Verizon’s Edge program changes make you wait longer to upgrade
Eyeing an upgrade to the Droid Turbo? An iPhone 6? Maybe the One M8 for Windows? If you’re on Verizon’s Edge payment program, you’re going to have to be more patient than usual — or at least, open your wallet a little wider. The carrier has confirmed a Droid-Life leak revealing that Big Red is modifying Edge in a way that makes it harder to upgrade quickly. As of October 16th, payments for new devices will normally be distributed over two years, rather than 20 months; if you can’t wait that long to get new gear, you’ll have to pay off 75 percent of the hardware price rather than 60 percent. In practice, that means that you’ll either be waiting at least 18 months to trade up (instead of 12) or else paying more to accelerate the upgrade process.
It’s not strictly a doom-and-gloom scenario, thankfully. More payments should mean lower monthly rates, and Verizon is increasing the per-line discount for lower-cost plans (those with 8GB of data or less) from $10 to $15. You’ll have to wait longer if you dutifully obey the payment schedule, then, but you aren’t necessarily paying more in the long run. The big problem is simply that this now sounds more like a conventional contract rather than the fast track you were probably expecting — it’s just that the math has changed.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon
Via: Electronista
Source: Droid-Life, Ars Technica
Reddit Acquires Popular Reddit-Browsing App ‘Alien Blue’, Makes it Temporarily Free [iOS Blog]
Reddit today acquired Alien Blue, the popular iPhone and iPad app that many iOS users use to browse Reddit on their mobile devices, reports TechCrunch. According to Ellen Pao, Reddit’s head of strategic partnerships, the company will keep the “Alien Blue” name and the app’s developer, Jase Morrissey, will be joining the Reddit team.
“Our whole philosphy has been to give our users choice. We’ve got the reddit AMA app, and alienblue coming out… but we really want users to use whatever they want.” says Ellen Pao, reddit’s head of Strategic Partnerships. “We think Alienblue is great, and it’s the most popular reddit app on iOS. We wanted to be able to offer it as a reddit app, and we wanted to help Jase with additional resources to do everything he wanted to do with it.”
The app will, however, be gaining a new icon, and while Reddit focuses on merging the iPhone and iPad versions of the app into a single universal app, both versions are free. The iPad app normally costs $4 while the iPhone app is free with a $2 “Pro” in-app purchase.
Reddit has plans to get rid of the iPad app, so it is permanently free while work continues on a universal version, but the iPhone’s “Pro” features will also be made available for free for the next week, as all Alien Blue users need to re-download the apps.
To celebrate and ease the move to reddit, everyone can get the Alien Blue Pro upgrade free for one week. The iPad app will also be free until we integrate it with the iPhone app and the two become one universal app.
The “Pro” features in the iPhone version of the app will extend to the iPad when it is transformed into a universal app, so all Alien Blue users should download the new version immediately while the upgraded features are available at no cost.
Reddit’s new official Alien Blue app for the iPhone can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
The iPad version of the app, which will be replaced in the near future, will also be made temporarily free shortly. [Direct Link]
Google Debuts Nexus 6 Phone, Nexus 9 Tablet, and Nexus Media Player
Just a day ahead of Apple’s own iPad event that will see it introducing a range of new products including new iPads and a Retina iMac, Google has unveiled its next version of Android and three new Nexus devices, including the 5.9-inch Nexus 6 smartphone, the 8.9-inch Nexus 9 tablet, and the Nexus Player, an Apple TV-style set-top box that comes equipped with a gamepad (sold separately).
Google’s new Nexus 6 will be one of the biggest “phablets” on the market, and at 5.96-inches, it’s even larger than Apple’s recently introduced iPhone 6 Plus, which measures in at 5.5-inches. The phone features a 493 ppi AMOLED Quad HD display and a 13-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, a feature Apple offers with its larger iPhone 6 Plus.
It also includes a Quad-Core 2.7Ghz Snapdragon 805 processor, a 2-megapixel front facing camera, dual front facing speakers, and a 3220 mAh battery. The Nexus 6’s battery can be recharged using Motorola’s Turbo Charge technology, which provides up to six hours of battery life from a 15 minute charge. Available in midnight blue or cloud white for $649 unlocked, the phone comes equipped with 32 or 64GB of internal storage.
