How to instantly purchase an iTunes gift card using Siri
Siri is useful for all kinds of things, including quickly sending an iTunes gift card. Wait, what? You didn’t know that? Well, neither did I, not until this week! Whether you forget that birthday or just want to give a random gift of kindness, Siri can help you do it quickly and easily. All you have to do is ask!
How to send an iTunes gift card using Siri
- Press and hold your Home button to launch Siri.
- Say something like “I want to purchase an iTunes gift card.”
- Siri will automatically launch iTunes and bring up the iTunes gift card option.
- Fill out the required information, select an amount, and tap Next in the top right corner.
- Select the gift card theme you want to use and tap Next again.
- Confirm everything looks okay and tap Buy in the upper right hand corner.
- Enter any iTunes account info to finish the purchase and you’re done!
How to instantly purchase an iTunes gift card using Siri
Siri is useful for all kinds of things, including quickly sending an iTunes gift card. Wait, what? You didn’t know that? Well, neither did I, not until this week! Whether you forget that birthday or just want to give a random gift of kindness, Siri can help you do it quickly and easily. All you have to do is ask!
How to send an iTunes gift card using Siri
- Press and hold your Home button to launch Siri.
- Say something like “I want to purchase an iTunes gift card.”
- Siri will automatically launch iTunes and bring up the iTunes gift card option.
- Fill out the required information, select an amount, and tap Next in the top right corner.
- Select the gift card theme you want to use and tap Next again.
- Confirm everything looks okay and tap Buy in the upper right hand corner.
- Enter any iTunes account info to finish the purchase and you’re done!
Project Ara: Can it find success, or is it just too ambitious?
Earlier this week Google held its latest Ara developer conference, showing off the new module development kit, the new spiral 2 hardware and they even revealed their initial plans for a pilot program in Puerto Rico sometime later this year. Despite how ambitious Project Ara is, it is clear that Google is pushing forward with the idea and is almost ready for a commercial rollout. With this in mind, for this week’s Friday Debate we ask do you think that that modular phones can find success in the market? If not, what will hold it back?
As is our recent custom, we start out the Friday Debate by hearing from our community, followed by members of Team AA and finally we’ll give our readers the opportunity to voice their opinion in the comments section. For those interested, our Friday Debate podcast will also be coming down the pipe a little later today — so stay tuned to AA for that.
Shawny
When google announced Project Ara, I was excited. The idea of constructing a phone to your preference is crazy and something that could be leading the market in the future I think. Why? If you think about it, looking back at all the phones created last year, a lot of them left consumer’s wanting something more or occasionally, less. Take the HTC One m8; amazing build, good specs, sense 6 and so on, there was just one problem, the duo 4 ultrapixel cameras left many questioning whether that would be the right phone. This is how Ara would be able to resolve such a misfit, changing the camera or just the specs of the phone means that consumer’s can’t complain about a missing feature.
I’m not sure if this is true, but I’ve heard that the body for the Ara phone is around $50, I’m not certain about the price, but that’s brilliant (assuming the parts aren’t expensive). It’s a very reasonable price if it all adds to just around $100 in a developing market. With the current state of technology at hand and the target for all markets, it may seem like Ara is ready to enter its era. Now we’ll just have to wait for the response from Puerto Rico.
Mewtwo
While yeah, it’s a great idea in concept, it wouldn’t work in real life.
First of all, you need to have parts to actually pick from, so you’ll need to have manufacturers making parts for the phone. You’ll (presumably) be swapping parts in and out often. This will probably wear down the connecting mechanisms over time or screw up something if you put something in the wrong slot. And in the long-term, how will it stand up? My DS Lite has the stylus holder becoming loose, will it be a similar situation for the phone? Will parts fall off easily? Will they stay too stuck and be very hard to swap parts in and out? And again, support. Who’s going to manufacture the parts and will they support or just push out one update and abandon it? And how about compatibility? If one module won’t work with the other, that could be a problem. And will it be future proof? If it’s native resolution is 1080p, can it handle a 2.5K screen? A 20 MP camera?
While it is nice to have such a cool concept, I don’t think it’s ready for mass-production. Google will probably keep it like Google Glass, like an alpha of a product.
