DirecTV’s ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’ Offered as Standalone Subscription, Available on Macs/iOS Devices
NFL Sunday Ticket, a popular sports package provided by DirecTV, will be offered as a standalone subscription for the first time in 2014, letting users who do not subscribe to DirecTV service access NFL Sunday Ticket games on their Macs and iOS devices.
Though no announcement has been made, a promotional page noticed by AppleInsider details DirecTV’s new standalone plan, which provides full NFL Sunday Ticket access starting at $199.99.
Introducing NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV. NFL football for all.
Now you can access live, out-of-market NFL games without a DIRECTV satellite TV account–no matter what team you follow! NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV lets you stream games on your computer, tablet, phone, or game console. All while keeping up with real-time player stats and your fantasy teams.
NFL Sunday Ticket has long been accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, but in prior years, it has required a monthly subscription to DirecTV’s satellite cable service and a satellite dish. Now users can get access on a variety of devices with three separate plans.
The lowest tier plan, available for $199.99, allows NFL Sunday Ticket access on computers, tablets, and phones, while a $239.99 console plan allows access on console devices.
MAX, the highest tier priced at $329.99, offers access on computers, tablets, phones, and consoles, plus access to Red Zone Channel, which shows every touchdown from every game, and access to DirecTV Fantasy Zone, offering live looks at fantasy plays. All three plans also offer real-time stats and scores along with the ability to track favorite players. Standard NFL Sunday Ticket plans for DirecTV subscribers begin at $240, going up to $324 for a MAX subscription.
The website does not mention Apple TV access, but a 2010 rumor pointed towards an NFL Sunday Ticket channel on the device, which could come to fruition this year following the announcement of the standalone subscriptions.
While DirecTV previously offered a streaming package for subscribers unable to get reliable DirecTV service and tested a console-based subscription plan last year, the new NFL Sunday Ticket standalone offerings expand the service to a much wider range of cord cutters who still want access to live sports.
The changes to NFL Sunday Ticket come following DirecTV’s pending acquisition by AT&T, which is awaiting regulatory approval. DirecTV is also set to renegotiate its NFL contract later this year.
Sunday Ticket for iPad [Direct Link]
Sunday Ticket for iPhone [Direct Link]
T-Mobile to Offer Accessories on 24-Month Payment Plan With $0 Down [iOS Blog]
T-Mobile today announced plans to begin offering accessories under its equipment installment plan, allowing users to purchase various iPhone and iPad accessories and pay for them over 24 months.
The equipment installment plan is available for accessories priced between $69 and $250 and does not require a downpayment for qualified customers. Customers must have a T-Mobile Simple Choice plan and if T-Mobile service is cancelled, the remaining accessory payments are due upon cancellation.
This means you and your family could walk out the door not only with new smartphones and tablets but also with your choice of the latest audio and mobile accessories–all for $0 down and 24 monthly payments with a Simple Choice plan.
For example, you could pick up the state-of-the-art LG Tone Pro hands-free headset for $0 down and just $2.91 a month for 24 months with absolutely zero interest. You can find more information about T-Mobile’s new EIP payment option for accessories at your nearest participating T-Mobile store.
On its website, T-Mobile offers a wide array of accessories, including Jawbone Jambox speakers, Beats By Dre headphones, Mophie charging packs, and more.
T-Mobile is also currently offering a deal that includes a $100 MasterCard with the purchase of both an iPhone and an iPad. T-Mobile will begin selling accessories via payment plan on Sunday, July 20.
6 best new Android apps you might want to take a look At [SP]
There are hundreds of thousands of apps out there that you can get for your phone, tablet, and even your desktop computer. However, some of the best apps available are Android-based. This is because of the open market and code-sharing available to Android developers. If you’re looking for the hottest new Android apps, look no further.
Android Apps via Siddartha Thota
Image via Flickr by Siddartha Thota
Themer
Have you ever wanted to make your phone look just a little different than the standard? Themer allows you the ability to really customize your phone so that it looks how you want. This is one of the features of Android mobile phones that you simply don’t get with iOS smartphones. With Themer, you’ll be able to find different wallpapers, widgets, and icon packs. It’s extremely easy to set up and revert if you decide that you don’t like the theme you’ve come up with.
Find Themer on the Play Store.
Fences
Getting your phone automated is one of the best ways to ensure that you never go into a business meeting with your phone blasting your favorite song. You can use Fences to create virtual areas around different locations. These areas allow you to automate what happens to your phone while you are inside or outside of them. Do you go to the same theatre every week? Create a fence around the theatre so that your phone automatically goes to silent when you enter the building, and returns to normal when you leave. The great thing about this app? It’s completely free.
PingTune
Sharing music with friends is one of the best ways to get your favorite bands heard and appreciated. With PingTune, you can share your favorite music and chat with your friends at the same time. The app is being marketed as the go-to music and messaging platform. On top of being able to send songs to your friends, you can send just a snippet of a song. You can use different tabs to keep all your shared music in one place.