The Nexus 9 tablet, designed in collaboration with HTC, is Google’s answer to the iPad Air and the Retina iPad mini. Coming in at 8.9-inches, it is sized between Apple’s two tablets and features a thin bezel, brushed aluminum sides, and a nine hour battery life. Like Apple’s iPhones, it comes in black, gold, and white, and it features a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 2.3Ghz processor.
It comes equipped with front-facing HTC speakers, an 8-megapixel rear camera with a 1.6-megapixel front facing camera, and an optional magnetic keyboard. It has a 6700 mAh battery and front facing HTC speakers.
Both the Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet will ship with Android 5.0, aka Lollipop. Lollipop includes 5,000 new APIs and features “Material Design,” to provide a consistent experience across a range of different devices. Lollipop lets users mute incoming calls and notifications with a new feature similar to Apple’s built-in “Do Not Disturb” function, and there’s a battery saver feature that can extend battery life by up to 90 minutes. Lollipop also supports multiple user accounts, a popular feature iOS users have hoped that Apple would implement.
Along with the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9, Google has unveiled a new set-top box, the Nexus Player, which is the first device that runs Android TV. Designed in collaboration with ASUS, the round hockey puck-style Nexus Player is designed to compete with the Apple TV, serving as a streaming media player for movies, music, and videos.
It’s also a gaming device, letting users play Android games on their TVs with a game controller, and it includes both Chromecast support and voice control. Apple too is said to be aiming to introduce an updated Apple TV with gaming capabilities and Siri integration, but it remains unclear when that device might debut.
Google’s Nexus 6 smartphone will be available for preorder beginning on October 29, while the Nexus 9 tablet and the Nexus Player will be available for preorder beginning on October 17. Android 5.0 Lollipop will be available on all three devices and on the Nexus 4, 5, 7, 10, and Google Play edition devices “in the coming weeks.”
HTC reaffirms promise of Lollipop to the M7 and M8 in 90 days
In June, HTC promised that once they had access to the, then, Android L code, the HTC One M8 will see the sweet taste of Android 5.0 within 90 days. Well… the Taiwanese company reaffirmed that today in a tweet but also confirmed something else.
That’s right folks. The original HTC One will also be receiving similar treatment in a similar time frame. Of course it should be known that this is HTC stating that it will get the update out, what carriers do from there is anyone’s guess.
That being said, it looks like Google is leaning toward Nov. 3, as being the day we see the code released, so we’re looking at February (maybe with the release of the M9) at the earliest. Happy waiting.
source: HTC Source
Come comment on this article: HTC reaffirms promise of Lollipop to the M7 and M8 in 90 days
Standalone streaming service from HBO coming in 2015
HBO is set to launch a standalone streaming service in 2015, at least according to Richard Plepler, HBO CEO. What this means is that instead of having to pay for a HBO package through our cable or satellite provider, we’ll be soon be able to stream HBO much like we do via Netflix. What this also means is that we can watch Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire or True Detective without a.) illegally doing so or b.) “stealing” your friend’s HBO Go password. Of course, HBO is wading into an already somewhat filled pool of streaming services. No word on when in 2015 exactly, we’ll see this but either way, it’s coming.
source: NBC News
Come comment on this article: Standalone streaming service from HBO coming in 2015
Engadget Daily: Google’s Nexus 6, new iPads, standalone HBO Go and more!
