free to very expensive, and the more costly options tend to come with more advanced features. However, you need to decide whether you actually need all of these added features and are willing to pay for them.
Some editing programs are known for being very simple to use, even for people who have never edited videos before. Others are more complex but may come with more features. A simple interface is useful if you just want to edit the odd family movie, whereas if you are making more serious projects, you may be more willing to spend a long time working out all of the features.
You should not forget the system requirements of each program. Some editing programs may require a very powerful computer. If you don’t have one, this could affect your ability to run the software properly.
Also, don’t forget the level of technical support provided. If you are going to be working on more complex projects, you may want to be able to contact an expert support team to answer your questions, so find out whether you are able to call or email the technical support and receive a speedy response.
Top Editing Software Programs
Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the most comprehensive editing programs available, and it is used for professional level editing. A powerful computer is required to use it properly, and it comes with a huge range of advanced features.
Adobe Premiere Elements
Alternatively, you could choose Adobe Premiere Elements. This is a smaller and simpler version of Premiere Pro, and is more suited to casual home users.
Final Cut Pro
This is a fast and powerful video editing program from Apple that boasts a wide range of features including multi-cam support and a many professional tools for pro users.
iMovie
For Mac users who don’t want to splash out on Final Cut Pro, all new Macs come with Apple’s simpler editing suite, iMovie. This is a very popular video editing program, and one of the main advantages of iMovie is that it is very simple to use. However, although it is excellent for simple tasks like adding music and cropping, it does not have as many advanced features as some of the other more comprehensive programs.
Pinnacle Studio
Pinnacle Studio is an advanced editing program that is aimed at people who are already familiar with video editing rather than complete beginners. It comes with many features and special effects, and it also allows you to upload completed projects directly to various video sharing sites including YouTube. This makes it ideal if you want to share your video, and people can download it from YouTube using a program like YTD.
Corel VideoStudio Pro X6
This program is less expensive than some of the others, but is still very powerful and comes packed full of features, including excellent stop motion controls and more. It is a good option for amateurs who want to get access to a quality product for less.
Find the Right Editing Software for You
If you want to create stunning videos, you will need an editing suite. Choosing one from the many that are available can be difficult, so think over what you really need from your editing program before trying some out. Remember that many of these programs come with free trials so you can try them out for yourself and decide which one works best for you.
Make sure you remember to respect IP when downloading.
Steven Young likes to check out the latest video software and programs. He also likes to report back on his experiences with them to help others make the right choice.
Red Nexus 5 photographed, potentially ready to release in Vietnam by next Month
A few days ago we got a brief (and suspicious) look at a Nexus 5 page on the Google Play Store that appeared to suggest that Google was readying quite a large colour palette for their flagship smartphone. While a lot of discussion has gone on regarding the integrity of this source, a much more concrete source has cropped up in the last few hours; the above photo shows a red Nexus 5 in all its glory, allegedly a sample of a larger roll-out in Vietnam in late February or early March.
The report also states that Vietnam will also be receiving a yellow version of the Nexus 6 alongside the red variant, but didn’t state what other regions would be receiving coloured versions. I assume this could be some kind of colour coordination to match the country’s flag, but the report also could be fake. Whatever the truth it, it is all very overwhelming that all these reports of coloured Nexus 5s are coming in left, right and centre. What do you think is the truth: are there going to be coloured variants of the Nexus 5 coming out soon? Let us know what you think.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.
Source: Webtrek via PhoneArena
AIVAnet 