Seidio Dilex, Surface Color Collection: Reveiw
Seidio makes many varieties of cases for a large range of phones. The Seidio Dilex is a two-part case that comes in ten different colors. Electric blue, royal blue, glossed white, garnet red, black, violet, orange, rose gold, shamrock green, and orchid. Some of the colors are not necessarily for everyone but do allow your phone to stand out from the rest. The bonus of this case is the added kickstand. The kickstand is a much-needed accessory to today’s large screen phones.
Seidio has been in the case business for quite some time now. This case has some benefits but tends to fall flat in common areas. The case is thin and light as well as rugged. The kickstand is the biggest positive for this item allowing you hands free entertainment. The largest problem with this case is the inner rubber liner. The rubber is flimsy and grabs just about everything it touches. Thinness of this case is a plus given that the Galaxy S5 is already a large phone.
Seidio Dilex is $34.95 and come in a variety of colors. Some colors are very bright and vibrant giving you phone a unique look. The case has a two-part design but seems flimsy in some areas. Drop protection from a standard height is adequate. Rubber grabs everything and is very thin and stretchy. Kickstand is solid and provides a great angle for watching shows or reading.
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Amazon testing Netflix-style subscription service for e-books
Ever heard of Kindle Unlimited? Us either, at least not until now. Originally spotted by kboards, a forum site that welcomes Kindle chatter, this previously unknown service appears to be an upcoming all-you-can-read subscription service from Amazon. For $9.99 monthly, as described by the image above, Kindle Unlimited is said to offer access to more than 600,000 books and “thousands” of audiobooks. Not surprisingly, that healthy digital library doesn’t appear to include any of the major US publishers (Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Shuster) — something e-book subscription service Scribd is vary familiar with, since it only carries titles from one of the “Big 5.” Amazon has yet to announce Kindle Unlimited, but after seeing these ads slip through the cracks, we can safely say it’s only a matter of time before it becomes official.
Source: Kindle Boards, Gigaom
Former Panama dictator Manuel Noriega is suing Activision for putting him in Call of Duty
The studios behind the Call of Duty series may have garnered some extra sales by putting real people into their over-the-top shooters, but it looks like that strategy could land them in court. Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega has sued the games’ publisher, Activision, for using his likeness in Call of Duty: Black Ops II without his permission. He argues that he’s entitled to damages because his presence both violated his publicity rights and helped “heighten realism,” leading to added profits that should have been his.
There’s no doubt that it’s Noriega in the game, but he may have a tougher time getting a check from game developers than, say, college football players. As attorney Jas Purewal tells the BBC, Noriega isn’t an American resident and might not even get his foot in the door. He’s also a historical persona, and a notorious one at that — we wouldn’t expect the courts to sympathize with his alleged plight as much as they would with an actor or star athlete that genuinely depends on his visage for a living. Activision isn’t commenting, but it may not have much reason to worry even if the lawsuit goes forward.
Filed under: Gaming
Via: BBC
Source: Courthouse News Service
Exploring Asia with T-Mobile’s free global roaming
On a mild fall day last October, I attended a free Shakira concert in New York City, along with thousands of screaming fans and T-Mobile customers. The occasion? T-Mobile’s Un-carrier 3.0 event, where CEO John Legere announced a shockingly generous benefit for Simple Choice customers. Anyone on a $50-and-up monthly plan would have access to unlimited data and texting in more than 120 countries around the world. As a frequent traveler, I was ecstatic — I spend hundreds of dollars on local SIM cards or roaming products every year — but as with anything that sounds too good to be true, there was a catch here.
That unlimited international data actually came along with a pretty nasty limit. Regardless of the partner network you’re using abroad, speeds are capped at 128 Kbps — in many cases, that’s a tiny fraction of the pipe overseas carriers offer to their own customers, and to a partner’s users with a pay-per-use roaming plan. 128 Kbps sounds almost unusable, and it is, but for certain tasks, T-Mobile’s restrictions won’t make much difference, as I discovered during a week-long trip to Taiwan.
