Xbox One’s Skype app gets first refresh: contact filtering, longer chat logs and more
Skype for Xbox One — or as we like to call it, SuperSkype Extreme — is getting its first update today. Tired of looking through offline contacts to find out if Larry’s online? This update allows for filtration by availability! Tired of Larry lying about things he said last week? This update adds longer chat logs (“up to 1,000 messages, rather than just the past seven days”)! Tired of Larry’s constant use of smiley face emoticons? This update has “hidden” (totally not hidden) Captain America: The Winter Soldier emoticons! Tired of Larry’s Skype always crashing? This update squashes a variety of launch bugs.
Really though, it sounds like you’re just tired of Larry. Maybe it’s time to finally move on.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Microsoft
Source: Skype
Sprint tweaks prepaid with new plans and devices
Sprint on Friday relaunched its own prepaid service, Sprint Prepaid. Formerly known as Sprint As You Go this is not to be confused with the Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile brands.
Devices offered through Sprint Prepaid, initially, include the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (Spark compatible), Samsung Galaxy S3 (LTE), Motorola Moto G (3G), and refurbished Apple iPhone 4S. As is to be expected, additional devices will be available in the future.
Similar to Sprint’s popular prepaid brands – Virgin Mobile USA and Boost Mobile — Sprint Prepaid is specifically designed for the Sprint customer who doesn’t want to go through a credit check or has hit other spending or line limits.
Sprint Prepaid plans are priced at $45 and $60 per month and include unlimited talking and messaging. The $45 plan offers unlimited Wi-Fi data while the $60 option provides unlimited 3G/LTE/Spark data. It’s worth noting, however, that speeds will be throttled at 2.5GB, likely affecting only a select few users.
Sprint Prepaid is immediately available.
Sprint Prepaid offers smartphone plans as low as $45 per month
for commitment-phobic fans seeking the control that comes with prepaying each month, with Sprint LTE and Sprint Spark devices included
Sprint retailers are expanding their no-contract offers with a new product that has smartphone plans as low as $45/month for those consumers who prefer the prepaid model. And the initial lineup of devices includes LTE and Spark-capable ones. Sprint® Prepaid is a new branded offer for those customers who want the control that comes with prepaying for their wireless service each month, the savings that come with paying for the device up front with no long-term commitment contracts, and the benefit of being with the Sprint brand.
“Our goal is to respond to customers’ shifting demands by featuring a variety of wireless plans that meet different needs,” said Jeff Hallock, Sprint chief marketing officer. “This new Sprint Prepaid offer allows us to play more competitively in the monthly prepaid space. Prepaid plans are a viable solution for many consumers, and we’re now making these available to people who have an affinity for the Sprint brand, are looking for savings, and desire no-contract options without compromise.”
Similar to Sprint’s popular prepaid brands – Virgin Mobile USA and Boost Mobile — Sprint Prepaid is specifically designed for the Sprint customer who doesn’t want to go through a credit check or has hit other spending or line limits. With a prepaid plan, the customer pays in advance for the device and for each month of service and does not receive a monthly bill.
Devices
Sprint Prepaid expands on the “As You Go” no-contract plan introduced last year with new pricing, including smartphone plans for as low as $45 per month, expanded merchandising and a stronger device lineup that includes LTE and Sprint Spark™-capable options. At launch, top-selling smartphones eligible for Sprint Prepaid plans are:
- Sprint Spark-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4™ Mini
- 4G LTE-capable Samsung Galaxy S3™
- 3G Moto G
Apple iPhone 4s Pre-owned is also available on Sprint Prepaid. Hallock said that the list of available devices will grow throughout the year and that feature phones will be added soon.
Sprint Prepaid customers will be able to participate in the popular Sprint Buyback program which allows them to trade in an eligible device to earn account credits. At launch, Buyback will be available to Sprint Prepaid customers online only and customers will receive a credit to their account. Customers can find more information at www.sprintbuyback.com including devices accepted and amounts paid for each device.
Plans
Sprint Prepaid customers can choose from two affordable plans for smartphones:
- Smart: $45: Unlimited talk and text, Wi-Fi enabled data only[1
- Smart Plus: $60: Unlimited talk, text and data[2]
The Smart Plus plan is for smartphones and includes unlimited talk, text and data while on the Sprint network. Sprint Spark enhanced LTE capable devices will also be available at launch and when in a Sprint Spark coverage area[3], will allow users to experience Sprint’s fastest data speeds available. Basic plans for feature phones will be introduced next month.
Accounts can be replenished, or Reloaded, in Sprint stores (cash or credit card), online at Sprint.com/prepaid with a credit card, or by calling *3 from the Sprint Prepaid device. Sprint Prepaid is available in Sprint branded retail locations and through Telesales at 855-639-4644. Visit the Sprint store locator at sprint.com/storelocator .
