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28
Jan

Android Studio freebie + Beats by Dre giveaway



We have a great Wednesday in store for you this week. A guaranteed freebie for aspiring Android developers and a chance at winning a pair of Beats By Dre headphones!

First up is a free Bitfountain Android mini course designed to walk you through developing your first Lollipop app using Java and Android Studio. This course comes with nine lectures and a test, so you’ll be able to challenge your knowledge and grasp of the fundamentals. This one is absolutely free and ready to be claimed, now!

Lastly, we’re giving away a free pair of wireless studio Beats by Dre heaphones. You’ve heard all of the hype, now’s your chance at experiencing them for yourself. There’s no cost to enter the contest and sharing via social media easily increases your odds. What are you waiting for? Enter now!

See more at deals.androidguys.com

Do Not Miss These Other Deals!


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The post Android Studio freebie + Beats by Dre giveaway appeared first on AndroidGuys.

28
Jan

Tesco taps Kobo to offer Binkbox Books libraries when it closes


Unlike Blinkbox Movies and Blinkbox Music, Tesco hasn’t found a buyer for its underperforming Blinkbox Books service. We expected the e-book platform to quietly fade into the night, along with customers’ purchases, but it seems Tesco has a parting gift for bookworms that embraced its Kindle alternative. The beleaguered supermarket is teaming up with Kobo so that users can transition their Blinkbox libraries to the rival platform, free of charge. Tesco says it’ll email users in the next two to three weeks with a special code for unlocking their purchases inside Kobo; the latter’s library should also mirror Blinkbox’s exactly, meaning readers won’t lose any books in the move. At this stage it’s not clear if any money is changing hands, but there are obvious benefits for both parties; Tesco now has a better chance of avoiding customer backlash, while Kobo gets to pick up a wave of new users. Of course, Kobo already has an Android app too, so it should be a fairly easy transition for Hudl owners who want to keep Tesco’s tablet as their primary e-reader.

Comments

Via: TechCrunch

28
Jan

Deal Alert: Save $48 on a T-Mobile Nexus 6 with this code


nexus 6 first impressions (6 of 21)

T-Mobile is back with another discount deal on the Nexus 6. The carrier is offering a $48 saving on both the 32GB and 64GB storage versions of Motorola’s gargantuan handset.

This means you can grab the 32GB Nexus 6 for $649.92 or the 64GB version for $651.92, either by paying paying the amount upfront or opting for one of the T-Mobile’s payment plans. Although T-Mobile doesn’t offer contracts, you will still need a line in order to purchase a handset from them.

If you’re interested, you will have to settle for the blue Nexus 6, as that’s the only color option that the company stocks.

Just type in the code NEXUS6DEAL at the checkout to make the saving.



28
Jan

Meizu Blue Charm goes official with an ultra low price tag


bluecharmnote

Meizu has officially unveiled the Meizu Blue Charm otherwise known as the Meizu M1 in China. This is the company’s answer to Xiaomi’s ultra low cost smartphones that have dominated the Asian markets for quite a while now. Meizu also announced the Blue Charm Note smartphone about a month ago in China.

With an asking price of just around $112 or CNY 699, the smartphone promises to put all other budget handsets to shame.

It’s packing a 5 inch 720p display, a 13-megapixel camera on the back, a 5-megapixel front camera, a quad core 1.5 GHz MediaTek MT6732 chipset (Cortex-A53 cores), 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 2,610 mAh battery and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

The smartphone is only available in China at the moment, but we cannot rule out a global launch in the future. The Meizu M1 will certainly offer decent competition to Xiaomi’s Redmi 1S which is being sold for as little as $100 off contract. But since the Blue Charm has better hardware on board and a newer version of Android, the device will be more appealing to prospective buyers.

Source: Meizu

Come comment on this article: Meizu Blue Charm goes official with an ultra low price tag

28
Jan

Marissa Mayer Says Yahoo Would ‘Welcome the Opportunity’ to Become Default Safari Search Engine


Yahoo AppYahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer, during the company’s quarterly earnings call on Tuesday, expressed interest in Yahoo becoming the default search engine in Safari. Mayer recognized the significance that getting Yahoo in front of Mac, iPhone and iPad could have for the search engine, referring to Apple’s default web browser as “one of the premier search deals in the world if not the premier search deal in the world.”

“The Safari platform is basically one of the premier search deals in the world if not the premier search deal in the world,” Mayer told RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney. “We’re definitely in the search distribution business. I think that we’ve stated that really clearly in the past and I think with Mozilla and also in addition we brought Amazon eBay on board with smaller distribution partnerships in Q4.”