Social media apps worked seamlessly, so I was able to browse and post tweets, check in on Foursquare and even view and upload Instagram photos at reasonable speeds. Google Maps also worked very well, provided I was using the native app and not the browser-based version. It did take longer for destinations and directions to load than I’m used to at home, but the speed was definitely usable. Email was also functional, especially with push activated, since messages can sync in the background.
Browsing the web, however, was an entirely different experience. Chrome, my mobile browser of choice, was never able to load search results or a webpage. If you’re in a foreign country and you’re trying to pull up a quick translation, menu item description or information on a particular attraction, you’re bound to get frustrated with T-Mobile’s speed. And this should come as no shock, but you’re not allowed to tether with the free plan — given the paltry performance, I didn’t dare try.
While the experience may not be as good as it could be from a performance perspective, T-Mobile’s free offering is incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is enable roaming and you’re good to go. There’s no need to fuss with alternate SIM cards or APNs, and you don’t have to worry about coming back to a humungous bill. You also don’t need to have an unlocked phone — if your device works with T-Mobile at home, it’ll roam for free as well.
Admittedly, while I brought the T-Mobile SIM along on a trip to Italy a few weeks later, I didn’t end up using it at all. I purchased a local SIM instead, which got me 1GB of unrestricted data for about 40 bucks. Performance was far better, and while I could have had data for free, I didn’t mind paying a bit for a faster connection. Still, considering you’re already spending enough on other travel expenses, such as flights and accommodation, if you’re paying $50 for a T-Mobile Simple Choice plan, you might as well take advantage.
Update: T-Mobile does offer faster international data for a fee, but it’s hardly a bargain:
- Single day pass: $15 for 100MB (high speed data capped at 100MB)
- 7 day pass: $25 for 200MB (high speed data capped at 200MB)
- 14 day pass: $50 for 500MB (high speed data capped at 500MB)
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, T-Mobile
Wico and Goophone Beat Apple to Market with Android-Based iPhone 6 Clones
Months before Apple is expected to release its next-generation iPhone, functional iPhone 6 clones already are starting to appear in China’s mobile phone marketplace. One of the first clones, the Wico i6, is profiled by 86DIGI (via Nowhereelse.fr) in a two-part hands-on video.
(Note: Contains fairly loud soundtrack of The Carpenters’ “Top of the World”)
Like most clones, the Wico i6 is quite detailed for a fake, with authentic-looking FCC labeling and the characteristic Apple branding. The phone also closely mimics the rumored styling of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 with a thin chassis that houses a side-mounted power button and elongated volume buttons.
Wico isn’t the only clone maker ready to enter the mobile phone black market, however. Chinese clone maker Goophone has also announced (via GizChina.com) that it is preparing the Goophone i6 for release in August, ahead of Apple’s expected September iPhone launch.
The GooPhone also borrows its styling from the rumored schematics of the iPhone 6 and pairs it with a quad-core Mediatek MT6582 chipset, 1GB RAM and 13 megapixel rear camera. Similar to previous Goophone clones, the i6 model is powered by the Android operating system.
Apple to Pay $450 Million to Settle E-Book Price Fixing Case
According to court records filed on Wednesday, July 16, Apple will pay $450 million as part of an out-of-court settlement with class action lawyers and state district attorneys over e-book price fixing, reports Reuters.
Apple first reached a settlement agreement with the 33 U.S. states and territories involved in the lawsuit in June, successfully avoiding a lengthy and expensive damages trial. Settlement details were sealed at that time, however, pending court approval. $400 million of the $450 million is earmarked for consumers.
The settlement is contingent on a pending appeals case Apple filed in February with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. In the filing, Apple asked the court to overturn the original ruling that found the company guilty of conspiring to fix e-book prices.
“We have obviously studied Judge Cote’s July 2013 ruling in detail, and believe that the 2nd Circuit will agree with her conclusion that Apple did violate federal antitrust laws,” said Steve W. Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and lead attorney representing the consumer class. “In any case of this magnitude, there are high degrees of uncertainty, and Apple’s appeal of Judge Cote’s well-reasoned ruling is an example of that uncertainty.”