What Team AA has to say
Now that you’ve had a look at what community member Jayfeather had to say, it’s time for Team AA to weigh in:
Gary Sims
Whether Project Ara is a success or not depends on how we measure success! If we look at Google Glass then I think we can call it a success and a failure. It was a success because it explored new ideas, not only in terms of technology, but also socially. I think it taught us that we don’t want people wearing gadgets that can record everything we do and say. Since Google is taking it back to the drawing board then it was a failure, as it didn’t work over the long run.So for Project Ara we need to define what we mean by success. I would like to propose three criteria. First, will it change user’s expectations about their mobile devices? Second, will it still be available in three to five years time? Third, will it make any money?
If Project Ara succeeds in any two of these criteria then I think we can call the project a success. But let’s look at those criteria in detail.
Will it change the user’s expectations? This is important, not only for mobile devices, but also for all areas of technology. Because all technology is ultimately driven by revenue there are levels of compatibility and interoperability that we don’t reach.
What Project Ara shows us is that you can have technology from one vendor that works in co-operation with another. The consumer becomes the decision maker. As Neo put it, “Choice, the problem is choice.”
A phrase that a friend of mine and I used to say often was, “the computer won’t let me.” It was an epitaph to the freedoms we have lost with technology. Don’t get me wrong, technology has given us much, but we have also lost some things.
Moving swiftly on… Will project Ara be available in three to five years time? Or in other words, will it fail to gain momentum and like Google Glass be called a good experiment and cancelled. I hope not. I think there is enough about Ara that will make it attractive to a certain category of people. I think the concept is interesting enough that it will gain a sizable following, but the key will be price. At the end of the day if I can have a phone which is completely non-customizable, but it costs half the price of a customizable one, then a lot of people will save the money and go with a “standard” device. If it is going to cost me $1000 to buy all the modules and build an Ara phone, then forget it. But if Google can make it happen in the $300 to $500 range, depending on what modules I want, then it will work.
And that leads me to the final criteria. Money. Will it make money? Not only for Google, but also for the module makers. It doesn’t need to make billions, it just needs to make a profit for Google and for the module makers. I think that is possible. And if I am right then a whole new industry will be created!
Robert Triggs
I’d be pleasantly surprised if Project Ara ever makes it into the mainstream, but I can’t see the average consumer mulling over which camera module or processing package they would prefer. However, there is a strong, albeit smaller market of smartphone and gadget enthusiasts that I’m sure will jump at the opportunity to customize their own hardware, myself included.
Early module options and the skeletal frame are looking good and I think it’s about time the hardware made its way into the hands of a small number of consumers. If nothing else, simply to test the waters, check for early issues, and stir up a little interest from developers who can flesh the product out with additional modules and software which Ara’s engineers may not have thought of. Third party support is going to be key, so I think it’s time to engage with the market.
Of course, pricing is going to be the decisive factor. If modules are reasonably priced and a basic unit can be put together for cheap, then Ara could end up as a viable alternative to the budget smartphone. The option to upgrade to a better camera or display in the future is much better than knowing you’ll have to throw your whole phone out for a new one in a couple of
I’m eager to try it out, but I’m certainly not expecting Ara to replace traditional smartphones. That said, there’s certainly potential for success here.
Eric McBride
Project Ara is an extremely interesting concept that in my eyes could go 3 ways: 1. It will be a complete and utter flop…2. It will revolutionize the smartphone game as we know it…3. It will exist, be interesting, but won’t appeal to the mainstream. I’ll quickly break down each reason and how I feel about it.
Scenario 1: Complete and utter flop, and the second most likely scenario. This could happen for a number of reasons, including: If the design looks too nerdy and complicated, if manufacturers don’t take developing interchangeable modules for it seriously, if it’s fantastic and smartphone OEMs cry foul, if the modules or “frame” are too expensive, if the software isn’t updated in a timely enough fashion to play nice with new modules (buggy with tons of crashes), and if it’s not marketed in a VERY clever fashion. Those are just a few reasons why this thing could simply crash and burn when it arrives. While the concept is fantastic, remember that the majority of people would still opt to buy a new PC instead of simply upgrading the components. While updating components for Ara would (hopefully) be a lot simpler than that, consumer minds will really have to be tailored to getting used to the concept.