What’s happened in the past 24 hours of this connected life? Quite a bit: Google dropped the curtain on its new line of Nexus devices including Motorola’s $649 Nexus 6 smartphone, the Nexus 9 tablet from HTC and the Nexus Player set-top streaming puck. Apple has you covered ahead of tomorrow’s iPad event too with an early look at its new set of slates. We also have a review of the Galaxy Note 4 and some other wild stories for you right in the gallery below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD, Apple, Samsung, Google
Xbox One update makes multitasking easier and everyone more secure
We knew that the October update coming to the Xbox One would make it act more like the 360, but Redmond has packed a few other features into it too. In addition to double-tapping the Guide button to call up your friends list and achievements, this patch adds what amounts to two-factor authentication for your account (something new for Xbox-only Microsoft logins), according to Xbox Live’s Larry “Major Nelson” Hyrb. A select few markets are getting access to a tweaked Live TV setup option too, which will automatically detect the set-top box plugged into the One’s HDMI-In port (sounds like HDMI-CEC to us). You can hide any games that are cluttering up the “ready to install” portion of your collection now as well. Handy! The 249MB update is rolling out starting today, and you should be able to force the download from the system’s settings menu.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Major Nelson, Xbox Support
Doctors report a case of Google Glass addiction
You’ve probably heard of Google Glass owners who seemingly can’t put the wearable down, but there’s now at least one reported instance of genuinely addictive behavior. Doctors at Naval Medical Center San Diego claim that a 31-year-old Navy serviceman is the first person to be diagnosed with a Glass-related internet addiction disorder. The patient wore the head-mounted computer for up to 18 hours a day, and was so attached to it that he would instinctively reach for his right temple (to activate Glass) whenever you asked him a question, whether or not the device was there. He’s getting better after having spent 35 days in on-site treatment, according to doctors; that reflexive movement doesn’t come up so often, and the man is both less irritable and more focused.
The case certainly raises concerns about the effects of always-on wearable devices on mental health, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll get hooked. As the Medical Center notes, the patient originally checked himself in for alcohol abuse — while the Glass addiction ultimately proved more severe, the history suggests that the patient was prone to compulsive activities in general, not just when using wearables. This is also just one incident, so there’s no definite evidence that Glass is more alluring than other technologies and substances. You’re probably fine splurging on that Explorer Edition headset as a result, but you may want to hold off if you already have trouble saying “no.”
[Image credit: Angel Navarrete/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Via: CNBC
Will.i.am’s Puls wristband has its own 3G, support from AT&T
Will.i.am has just revealed the Puls at Dreamforce 2014, a smartwatch that doesn’t need to be tethered to a phone to send texts, emails or make and take phone calls. In fact, Will kept saying it’s not a watch, because smartwatches don’t typically come with SIM cards, which the Puls does have, along with speakers and a screen that curves along with its body, making the device look more like a cuff than a traditional watch. The Puls has 16GB of storage onboard, 1GB of RAM, GPS, a battery that goes around the bracelet, pedometer and accelerometer, all powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It connects to the internet not only via WiFi, but also via 3G, which means it has carrier partners: the Puls works with AT&T in the US and O2 in the UK.
As we’ve mentioned in the past, the watch comes with a music streaming service baked into it. It also has a voice assistant (another Siri rival, if you will) that can remind you to call people or of an event, wake you up, among other tasks similar programs can do.
This is the puls. http://t.co/SS7dhOHrYE‘s smart watch. pic.twitter.com/BfE4GbmLII
– Roberto Baldwin (@strngwys) October 15, 2014
Developing…
Filed under: Wearables
Plex confirms app for Nexus Player; Blends in nicely
I can’t say that I am all that surprised that there will be a Plex app for the new Nexus Player. It is, after all, just a slick TV version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. However the Android TV toting Nexus Player will be getting wht looks like a completely new looking Plex app and I can’t say I am mad at how it looks at all.
Pretty slick looking. While you might notice that it has a totally different look than we are used to seeing and using on our phones, tablets, and other devices, there is good reason for it. Google built Android TV from the ground up. To me it looks like Plex did something similar to match the over all look and feel of the Android TV layout. That keeps the app looking more native than a separate app entirely. Elan from Plex has been answer questions all afternoon in the comments section of their post. he has confirmed that the Voice Search function of the Nexus Player works “great” inside the app. No answers were provided on is the app would be free or not. 9to5Google was able to confirm that it would be available on launch day for the Nexus Player, which is November 3rd.
Don’t forget, the Nexus Player is Google Cast ready, so you can still just cast Plex from your device through the Nexus Player too. You don’t necessarily need a new app, but I will certainly be installing it for ease of use and beautification.
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