Though found guilty, Apple has maintained its innocence throughout the dispute, claiming that it “kick-started competition in a highly concentrated market, delivering higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation.” Should Apple’s appeal be successful, sending the claim back to District Court, the company will pay out $50 million to settle consumer damages claims. If the appeals court reverses the initial decision entirely, Apple will pay no damages.
Along with $450 million in damages, Apple has also been subjected to several penalties levied by the U.S. Department of Justice, including an order to hire an external antitrust monitor. Publishers involved in the case, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin also settled for a total of $166 million, which has already been making its way to customers in the form of refunds.
AT&T nabs off-contract HTC Desire 610 for $200
AT&T on Wednesday confirmed the upcoming availability of the HTC Desire 610. Arriving July 25, the phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat with HTC’s 6 Sense UI and features a 4.7-inch display. Powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, the Desire 610 also packs 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage with microSD expansion, and a 8MP/1.3MP camera duo.
AT&T will sell the Desire 610 for $199 as part of its GoPhone service, meaning there’s no contract involved. Those who opt to spread payments out can do so for $8.34 per month over 24 months of $10 per month over 20 months. AT&T
The post AT&T nabs off-contract HTC Desire 610 for $200 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile announces equipment installment plans for accessories
Effective Sunday July 20, customers will be able to buy accessories from T-Mobile without having to pay for them up front. Much like the Un-carrier does for smartphones and tablets, T-Mobile is doing the same for accessories.
Qualified buyers can scoop up products that range in price from $69-$250 and spread them out over 24 equal monthly payments. The example given by T-Mobile, the LG Tone Pro hands-free headset would be $2.91 per month over 24 months, for a total of $69.84.
It’s not clear if a customer must also purchase a smartphone or tablet in order to partake in the accessory payments; however, we suspect that is the case. We’ve reached out to T-Mobile for clarification and will update the post with new information.
The post T-Mobile announces equipment installment plans for accessories appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Engadget giveaway: win a G3 smartphone courtesy of LG!
As the classic refrain goes, three is a magic number — and that certainly sums up LG’s latest smartphone, the G3. It’s fronted by an extra-sharp, 5.5-inch quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) display and wrapped in a smooth metal exterior. The G3′s rear button controls offer a distinct twist on the smartphone interface, and you’ll find both a very quick, laser-focused 13-megapixel camera as well as enough battery power to get you through the day. Want one? LG is more than willing to share the love, as it’s giving away brand new G3s to three lucky Engadget readers this week. Oh, and you get to choose from one of the big four carriers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile) — you probably won’t have to switch networks just to get LG’s latest. This particular giveaway is only for those in the US, but since the G3 is available worldwide, you can always pick one up. So, what are you waiting for? Head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win a G3 of your very own. It might just be your lucky day.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Three (3) winners will each receive one (1) LG G3 smartphone (for AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile).
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. LG and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until July 23rd at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG
The Engadget Buyer’s Guide is back and better than ever!
If you’ve been reading Engadget regularly, you know we’ve been offering buying advice for quite some time now. And if we do say so ourselves, we’re pretty good at it. Still, it was high time we shook things up a bit. Today, we’re introducing our new and improved buyer’s guides, which combine a sleek design with professional photography and expert advice. Whereas we used to refresh our picks only four times a year, we’re now going to put up one guide each for smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables — and then update them whenever a hot new product comes out. That means each time we review a device that we’d recommend to family or friends, we’ll add it to the buyer’s guide, allowing us to give our readers real-time advice. Which is important, considering companies unveil new products seemingly every week. You can find our guides here, or you can click the handy “guides” tab at the top of the page. Have a look, and then keep checking back in. Who knows? By next month, we could have a host of new favorite gadgets.
Filed under: Announcements, Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Wearables, HD, Mobile
Source: Engadget Buyer’s Guide
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