Scenario 2: It will revolutionize the smartphone game. Third most likely scenario. Highly unlikely at THIS point in time, but the potential is there depending on how well it works, pricing, how the end product looks, how easy it is to use for non tech savy consumers, and how seriously module makers take creating components for it. Let’s just say that they nail the design, the price point is right, and component makers are feeling it. If all of these things would happen, and if it would be marketed in a way to where consumers see the benefits of it, how could it NOT change the industry completely? A phone that you could custom build and upgrade on a whim, while possibly even swapping out components with friends, which is even bundled into a sexy looking device that could in essence kill the concept of buying a new phone every two years? Every OEM and their mother would build their own frame and components for it if that happened, with an entirely new consumer category/base being created in the process. Depending on the quality of modules, health organizations, athletes, engineers and so many other professionals could find uses for this device. The possibilities on paper are mind boggling.
Scenario 3: It will exist but won’t appeal to the mainstream. This is probably (sadly) the most realistic scenario. The device will come out, component makers will think “meh” and develop some decent modules for it, it will be priced in a way that won’t be realistic enough to turn mainstream consumers towards buying it, and it won’t be marketed in a way to see the true benefits of it’s amazing potential (I’m looking at you Microsoft Surface Pro). Because of that, it won’t be taken seriously enough to get the massive amounts of attention it would need on a software level to run smoothly, which will result in very buggy versions of it being released, which would turn people away from it immediately. It would also have to be priced in a way that makes sense for a consumer, and bundled in a very sexy design. Those 2 things don’t often go together, and with a concept this huge, I don’t see anyone taking it seriously enough to get it right anytime soon.
Maybe it’s too ahead of its time, but I simply can’t see it being a hit, as its success depends on way too many factors that I don’t trust anyone to take it seriously enough. OEMs nowadays don’t even update their flagships regularly. Could you imagine how lazy they would be with a device like this?
This device is booming with potential, and I for one will buy one. But unless some company takes it more serious than they have ever taken any previous smartphone they have ever released (it will need that attention), or unless a new company enters the market that makes Ara its main focus, then this will remain something for tech enthusiasts only. It’s sad and I hate to admit it, but that’s how I see this playing out.
Matthew Benson
Project Ara is quite possibly the most interesting thing to hit smartphones since…well perhaps ever. For everyone who has ever complained about their device being “almost perfect” to those seeking to modify and modernize, it’s like a dream come true. I’m actually somewhat confused how people could not like Ara, if only for the fact that it can be anything and everything to anyone and everyone.
At the most basic conceptual level, I can easily see kids in schools trading the parts like they might cards, toys, or other items. Especially if the parts are indeed cheap and come in a variety of different shapes and colors, it makes even more sense. Likewise, I can see others swapping parts and pieces on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps one day, someone needs to take some high resolution photos and needs a large camera module. Then the next they don’t need any camera whatsoever and simply remove the part and apply something else instead.
That’s what makes Ara so exciting: you can seemingly customize it as you please. Instead of OEMs dictating what you want, much like carriers do with software or firmware, you can have total control over your digital device. Think of the battery saving element alone if you could suddenly swap out the (possible) Snapdragon 810 CPU and replace it with a 400 simply because you don’t need to have such power and performance. Or what about for those who don’t have the money up front to buy a premium product and need something now, but want to buy one later on: why bother purchasing an all-new device entirely when you can just swap a few pieces?
Perhaps my interest in Ara is a result of growing up with Legos and various toys and action figures that had swappable parts. The idea just seems perfectly natural, and everything I’ve seen so far, in terms of the look and feel of the hardware itself, just reinforces my optimism. While I hardly think Ara will be anything other than a novelty item or fad in the grand scheme of things, it allows for so much more than a final fabricated piece of circuit board could ever do, and in a way that makes it immediately accessible to the masses, unlike say, modifying a PC.
Now it’s your turn
You’ve heard from our community and Team AA, now it’s your turn. What OEM handsets are you most looking forward to? What other kind of Android-related devices are you hoping to see this year? Tell us what you think in the comments!
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New HTC flagship coming on March 1 in Barcelona
It’s happening, folks! HTC’s newest flagship, the successor to the critically acclaimed One (M8), is coming March 1.
HTC has just fired off the first batch of media invites for a “mystery” event scheduled for Sunday, March 1. There’s no official indication that the M8’s successor (you may know it as the Hima or the M9) is coming, but, really, there’s no other HTC phone that warrants a big event during this time of the year.
