MetroPCS now offering Samsung Galaxy S5
MetroPCS on Friday announced the immediate availability of the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone. Priced at $649, the flagship handset can be paired with the carrier’s rate plans that start at $40 per month. Interested parties can visit MetroPCS.com or one of their retail stores across the country to pick up the Galaxy S5
The post MetroPCS now offering Samsung Galaxy S5 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
[RUMOUR] Is a budget, Mediatek-powered Nexus device coming some time in 2014?
For some people, the only news worth holding out for in 2014 will be the expected announcement and release of yet another Nexus device, generally referred to as the Nexus 6. This so-called Nexus 6, if real, will likely marry high performance hardware with great value as the previous two iterations have done. If a report coming out of China is to be believed, however, we might be getting a second, slightly different Nexus device prior to the Nexus 6′s release. According to MTKSJ who specializes in Mediatek-related news, Google is looking at making a budget, Mediatek-powered Nexus device sometime in 2014.
For a bit of background, Mediatek is one of the biggest mobile processor players in the world, however, their influence is mainly concentrated in the Asia region. The primary reason why they are so successful in this region is the low cost of their processors, a game that Qualcomm, the major player in Western markets, is unwilling to play. Logically then, if a budget, Nexus device were to be made, a Mediatek processor could be a possibility, which could imply that a manufacturer in the Asia region would likely work with Google on making the device. However, as with all rumours surrounding Nexus devices, this rumour should be taken with a grain of salt as many stories relating to Google’s plans have generally been pure conjecture.
What do you think about the suggestion that there could be a budget, Mediatek-powered Nexus device? Would you buy such a device? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments.
Source: MTKSJ via Phones Review
//<![CDATA[
ord = window.ord || Math.floor(Math.random()*1E16);
document.write('’);
//]]>
NASA just crashed a satellite into the moon on purpose
You might remember NASA’s LADEE as the satellite where the administration tested a new broadband-fast laser communication system for sending data back to Earth. Now, however, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer is no more, since NASA just crashed the craft into the surface of the Moon. Unfortunately, the vehicle didn’t have the power to maintain its orbit, so the bods in Florida decided to send the hardware on a one-way trip. On the upside, the satellite managed to grab some super-detailed scans of the lunar surface before burning up, and it probably looked really cool when it exploded, which probably justifies the wanton destruction of a multi-million dollar spacecraft.
Filed under: Transportation, Science
Via: AP
Source: NASA
Analysts Predict Q2 2014 Decline in iPad Sales, Slight Increase in iPhone Sales
Sales of Apple’s iPad and iPhone remained strong during the holiday season with record quarterly sales reported in Q1 2014. Analyst predictions for Apple’s second quarter of its fiscal year suggest iPhone sales may rise slightly, while iPad sales may decline slightly, reports Philip Elmer-DeWitt of Fortune’s Apple 2.0 blog.
The consensus estimate from 21 Wall Street professionals and 13 amateur analysts predict iPad sales of 19.3 million, a 0.7 percent decline in Q2 2014. This is a significant change from Q2 2013, which saw a 55 percent year-over-year increase.
The consensus estimate, at 19.3 million, would represent a 0.7% decline, with the pros slightly more optimistic (at 19.4 million) than the amateurs (19.2 million). Dragging down the amateur numbers is the 15 million estimate submitted by the Braeburn Group’s Matt Lew. Tugging in the other direction is Horace Dediu’s 21.8 million. One represents a year-over-year decline of 23%, the other an increase of 12%.
This dip in sales may only be temporary as Apple is expected to launch updated models of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display later this year, and may launch a larger-screen iPad Pro sometime in future after production issues are solved.
Apple will announce its earnings for the second fiscal quarter (first calendar quarter) of 2014 on Wednesday, April 23. The earnings release is posted just after 4:30 PM ET following the close of regular stock trading, and the conference call is scheduled to follow at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.
Wu-Tang fans hope to liberate ‘Shaolin’ for $5 million but have a ways to go
When you have the cultural cachet of someone like the Wu-Tang Clan, there are a handful of luxuries afforded to you that few others have. Like selling the only copy of your upcoming album for $5 million, for instance. But in an effort to free Once Upon a Time in Shaolin‘s music to less-than-rich listeners, two fans have launched a Kickstarter in an attempt raise enough cash so everyone can hear the exclusive double album. The Staten Island rap group’s original idea for the release was to sell it as an ultra-limited edition package after it completes a world-tour where fans could pay between $30 and $50 apiece to listen to it once, in a single sitting, in a museum.
Update: This Kickstarter bid — ambitious as it may be — likely violates the Kickstarter guidelines. We’ve reached out to Kickstarter for the official word.