Google renewed its search partnership with Apple in 2010, although the contract is reportedly set to expire in 2015 and, supported by the fact that Google Maps and YouTube are no longer stock iOS apps, Apple is speculated to be considering a number of options. Back in November, it was reported that both Microsoft and Yahoo were courting Apple to become the default search engine in Safari.

“We’re in the search distribution business and anyone who is in that business needs to be interested in the Safari deal. The Safari users are among the most engaged and lucrative users in the world and it’s something we would really like to be able to provide.

We’ve worked really closely with Mozilla to ultimately bring to their users an experience that they designed and that they feel really suits those users and we would welcome the opportunity with any other partner to do the same, particularly one with Apple’s volume and user base.”

The New York Times, citing various reports from analysts, suggests that Google losing its Safari contract may not have much impact on the company’s bottom line. The two important factors involved are how much Google is paying for its Safari search engine deal, and how many users would simply switch back to Google if Apple switched to Yahoo or another search provider as default.



28
Jan

Leather case lovers rejoice! This BlackBerry Q10 pouch is 72% off today


Hand crafted and finished in genuine leather with a soft inner lining, this BlackBerry Leather Pocket protects against drops and scratches. It also recognizes settings and preferences, while power saving technology works to help extend battery life of your BlackBerry Q10. Yours today for only $9.95!

28
Jan

Children in Taiwan “may not constantly use” their electronic devices


InternetAddictionDrawing fastcompany

Lawmakers in Taiwan believe that “gadget addiction” is such a serious issue with children and teenagers that they have decided to take action by passing new rules which state that children under 18 “may not constantly use electronic products for a period of time that is not reasonable.”

Although one would think that lawmakers would define what exactly constitutes “reasonable” use, no such definition exists according to the new rules. Taiwan already has existing legislation that makes it illegal for children to watch anything deemed “harmful” to them such as sex, violence or depravity.

As Quartz points out, lawmakers in Taiwan are now putting the use of electronic devices on the same level as “smoking, drinking, drugs, watching sexual or violent imagery, and chewing betel nuts.” If a child in Taiwan becomes “physically or mentally” ill from such electronic use, the parents will now be liable for a $1,600 fine.

TaiwanSafeOnLine technet

This new rule was proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party who said the new regulation is aimed at protecting the young from “indulging in electronic entertainment for long periods of time.”

Taiwan is not alone in these types of actions. China, South Korea and other countries have been trying to regulate online gaming for years.



28
Jan

ZTE announces the Blade S6 with Android Lollipop for $250


ZTE_Blade_S6_Official

A new Blade is in town and it’s called the Blade S6. ZTE says this one is targeted for the “young and young at heart.”

It sports a 5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, microSD slot for expandable storage, a Sony IMX214 13 MP rear camera, 5 MP front-facing camera, Hi-Fi sound, LTE, 2.400 mAh battery and Android 5.0 Lollipop skinned with MiFavor 3.0. It’s 7.7 mm thick and will be available in silver and matte pink.

ZTE has added Smart Sense, which allows you to launch apps using gestures like a flick of your wrist.

Probably the best part of the Blade S6 is the price. It will cost $249 and will be available globally on AliExpress, as well as Amazon and eBay in select markets.

Here’s a 90 second video detailing the device….

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full Press Release:

ZTE unveils Blade S6 4G LTE smartphone with innovative Smart Sense and a host of other premium features for the masses

28 January 2015, Hong Kong – ZTE, a global leading mobile device maker, released its Blade S6 4G LTE smartphone today. Aimed at the young and young at heart, the Blade S6 – per its name – boasts six key features designed to provide customers from across the board with world-class user experience. The new features including ZTE’s Smart Sense gesture motion control, world’s first Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 octa-core chipset running on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, a SLR like ultra-high-definition camera, Hi-Fi Sound, ZTE’s MiFavor 3.0 user interface and ZTE’s AliveShare application for network-less communication.

“In line with our product portfolio plan, we very much sought to push the envelope with the Blade S6, and to do so in a way that would appeal to youths, as well as those with active social lives,” said Mr. Adam ZENG Xuezhong, Executive Vice President of ZTE Corporation and CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices.

“The Blade S6 is part of our 3+1 approach, which is led by a trio of product lines that includes the voice control Star series, security-focused Grand series and mass-market premium Blade series. The sub-brand Nubia series completes the approach, which together allows ZTE to address an expansive variety of customer needs.”