The press event is set to take place on the day before MWC opens its gates, but that’s fairly typical for a company wishing to capture as much limelight as possible for its products.
The invite itself reveals no clues about what we should expect from the Hima, with just a starry background and the cryptic “utopia in progress” tagline. However, a few rumors paint the picture of a powerful Snapdragon 810-equipped device with a 5-inch screen and the sleek metallic build we’ve come to expect from HTC’s high-end devices. Read more about it in our recent M9/Hima rumor roundup.
For what is worth, HTC is promising something special for the show:
Get excited! HTC will show you something new and utterly spectacular on March 1! pic.twitter.com/joJivvVtfe
— Jeff Gordon (@urbanstrata) January 16, 2015
Regardless what the utopia ends up looking like, Android Authority will be there to bring you full coverage. Stay tuned for more.
Reasons to upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop
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In the world of technological innovation, its course is often defined by the actions of leading brands. In the face of intense market competition and driven by the desire to dominate a specific market sector, companies invest heavily in the development of new technology and improvement that will redefine the consumer experience. Take the smartphone market, for example, where Android responded to the launch of Apple’s successful iOS 8 software by releasing its own upgrade in the form of the Lollipop (Android) 5.0.
Like the iOS 8, Androids’ own Lollipop update includes several targeted enhancements. The first of these is the inclusion of Android RunTime (ART), which improves application performance in terms of speed, responsiveness and consistency. It is also 64-bit compatible, and the initial tests that have been conducted through tests such as Google’s Nexus 9 underline the improved performance that they tool delivers. It is particularly beneficial for business users or freelancers, who may often be required to operate multiple applications simultaneously and in real-time.
Android have also equipped the Android Lollipop upgrade with security features, thanks at least in part to the increased prevalence of virtual retailing and responsive online slots sites. More specifically, users can now ‘pin’ specific screen or applications, locking other users out of these functions while ensuring that the handset remains active. This is great for parents who wish to protect sensitive data without disabling their devices entirely, while it also makes it far easier to maintain battery life and protect your data in the event that your phone is lost or stolen.
In terms of practical usage, the Android 5.0 upgrade also incorporates a detailed usage chart and heightened battery saver mode. This is the brainchild of Google, who are in the midst of a drive to increase processing speeds and ensure that Android applications can run simultaneously without compromising the performance of individual devices. Although this project is its infancy, there are signs of it in the recent upgrade and a clear indication of the direction that future operating system updates will take.
The post Reasons to upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Intel CEO Responds to Rumors of ARM-Based Macs, Says Relationship With Apple Is ‘Strong’
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich appeared today on CNBC’s Squawk Box to talk about the financial future of the technology company. Following discussions about Intel’s disappointing Q1 forecast and flat PC sales, CNBC anchor Betsy Quick questioned the executive about rumors that Apple may eventually drop Intel chips from its Mac computers in favor of its own processors.
Unfazed by the questioning, Krzanich toed the company line, revealing no new information about the future of Intel’s relationship with Apple and simply calling it a “strong” one.
I just hear the same rumors. Our relationship with Apple is strong and their products are great. Apple is always going to choose the supplier who can provide them the most amount of capability in innovation for them to build on, for them to innovate. They’re a company based on innovation. Our job is to continue to deliver parts that have that capability give them that, that are better than our competitors. And then they want to use our parts. So I wake up every morning making sure that across the board, whether it’s Apple or Lenovo or Dell or any of our customers — we have to provide the most competitive part: performance, price, reliability, all of those.
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In his latest report, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo offered the prediction that Apple may launch ARM-based Macs in the next few years. In this scenario, Apple would replace the Intel chips it currently uses with custom designed A-series chip, allowing the company to better time processor upgrades with new product launches. Apple last year was forced to delay major product launches across its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lineup, offering only minor processor bumps due to delays in Intel’s Broadwell processors.
Rumors of Apple’s interest in ARM-based Macs are not new, with earlier reports suggesting Apple has developed ARM-Based prototypes of the iMac, Mac Mini, and a 13-inch notebook model. If the rumor pans out this time, the switchover to ARM processor would initially target low-end machines that would benefit from the low battery consumption of the ARM-based architecture. Future expansion may be possible as improvements in Apple’s A-series processor begin to rival the performance of Intel’s entry-level offerings.
