Verizon’s cutting their data plans across the board up to $10/month
Verizon Wireless will cut prices on most of its existing More Everything plans by up to $10 a month while also adding some new options starting on Thursday. The new plans will also allow some customers to add smartphones on Verizon Edge for $15 a month.
Only the 500MB and 10GB data plans will remain the same price. Here are the new prices and the new options for Verizon’s More Everything:
- 1GB – $30 (previously $40)
- 2GB -$40 (previously $50)
- 3GB – $50 (previously $60)
- 4GB – $60 (previously $70)
- 6GB – $70 (previously $80)
- 8GB – $85 (previously $90)
- 10GB – $100
- 12GB – $110 (NEW)
- 14GB – $120 (NEW)
- 16GB – $130 (NEW)
- 20GB – $140 (previously $150)
Verizon added:
Additionally, for a limited time customers who choose MORE Everything plans of 6GB or higher can add smartphones on Verizon Edge for only $15 a month after a $25 access discount per line. With this new promotion, the monthly service plan for an account with two smartphones on Edge and 6GB of shared data is only $100. Edge discounts are $15 per line for MORE Everything plans with data allowances of 4GB and below.
Additionally for a limited time, new customers who port-in their wireless number from another carrier and activate their new Verizon smartphone on Edge will receive an additional one-time $100 bill credit per qualified line.
Verizon says the new More Everything prices and the port-in credit offer will be available for “a limited time” but it did not specify an end date for this promotion.
Source: Verizon
HTC tries to prove smartphone dominance with latest rap video.
For those of you that do now know, HTCAmerica very recently published a video to their YouTube account. A rap video, to be precise. With some bad past earning quarters in their belt it seems that HTC is really trying hard to get back on top and this video shows they are willing to do quite a lot to do so. In it you will find some very high tech CGI effects and great music choreography..Or a rapper and some guys in phones boxes. You will just have to see the video to find out!
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Android 5.1 coming soon, appearing on Android One devices already
Android One is launching in Indonesia later this month, but that really isn’t the big news. It appears that Android 5.1 is already on those devices, but we have heard nothing about it from Google.
At first, it was thought to be a typo as it only appeared in web documents, but actual screenshots show it’s the real deal.
When is it coming to Nexus devices? It’s likely to be soon, but we don’t know for sure.
Unfortunately we don’t have any information regarding the changes that come with 5.1, but I am sure Google will release that info shortly.
sources: Google / Android Police
Come comment on this article: Android 5.1 coming soon, appearing on Android One devices already
Samsung mass producing the industry’s first combined DRAM and eMMC ePOP memory package
Samsung has announced that it has begun mass production of the industry’s first ePOP memory, which could result in cost and space savings in future high-end smartphone production.
ePOP stands for embedded package on package. Samsung’s design combines 3GB LPDDR3 DRAM volatile memory and 32GB eMMC non-volatile storage into a single package. eMMC memory already combines the flash memory and required controller into a single module. The 3GB LPDDR3 DRAM operates at an I/O data transfer rate of 1,8666Mb/s. Essentially, Samsung’s ePOP memory is a one stop shop for all your mobile memory needs.
What makes this particularly important for smartphone design is that the new all-in-one package reduces the size taken up by various memory components. The entire package fits into a 15mm x 15mm (225mm2) area, rather than two separate chips that can take up over 374.5 square millimetres. Furthermore, the ePOP memory can also be stacked on top of typical mobile processor packages, to save on additional space.
Samsung suggests that its ePoP memory is suitable for both high-end smartphones and tablets. The company also has a similar single-package solution for wearable devices.
Samsung’s semiconductor business turned a healthy profit from mobile memory sales last year and its new package could turn out to be an equally good earner for the company.
Save 46% today on these dual-layer hard cases for Galaxy Note 4
The DILEX Pro balances next-level, hybrid protection with a slim profile and convenient design. It combines two layers of shock absorbing protection: a compact, silicone core underneath a strong polycarbonate exterior that sports a fold-out kickstand. Available today for only $18.95
Accessory of the Day: Note 4 wallet flip case, $12.95
Consolidate your credit cards, money, and big beautiful Samsung Note 4 all into this portable protective case. Designed with minimum bulk in mind, this is a great grab at only $12.95 (Prime eligible).
Join Prime and get this deal with FREE two-day shipping!
Also worth checking out:
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Sonos and Blue Note Records team up for a limited edition Play:1
Sonos released its $199 Play:1 speaker well over a year ago, and in that time, the company has been keen on improving the software experience for its audio gadgets. Tweaking that Controller app isn’t all it was working on, though, and it turns out, a limited edition release was getting its fresh coat of paint… literally. More on that in a bit, but for now, meet the Sonos Blue Note Play:1: a collaboration with Blue Note Records that celebrates the heritage of the label’s jazz roots alongside the audio company’s focus on quality sound across genres. New colors are something we see from speaker and headphone brands on the regular, and until now, Sonos kept things black and white. Why, you ask? Well, the company viewed its line of wireless-audio tech as accent pieces as well as devices for listening to tunes all over your home. This meant neutral colors that blend in rather than stand out were a must.