Find PingTune on the Play Store
Secret
Are you dying to know about the biggest secrets in the tech industry? Does gossip from the latest celebs, or even the guy next door interest you? If so, you need to check out Secret. This app is now available on Android, and is garnering a lot of buzz. The problem with Secret is that not everything that is posted is true. However, you’re likely to find some insider tips that will make you salivate. Gossip from Silicon Valley posted here doesn’t have any names attached to it. Because of this, it’s hard to verify what is real and what is not. In the long run, when you’re using Secret, you’re likely to be one of the first to know what’s coming out soon.
Roomer
Consider this – you have a vacation planned and have booked your hotel room in advance. However, for one reason or another, you can’t make it on your trip. It’s past the cancellation date, and now you’re out of luck. If you have Roomer on your Android phone, you’re not dead in the water yet. This app allows you to sell your previously booked hotel rooms. If you’re on a trip and need a room, use Roomer to help you find the perfect hotel. You can use the app or the desktop version to get a room nearly anywhere.
Downcount
Do you have an event coming up in the near (or distant) future? Have you ever wanted to know exactly how long it is until your event? Downcount allows you to count down the days on your phone. You can set up multiple different events, and see them all in one clear, simple design. On top of this, you can even count up with the app. How many days have you been alive? Find out with Downcount. You need to keep in mind, however, that this app doesn’t count seconds, minutes, or hours. It only shows you the days.
Find Downcount on the Play Store
There are a ton of new apps coming out every month. Android offers great new apps all the time that can help you stay social, get organized, and more. When you browse the Google Play Store, you can find the newest apps in any category.
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T-Mobile officially confirms EIP for accessories starting July 20th
We caught little nuggets of information here and there, along with some images, that let us know that T-Mobile was gearing up to offer accessories on their EIP (equipment installment plan) options. Today T-Mobile let some of the news of this new EIP for accessories be known through a blog post on the company page.
Starting July 20th, you will be able to charge nearly any accessory that ranges from $69 to $250 to your account and simply make monthly payments for it over 24 months on your bill. T-Mobile uses the LG Tone Pro Bluetooth headset as an example in the posting placing the $69.99 headset at a small $2.91 per month for 24 months. Math wise though one of those payments would be a few cents higher though. If you are shooting for an accessory that climbs past the $250 range then you should be prepared to put the difference down upfront. ie.. $300 speaker will need $50 down to get to the $250 marker. Much like the EIP on handsets and tablets, if you cancel your account before it is paid off you gotta pay the balance. Pretty straight forward. However, the full details aren’t laid out entirely just yet. We still need to know if the accessory price tag is tied to the allotment you are allowed on your account for devices or if it is a secondary limit. Obviously it will have to have some barrier per line. When the full details make their way out on July 20th we will do some digging.
T-Mobile certainly has grown their accessory and device offerings quite a bit.I remember a day when it was about earbuds, cases, chargers and batteries. While there are still plenty of those to be had, there are a lot of speaker options from Jabra, Jambox and JBL. Not to mention headphones from JLab, SOL Republic and Sony. It is pretty good to see the selection that is being offered and that soon you might be able to actually grab something you have been wanting but didn’t have the cash up front for.
So, are you getting your wishlist all in order?
Source: Tmonews
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FBI sees self-driving cars as ‘lethal weapons’ for criminal ‘multitasking’
Google stirred up quite the buzz a few weeks back with its latest self-driving car design, but the FBI isn’t convinced the tech advancements are in the public’s best interest. In a report procured by The Guardian, the bureau warns that the autonomous vehicles even more of a “lethal weapon” than they are today, thanks to the capacity for felonious “multitasking.” The argument is that criminals can deter their pursuers without the need to watch the highway. It’s worth noting that the massive fleet of automobiles already on the road are pretty dangerous themselves. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as the FBI’s report sees easier surveillance of suspects and a reduction in the amount accidents related to distracted drivers or poor judgement.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: The Guardian
Apple agrees to $450 million dollar settlement in e-book antitrust case
Apple has resisted settling with the government over charges that it conspired with publishers to fix e-book prices. While its alleged co-conspirators have already opted to pay up and move on, Cupertino has been steadfast in maintaining its innocence. Though, it seems the tech giant has grown weary of the constant court battles and is ready to settle. The Department of Justice and Apple have a agreed to a preliminary settlement of $450 million, $400 million of which would be set aside and returned to consumers. There is still an appeal pending, however, which could either reduce the penalty or eliminate the payment entirely. But if Apple loses the appeal (and its success in court has been mixed at best in this case) it will be on the hook for the entire $450 million.