Sony Xperia Z4 passes through Japan’s certification authority
Earlier today, an unannounced Sony smartphone passed through Japan’s official certification authority — the RRA (Radio Research Agency). Information included in the brief filing documentation reveals that we could potentially be looking at the upcoming Xperia Z4 — a revamped model of the company’s flagship smartphone of 2014.
Unfortunately, the paperwork doesn’t disclose anything about the internals of the device, but we do know that the handset has been certified for NTT DoCoMo, KDDi and SoftBank. Additionally, the Z4 is set to pack a variety of different connectivity options, including support for VoLTE, Bluetooth Class 1 (Version 4.0, LE+EDR), 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS.
The Xperia Z4 is expected to sport a 5.2-inch Triluminos display, a Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, 32GB of internal memory, a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter, hardware buttons, water/dust resistance and a 2,800 mAh removable Li-Ion battery.
If you wish to see the full RRA filing — hit the source link below.
Source: RRA
Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia Z4 passes through Japan’s certification authority
One month with the Microsoft Band – Was it worth the effort?
The Microsoft Band has been on the market since last November and I finally got my hands on one by driving to a Microsoft Store in a neighboring State. I’ve had the Band for a little over a month and as inventory levels start to climb, I wanted to share my impressions of the Band.
For the most part I have been very impressed with the Band, but as we often seen with first generation devices, there is always room for improvement. But was it worth calling Microsoft Stores in neighboring States and driving two hours to finally get my hands on one?
Former boss of Jony Ive-founded firm will shape Samsung’s design future
There is arguably no consumer electronics company in the world that releases as many smartphone and tablet variants as Samsung does per year. Tune out for a bit and you’re liable to miss one, or an entire series for that matter. The company is trying to shape things up in 2015 after a period of poor fiscal returns, and taken an affinity towards metal. Still, one might be hard pressed to find anyone who drools over a Samsung device like some do over an HTC phone, or Apple anything. Samsung knows this, and thus things are about to change.
In a move that can only be taken as a hard-line stance against stale concepts, Korea JoongAng Daily is reporting that Samsung has hired Lee Don-tae, a “design entrepreneur”, as team leader of the Global Design department. Don-tae is a Professor at Hongik University’s Department of Industrial Design, but, perhaps more interestingly to the tech-crowd, was also President of London-based design firm Tangerine, a position he earned after just seven years working there. Of no small trivial matter is the fact that a certain Jony Ivy founded the nectarine-named studio prior to being recruited by another fruit company.
Only time will tell if even this newest of Samsung design’s is to be replaced by something entirely new and possibly award-winning
While Lee has actually been working at Samsung since the start of the new year, the news itself indicates the company may be trying to build up some hype before the presumed launch of the Galaxy S6 and new Gear watch (rumored to have a round display) that may take place at MWC this March. Still, given that he’s only just joined the company, it would be highly unlikely he could have an influence on the S6 should it be announced in the near future: work inevitably began some time ago, and any kind of new frame or shape would be subject to possible manufacturing issues, not unlike those rumored to be occurring for the Galaxy A3 and A5.
Still, at the very least, the idea of a new Samsung device with a fresh design would definitely go a long way in making sure the company can attract new customers in the future. Then again, how much can be done with a slab? We shall just have to see.
Retina 5K iMac Models Now Available From Apple’s Online Refurbished Store
Apple recently started selling the 27-Inch iMac With Retina 5K Display in the refurbished section of its online store, as first noticed by 9to5Mac. These refurbished models offer customers the chance to save up to 15 percent off the retail price of a brand new model.
Several 27-inch Retina iMac models are available, including the entry-level model which is availablee for $2119 and includes a 3.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and a 1TB Fusion Drive. Other available Retina iMacs include a $2,419 model with 16GB of memory and a 3TB Fusion Drive and a $2,549 unit with 16GB of memory and 512GB flash storage. All three models are in stock and available to ship today.
After months of speculation, Apple unveiled the 27-Inch iMac With Retina 5K Display during its October media event. The consumer desktop features a 5120 x 2880 pixel display with improved contrast, viewing angles, and color accuracy. Early impressions of the machine were favorable with reviewers praising the “stunning display” and noting that it is a “huge step up” from Apple’s notebook Retina displays.
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