After that, it would reside with whomever could pony up the $5 million asking price. To hopefully circumvent “some über-rich bastard from keeping it to himself like a collector’s item,” a pair of Wu fans are trying to raise enough cash to buy the album, pay the RZA, the GZA, ODB (R.I.P.), Inspectah Deck, Raekown the chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah and the M-e-t-h-o-d Man for it, and then spread the tunes online gratis. In the event that the funding goal is met but somehow the duo is outbid, there’ll be a vote to either refund the money or to fund a Wu-Tang-related project like a free concert for backers — the project’s creators stress that they won’t profit from the venture at all. As of this writing, they’ve only managed to raise $1,103 of the multi-million dollar goal, so if you’d like to hear what the Wu’s been working on for the past few years you should throw a couple of bucks their way.
Filed under: Internet
Via: The Verge
Source: Kickstarter
Microsoft’s now letting developers respond to app store critics
If a Windows Phone app disappoints you, it’s probably right that you call out its failings and warn others to steer clear. Don’t be surprised, however, if the minds behind the software start responding to your gripes directly. Microsoft is slowly rolling out a program whereby developers can comment on your reviews of their handiwork. Fortunately for you, however, the devs won’t get access to your personal details, and, if they overstep the mark, you can report them for poor conduct. Still, the notion that coders will now get the chance to openly gain feedback from users seems like a step in the right direction — just as long as everyone remains civil.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: The Next Web
Former Apple CEO John Sculley: Forcing Steve Jobs Out Was a ‘Mistake’ [Mac Blog]
Former Apple CEO John Sculley states that he now regrets his decision to remove Steve Jobs from the company in 1985 and that the move to force the co-founder out was a “mistake,” according to a new report from the Times of India.
Steve Jobs (left) and John Sculley (right) in 1984
Sculley, who recently launched Obi, a low-cost smartphone brand for India, added that differences between he and Jobs began over the founder’s desire to subsidize the Macintosh. Sculley said that he ultimately opposed the idea, feeling that there was no “merit” in lowering the cost of the computer.
However, he still feels that some way would have been found to have them both work for the company and this could have been facilitated by Apple’s board then. “I think there could have been a way, in hindsight, where Steve and I did not need to have a confrontation, and we could have worked it out. And, perhaps the board could have played a bigger role in that. But you can’t change history.”
Jobs hired Sculley from beverage company Pepsi in 1983, however the two clashed over management styles and conflicting visions for the future of Apple. After his departure from Apple, Sculley went on to remain involved with a number of companies, including his role as a founding investor in Metro PCS. The former CEO also stated last March that Apple was experiencing a temporary lull in innovation, and that an iWatch smart watch from the company would be a key product going forward.
Stream: The Science of Soil
Most people take soil for granted, assuming that if you shove a seed into some dirt and add some water, hey presto. Stick it under an electron microscope, however, and you suddenly see a whole microcosm that exists beneath our feet. Landscape gardener Chris Beardshaw takes us on a tour to see why soil is so important, what risks it faces and what happens to it when we’re not paying attention. It may not seem like the most entertaining subject for a TV documentary, but there’s plenty of useful facts about dirt that you’ll be able to wheel out the next time you go for a walk. Unless you’re a germophobe, of course.
Deep Down and Dirty, The Science of Soil is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Filed under: HD
Source: BBC iPlayer
Candy Crush developer admits it can’t really own the word ‘Candy’
Although King’s $7 billion empire is built on the slim foundation of its lone blockbuster, Candy Crush Saga, many thought its efforts to trademark “Saga” and “Candy” were a bit over-the-top. It now turns out the company isn’t trying to crush every game maker that uses these words, and instead is taking each dispute on a case-by-case basis. To that end, it has cemented an out-of-court agreement to let the makers of “Banner Saga” and “CandySwipe” keep those monikers (“Candy” is only trademarked in Europe). Those two actually had legit challenges to the mark, but we imagine that other developers who deliberately used the terms to make a point (or for shits and giggles) may not get off so easily.
Filed under: Gaming
Via: Re/Code
Source: CandySwipe, Stoic
New iPhone 6 Renderings Based on Recent Info Show Design Changes
After showing off a concept for a sapphire-glass backed “iPhone Air” earlier this month, French Apple website Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] and graphic designer Martin Hajek have teamed up once again to create a set renders for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and accompanying cases in a variety of colors, which are based on leaked schematics posted by Japanese magazine MacFan and the dimensions of an alleged case that surfaced earlier this week.
The renderings depict the iPhone 6 as a thin device with rounded corners, with the power button located along the upper right side of the device and rectangular volume controls similar to that of the fifth-generation iPod touch. The case rendered to compliment the phone also contains cutouts for each new design change, along with holes for the camera, flash, and Apple logo on the rear.
Notably, a bigger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 is also rendered alongside the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 4-inch iPhone 5s, retaining the same design properties as the 4.7-inch version. Apple is expected to launch both sizes of the iPhone 6 in the near future, however reports have indicated the 4.7-inch version will launch first this fall as the company will likely delay the launch of the 5.5-inch version due to production issues.
Along with a larger display, Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to include a thinner design, new A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and an upgraded camera in the form of optical image stabilization. Apple is also reportedly negotiating with carriers to increase the price of the iPhone 6 by $100. 
AIVAnet 