Services
Sprint Money Express™ is one of the great features available with Sprint Prepaid, allowing Sprint Android-powered smartphones to serve as cash-based vehicles to access cost-effective financial services. The Sprint Money Express app is an easy way for customers to send money, load checks and pay bills, and it also includes a personalized, reloadable, Sprint-branded Visa prepaid card to make purchases anywhere in the world that Visa debit is accepted.
The Sprint Prepaid Phone Insurance program provides four peril coverage (loss, theft, accidental damage, out of warranty mechanical or electrical breakdown). Customers have a 30-day window from the time they purchase a new phone with an eligible rate plan to enroll in the Sprint Prepaid Phone Insurance program.
Customers also have the option to purchase additional services, such as directory assistance, international calling, and texting while on the Nationwide Sprint Network and premium services or content by Reloading an amount greater than their monthly payment to prepay for those services.
More about Sprint Prepaid at www.sprint.com/prepaid.
The post Sprint tweaks prepaid with new plans and devices appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple’s ‘iPad Pro’ Plans Reportedly on Hold
Apple has “shelved” its plans to produce a larger-sized tablet, according to a report from Digitimes. Nicknamed the “iPad Pro”, the 12.9-inch tablet was rumored to be under development with a launch date possible early next year.
Apple’s alleged move comes as these larger tablets face hurdles because the form factors are not compatible with the existing ecosystems, forcing manufacturers to scale back on their plans, claims Digitimes.
However, most of the large-size tablet projects face difficulties because of lack of support from related platform developers and ecosystems. Apple has also been said to shelved its large-size tablet project.
Mockup of a 12.9-inch iPad next to a 13-inch MacBook Air
It is unclear whether Apple having “shelved” the iPad Pro is a permanent move or if the company is simply taking a wait-and-see attitude with the project for the time being.
Rumors of the iPad Pro first surfaced last May with a claimed early 2014 launch timeframe, but while a number of other sources have weighed in with their own claims about the device including word that production on the device’s display had already begun, targets for the device’s launch have slipped over time. Most recently, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has frequently offered accurate information on Apple’s product plans, suggested last month that while the iPad Pro remained under development, its launch would likely not come this year.
As rumors of a larger iPad gained steam throughout the latter half of 2013, Samsung moved to introduce its own product with the launch of a 12.2-inch tablet early this year.
Digitimes has a mixed track record with its reporting, frequently obtaining accurate information from within Apple’s supply chain, but on occasion seeming to misinterpret that information.
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Sprint’s latest prepaid plan offers 2.5GB of LTE data for $60
Sprint has slapped a fresh coat of paint on its prepaid mobile by rebranding Sprint As You Go to Sprint Prepaid and launching all-new plans. The carrier has more attractive pricing too, though there’s a caveat. The Smart Plus LTE data plan is $10 less at $60, but the previously unlimited data is now throttled after 2.5GB like plans on Sprint’s Virgin and Boost Mobile brands. If you don’t need network data, the basic Smart Plan is $45 for unlimited calls and texts (plus WiFi data), a $5 drop over last year. You’ll also be able to pick any device you want, as long as it’s an LTE Samsung Galaxy S3, LTE Galaxy S4 mini, 3G Moto G or pre-owned Apple iPhone 4s. With T-Mobile having just doubled down on data, we’re not sure how tempting that sounds — but if Softbank gets its merger, it may soon not matter.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sprint
Source: Sprint
Esurance video appraisal lets a rep use your smartphone’s camera to assess damage remotely
This is one cool tool we hope to never use. Esurance’s new video appraisal feature for the insurer’s Android and iOS apps helps speed up the post-accident process significantly. Typically, you’re required to get a vehicle inspection after an accident before the insurance company can send out an estimate for repairs. With the refreshed app, however, an appraiser can use your smartphone’s camera to assess the damage while also communicating with customers and the repair shop. You’ll still need to set up an appointment (through the Esurance app), but since the agent won’t need to travel, you’ll be on your way much more quickly. Video appraisal requires a smartphone running Android 4.0+ or iOS 7, a front and rear camera with autofocus and a WiFi or LTE connection. Tablet compatibility is in the works. It’s available today in the latest version of the Esurance app.
The Engadget Podcast is live at 12PM ET!
Get your Three Amigos jokes ready, folks, because the gang’s all here. We’ve got Joseph Volpe and Terrence O’Brien back from the Wild Wild South by Southwest to talk about … whatever it is that happens at South by Southwest. Riding on wrecking balls, or something? We’ll find out! Oh, and Titanfall came out this week, so Ben’s gonna talk about Titanfall. Did we mention Titanfall? All that and more, at noon on The Engadget Podcast!
Filed under: Podcasts
AT&T completes Cricket buyout; plans to fold Aio brand
AT&T, having completed its acquisition of Cricket Wireless, has announced plans for both its Cricket and Aio brands. AT&T expects to integrate Cricket’s network and operation into the larger arm and ultimately migrate the prepaid customers over. Expected to take a few weeks to complete, subscribers will then be able to select new plans and devices. As for those on the Aio network, AT&T plans to fold that particular branding.