At first glance, a blue-hued speaker for a collaboration with Blue Note Records may seem like too obvious a choice. But when you recall some of the artwork from Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter releases, the color scheme makes sense. On the covers of those albums, a monochromatic blue image served as the main visual, and one that I will always associate with the jazz greats. Getting this limited edition Play:1 to look the way it does took a great deal of effort, and in the end, Sonos employed robots to spray the speakers’ shells in order to achieve the perfect fade from navy to cerulean. In fact, that painting process means each of these new speakers will be slightly different — kind of like an artist recording several versions of a song before going with the best take. Similar to the music that the label has published during its 75 years, that gradient is also meant to signify the deep bass and clear treble that the device uses to wrangle tunes.
The focus on software from the past few months was carried over here too, and folks who splurge for the blue device will notice an extra station in their Sonos Controller app. In addition to the Born in Blue and Blue Note 101 stations that debuted a while back, the folks at Blue Note Records will curate an Artists Selects station for the next year. That repository will be constantly updated with new tracks over the next 12 months, and it’s exclusive to Blue Note Play:1 owners. Again, the project is as much about an ongoing experience as it is a single speaker.
More often than not, when we see a limited edition of an existing product, it comes at a hefty premium price. That’s not the case here. This blue-hued Play:1 is priced at $250 — just $50 more than the original. If the blue already caught your eye, you’ll want to act fast when these go on sale, as only around 4,100 exist and they’re sure to go fast.
[Image credits: Blue Note Records (album covers), Sonos (factory)]
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
Micromax is now the biggest smartphone vendor in India
Research firm Canalys has released its findings for Q4 2014 smartphone shipments in India. The data shows that Micromax has now surpassed Samsung to claim top spot in the country, as its smartphone shipments reached 4.6 million units in the previous quarter.
Overall sales in the region surged 90 percent year on year to reach 21.6 million smartphones in the last quarter. Micromax accounted for 22 percent of smartphone sales in India in Q4 2014, while Samsung’s 4.4 million units grabbed 20 percent of the regional sales. Karbonn and Lava followed behind in third and fourth place, accumulating 2 million and 1.8 million units respectively. However, sales from other retailers leapt up two million units between the third and fourth quarter, reaching 9 million in total in Q4. The Indian smartphone market is still very diverse, with a number of low-cost players all vying for market positions.
Canalys also estimates that nearly a quarter of smartphones sold in India were priced at under $100, while 41 percent of sales fell into the $100-$200 category. However, Samsung’s Tizen powered Z smartphone, which costs just $92, seems to have received a frosty reception. Micromax has done a particularly good job at “continuing appeal to mobile phone users upgrading to smartphones”, according to Canalys, but its latest Cyanogen powered Yureka is facing increased competition from other low-cost brands, such as Xiaomi and Motorola.
However, Samsung disagrees with Canalys’ report. Instead, the company quoted a report from research firm GfK, which claims that Samsung’s volume market share was 34.3 percent in Q4 2014, substantially higher than Canalys suggests. Furthermore, Samsung claims that its market share is “more than double” that of Micromax.
“Our volume market share in the smartphone market in the year was 35.7%, which is more than double than that of the next player, while our value share was 40.2%, which is more than four times the next player.” – Samsung
It’s tough to know who to believe, especially with such a large discrepancy between the estimates. We saw a similar situation last year, where different research firms again posted conflicting results for Micromax and Samsung. The true figure probably lies somewhere between the two.
India’s booming handset market is a new gold rush for savvy smartphone brands and there’s clearly plenty of competition between the regional players and the big global brands.
Game of Thrones Episode 2: The Lost Lords is now available on Xbox One
Microsoft has shared on Twitter the release of Game of Thrones Episode 2: The Lost Lords, which is now readily available for download on Xbox One. The game series (containing six episodes) of the popular TV show is by Telltale Games, offering fans a chance to enjoy a more immersive experience of the fantasy realm.
‘Canary Watch’ legally reveals when sites get national security requests
Internet service companies like Reddit and Tumblr want to be transparent about user privacy. The problem is, they’re sometimes forced by law to clam up when they receive specific national security data requests from agencies like the NSA or FBI. But there’s nothing stopping them from saying they haven’t received such requests, and that’s where a new website called Canary Watch comes in. Like the birds that show a mine is safe by not being dead, the site tracks statements by websites like Pinterest saying they haven’t received national security requests. If such “warrant canaries” suddenly disappear, Canary Watch will flag that fact, revealing that the site actually has received a request without breaking any laws.
Canary Watch was created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), NYU’s Technology Law & Policy Clinic and other privacy advocate groups. So far, it’s only tracking a handful of sites, including secure cloud platforms like Rsync.net and Spider Oak, along with social/news sites Tumblr, Reddit and Pinterest. The EFF points out that most folks don’t pay any attention to the transparency “canaries” (or even know they exist), so Canary Watch tracks any changes or disappearances and explains what they mean.
Canaries allow service providers to be as honest and transparent with their customers as they are allowed to be by law.
For instance, Reddit says that as of January 29th, 2015, it has “never received a National Security Letter, an order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or any other classified request for user information.” Were that statement to disappear, Canary Watch would flag it, indicating that the site was likely served a warrant. There would be no way of knowing what the request was, however, unless Reddit successfully fought to unveil it (which it says it will do).
For people that follow privacy issues closely, the new site doesn’t bring anything new. However, as the EFF told Threatpost, canaries “allow service providers to be as honest and transparent with their customers as they are allowed to be by law.” More importantly, it brings the concept of canaries to the public and may help motivate sites to better protect your privacy from government overreach.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Canary Watch, EFF
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