Filed under: Apple
Source: Reuters, US Department of Justice
Deezer gets rid of paid music streaming plans on the desktop
Sure, PCs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But there’s no denying people nowadays also prefer to listen to music on a smartphone, tablet and even a gaming console, not just their laptop or desktop. So, taking a cue from rival Spotify, streaming service Deezer is now prepared to stop charging users for its web-only, ad-free listening experience. Earlier today, Deezer confirmed this to The Next Web, stating that its Premium desktop place was no longer required because “listeners needs have changed.” As a result, Deezer’s service will only offer two options going forward — one of which is free with ads and usage caps, the other being a £10-per-month, unlimited and ad-free plan. The obvious winner: users. Thanks to this, you can stream tunes on your computer free of charge, so long as you’re willing to deal with pitches from companies here and there.
Filed under: Desktops, Internet, Software
Source: Deezer
Amazon Testing ‘Kindle Unlimited’ E-book Subscription Service
Amazon appears to be testing a new e-book and audiobook subscription service it’s calling “Kindle Unlimited,” which brings unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks for a fee of $9.99 per month.
According to information discovered by users on the KBoards Kindle forum (via Gigaom) the Kindle Unlimited service will be available on all devices, including the iPhone and the iPad likely via Amazon’s Kindle app. Amazon has pulled the pages that were found this morning, but information on the service can still be seen through Google Cache and a single test page.
The now defunct Kindle Unlimited section on Amazon.com lists several popular e-book titles, including Water for Elephants, Life of Pi and the entire series of Harry Potter and Hunger Games books. The titles appear to mirror many of those available through Amazon’s existing Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, a service that allows Kindle-owning Amazon Prime subscribers to rent free e-books.
There are several existing e-book subscription services like those from Oyster and Scribd, but Amazon has a larger catalog of books to offer, advertising more than 600,000 titles compared to Oyster’s 500,000 and Scribd’s 400,000, plus more than 7,000 audiobooks. Thus far, Kindle Unlimited appears to include books from publishers like Open Road Media, Workman, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
It is unknown when Amazon might officially launch its Kindle Unlimited subscription service and thus far, it has not made a statement regarding the test pages.
Samsung intros new Level brand of premium audio products
Samsung on Wednesday rolled out a new, premium “Level” brand of mobile audio accessories. Arriving at various retailers over the next few weeks, customers can look for over-ear, on-ear, and in-ear audio solutions as well as a standalone Bluetooth speaker.
- Level Over ($349.99) – an over-ear headphone designed for an immersive sound experience. Level Over delivers powerful, clear, sharp sound, ergonomically designed comfort and wireless Bluetooth technology. Includes Active Noise Cancellation, employing four mics on the inside and outside of the headphones to cancel outside sounds. In addition, Level Over includes technology that prevents resonance between the vibration plate and the frame, avoiding unnecessary booming and helping to provide the original sound. Users can control volume, navigate tracks, pause or stop music, answer or end a call all using the Smart Control Technology on the side of the headphones.
- Level On ($179.99) – an on-ear, wired headphone that packs a powerful, clear and pure sound in a compact design. Soft polyurethane cushioning provides comfort with a foldable ergonomic design makes this the perfect headphone for the on-the-go mobile user.
- Level In ($149.99) – an in-ear, wired headphone that packs a powerful three-way speaker system that controls treble, mid-range and deep bass, providing clear sound separation and rich, natural sound quality.
- Level Box ($169.99) – a premium, compact Bluetooth speaker that streams high quality audio from any Samsung Galaxy phone – or any other Bluetooth compatible device – directly to the speaker for crystal-clear sound. The sleek, distinctive design is optimized to provide noise reduction and echo cancellation, and a built in rechargeable battery offers up to 15 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. One touch Near-Field Communications (NFC) or the dedicated Bluetooth pairing button provides effortless synching. Control buttons make it easy to adjust volume or play/pause music, and a high-quality HD built in microphone makes it a great device for phone or conference calls.
Gilt.com is offering its members exclusive, first access to the portfolio, tomorrow, Thursday, July 17 at noon ET at www.gilt.com/level. What’s more, there will also be an exclusive bundle of the Level On and Level Box for $299.99. The Gilt sale will last for 72 hours.
The entire portfolio will also be available on Amazon.com (July 20), Samsung.com (July 21) and select Samsung Experience Shops at Best Buy stores (July 27).
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Google adds former Ford CEO to board of directors
Google today announced that Alan Mulally has recently joined its board of directors. As the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company it stands to reason he’ll bring his auto expertise to Google’s Android Auto initiative. It appears, however, that he’ll take on a different role in at least the short term.
A veteran corporate executive of the automotive and aviation industries, Mulally will serve on Google’s Audit Committee.
Looking at his background we also learn that Mulally has spent time on other various boards, including NASA, U.S. Air Force Scientic Advisory Board, and multiple universities and institutions.
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AIVAnet 