In the coming weeks, Cricket will be combined with AT&T’s existing operations to create the new Cricket, with a national presence featuring thousands of stores in states across the country. The new Cricket is taking the very best from each brand and focusing on providing customers with simple, affordable no-annual-contract wireless that’s easy every step of the way.
Existing Aio customers are directed to check out this page; Cricket subscribers can learn more here.
The post AT&T completes Cricket buyout; plans to fold Aio brand appeared first on AndroidGuys.
iOS 8 May Streamline Notification Center, Remove Game Center App, and More
Besides adding new Healthbook, TextEdit and Preview apps, Apple may also change existing pre-bundled applications in iOS 8, claims 9to5Mac. Apps slated for improvement include Notification Center, Voice Memos, Messages, Game Center and CarPlay.
Apple may be simplifying existing apps like Notification Center, doing away with the “All” and “Missed” views and combing them into one “Notifications” view. The new Notification Center will contain “Today” and “Notifications” views, making it easier for users to keep track of items that are immediately important. Voice Memos also will see a redesign with controls that distinguish between recording and playback functions.
Messaging may be tweaked with an optional auto-delete function that will remove older messages after a certain amount of time. This new feature would be useful for iOS owners who have older devices with less storage space and prefer not to use that valuable space to store old messages.
Apple also may remove Game Center as a standalone app from both iOS and OS X, opting instead to embed the functionality into games that support the social gaming service. The company also is considering improving inter-app communication by creating a new API that allows apps to share data.
For example, a future photo editing application could have the ability to push the edited content for upload via the Instagram or Facebook apps. The debut of the API has been in development for the past couple of years, and it had been removed from the launch version of iOS 7 last year for unspecified reasons. With that in mind, it is plausible that Apple could, again, choose to hold back the functionality.
As hinted by Volvo, CarPlay may be updated to support WiFi connections instead of relying on the lightning cable to link an iOS device to the car’s in-dash system.
From these early iOS 8 rumors, Apple appears to focusing on the overall experience by improving key apps like Maps, Siri and Notification Center and speeding up performance of the OS. The company is expected to unveil iOS 8 at WWDC later this year, with a release possible this fall.
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French billionaire to bring 3,000 all-electric hire cars to London
Electric cars have yet to wow British drivers, but that doesn’t mean the government is ready to give up on putting more greener vehicles on UK streets. With help from a French billionaire, the city is set to become home to more than 3,000 electric hire cars and 6,000 charging points in the next two years, quadrupling the number of available outlets that are available today. It’s all part of a £100 million investment by businessman Vincent Bollore, whose company won the rights to assist London mayor Boris Johnson in getting 100,000 electric vehicles on the road and putting every resident within one mile of a charge point. While the charging network will be run for Transport for London, the car-sharing scheme is commercial. Bollore reckons around 100 “Bluecars” will be available by the end of the year, which can be rented using a smartphone app for £10 per hour (nearly twice as much as some petrol car services like ZipCar). While it’s certainly no Tesla Supercharger network, we can expect EVs to suddenly become a lot more visible on the street’s of Britain’s capital city.
[Image credit: criminalintent, Flickr]
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Sky News
Reported Amazon game controller appears in pictures
Amazon is probably making a game console, and today we’ve got a better idea of what that console’s controller looks like thanks to Dave Zatz and the Brazilian FCC. The standards are all there: two offset, concave analog sticks, four buttons (A/B/X/Y) on the right front, a d-pad in the lower left, and triggers/shoulder buttons around back/up top. What’s weird about this particular controller, however, are the other buttons. A slew of media controls sit at the bottom (play, fast-forward, rewind), and in the middle there are four buttons: Home, Back, Menu … wait a minute! These are Android buttons! Either Amazon’s building a controller for Android or the console it’s making is Android-based (we’re guessing the latter). Head below for more!
So, what’s the mysterious fourth button? Your guess is as good as ours, but it sure is shiny (the white spots in the images appear to be the reflection of the lights overhead). It could be a tiny trackball, but that’s a tremendously bad idea and we think Amazon’s smarter than that. Perhaps a power button for the console? Or maybe a share button, a la Sony’s DualShock 4? Again, we can’t be sure just yet. Feel free to venture your best guesses in the comments below (like we have to ask).
(Update: As several folks pointed out, the button looks an awful lot like the Amazon Game Circle logo, the digital service Amazon already has for games that add leaderboards and achievements, among other things.)
Further, there are six LED lights on the controller’s front. While we expect the set of four on the right to be used for indicating which player is holding that particular unit, it’s unclear what the other two (on the left) are being used for. Also, it takes two AA batteries.
It also looks like Amazon is employing Apple product assembly partner Foxconn to put the controller together, as Foxconn has factories in Brazil where this controller was put through government regulation. In case you have any doubt this is tied to Amazon (beyond the … Amazon logo on the controller itself), the regulatory filing was tied to “Amazon Fulfillment Services Inc.”
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals, HD, Amazon
Via: Dave Zatz
Source: Anatel (PDF)
AIVAnet 