To date, the Blade series has accounted for over 20 million units of ZTE’s global device sales, thereby validating the company’s strategy of adding high-end features to devices targeted at multiple customer segments.

Among those key features are the device’s Smart Sense, which includes an intuitive and practical sets of gesture and motion controls, such as with a flick of the wrist that allows users to shine the Blade S6’s flashlight, activate its built-in mirror application, take rapid succession of photographs, play music, and much more.

Powering the Blade S6 is the new Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 chipset – Qualcomm’s first octa-core system-on-chip solution – and an Adreno 405 image processor capable of Full-HD H.265 decoding. This makes the Blade S6 the world’s first Android-L device to be powered by the Snapdragon™ 615, and uniquely capable of providing one of the most seamless user experiences currently on the market.

ZTE’s MiFavor 3.0 user interface meanwhile offers numerous customisation and personalization options at the finger-tips of the consumer. The Blade S6 also packs equally a punch in the audio department thanks to its Hi-Fi sound capability. The device’s five-inch screen is built using In-Cell technology, which allows better and more vibrant image quality.

Packaged in a slender two-millimetre-thin casing, the Blade S6 comes in a silver or pink matte finish.

“With its small package and powerful capabilities, the Blade S6 is the dream device for the socially active consumers and a clear demonstration of ZTE’s ability to offer a premium smartphone at an affordable price.” ZENG added.

 Price and availability

The retail price for the ZTE Blade S6 is $249.99 US. ZTE Blade S6 will be available online globally on AliExpress, and with Amazon and eBay in selected markets.

It will be available through the distributor, Qool International Ltd, and exclusively at the Hong Kong mobile operator csl. and other major retail channels including Suning, Dream Team, Sun Shine Telecom, Cyber Telecom, 188 Digital.com, Pak Lik and I Mobile in Hong Kong.

 

Come comment on this article: ZTE announces the Blade S6 with Android Lollipop for $250

28
Jan

French law would make Google and Facebook ‘accomplices’ to hate speech


60012.JPG Eiffel Tower and Paris Martial Colomb

France is eying new laws that would make the likes of Facebook and Google accountable for hosting extremist messages. As Bloomberg tells it, the new talk is a direct response to terrorist attacks from earlier this month, and should the draft law pass, it’d make online entities “accomplices” for hosting hate speech or terrorism sites. French president François Hollande addressed the sharp increase in terrorist recruitment over the internet, saying:

“We must act at the European and international level to define a legal framework so that Internet platforms which manage social media be considered responsible and that sanctions can be taken.”

Speaking at an event marking the 70th anniversary of the Holocaust, President Hollande also called on social networks to stop the spread of anti-Semitism and other forms of hate speech. He asked, “how in 2015 can we accept the need for armed soldiers to protect the Jewish people of France?” Like Canada and other nations, France has strong laws against Holocaust denial, racist statements and other forms of hate speech.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve will soon travel to the United States to meet with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter and get their help in the matter preemptively. As The Verge points out, however, France will reportedly also ask internet companies for greater cooperation with law enforcement, which some fear could curtail privacy and lead to a European version of the Patriot Act. That means it may prove a tricky act for the Gallic nation to balance security with the EU’s strong privacy rules.

Steve Dent contributed to this report.

[Image credit: Getty Images]

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft, Google, Facebook

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Via: The Verge

Source: Bloomberg

28
Jan

FCC Warns Hotels About Intentionally Blocking Wi-Fi Hotspots [iOS Blog]


The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday issued a public enforcement advisory that warns hotel chains and other commercial establishments about intentionally blocking or interfering with Wi-Fi hotspots. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau claims that interfering with Wi-Fi hotspots is illegal and that it will take appropriate action against violators by imposing substantial fines.

instanthotspot
The warning follows an FCC investigation in which the government agency discovered a so-called “disturbing trend” where hotels and other commercial establishments were purposefully blocking wireless customers from connecting to their Wi-Fi hotspots. Marriott Hotels was found to have “deployed a Wi-Fi deauthentication protocol” to block customers from accessing Wi-Fi and agreed to pay a $600,000 fine.

iPhone users have long resorted to Personal Hotspot to turn their cellular data connection into a Wi-Fi network for the purpose of tethering a Mac or other connected device. Apple made Personal Hotspot more convenient in iOS 8 with Instant Hotspot, a new feature that automatically detects when an iPhone is within close range of an iPad or Mac and displays the device in the list of available Wi-Fi networks.



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