Snap v3 beta could arrive before the end of the week
Although it seems forever since we caught the first tease of Snap v3, which was followed up by a closer look at the end of December, the time of waiting could be over by the end of the week. That’s according to Snap developer Jim Muir via his Twitter account.
[APK Download] Google Maps v9.4 Brings in Top Reviewers and Local Guides Feature
Google Maps goes one increment up today to version 9.4. It brings in such new features as highlighting top reviewers and local guides features. Pretty much Google is trying to steal some business from Yelp, because these features are very Yelp-like. If you’re familiar with Yelp’s Elite Reviewers, you kind of already have a sense […]
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Yahoo Mail gets smarter in version 4.8.2 update
If you’re still using a Yahoo email address, a pretty sizable update to the Yahoo Mail app should be waiting for you in the Play Store. In the update to version 4.8.2, we’re seeing a ton of enhancements added to the email client that aim to make your life more convenient.
The most notable feature added to the app is the ability to get updates on packages in real-time from Amazon, eBay, Nordstrom and a number of other retailers. Also added is support for flight notifications if you happen to use Orbitz or CheapTickets. Among a few others, you can also personalize your Yahoo Today catalog and select your favorite sports teams from which to get updates. As an added bonus, you can now customize and read your daily horoscope… from your email application.
Take a look at the full changelog below for the list of improvements:
- Get real-time updates for package shipments from Amazon, eBay, Nordstrom and more.
- Customize and read your daily horoscope.
- Edit your favorite sports teams so you never miss a game.
- Flight notifications now support Orbitz and CheapTickets.
- Personalize Yahoo Today with new edit options.
- We also added bug fixes and performance improvements so that your Yahoo Mail experience is smoother than ever.
This is quite the update to Yahoo Mail, so if you have yet to do so, head to the Play Store to grab version 4.8.2.
Download Yahoo Mail from the Google Play Store
Deal Alert: Grab a pair of refurbished Harman Kardon CL Precision Headphones for $49
Good headphones are pretty difficult to come by, especially at an affordable price. And I think we can all agree that Harman Kardon has a great selection of headphones, so picking up a pair at a discount is hard to come by. Harman Kardon is selling their manufacturer refurbished CL Precision Headphones for only $49. Normally these headphones sell for around $250 from Harman Kardon’s website, or for around $75 on Amazon. What’s even better, you don’t need a coupon code to take advantage of this cheap price.
Before you go out and buy these, just remember that this is a re-certified product. Harman Kardon assures that these headphones are restored to original factory specifications, so you may want to take a look at these, even if you are turned away by refurbished products.
The CL Precision Headphones have received great reviews across a number of different retailers, and given their attractive price, this is quite the steal. Head to the link below if you’re interested in picking up a pair for yourself.
Buy the refurbished CL Precision Headphones from Harman Kardon for only $49
Sprint updating the HTC One (M8) and LG G3 to Android 5.0 Lollipop next week
Sprint is on fire when it comes to updating devices to Lollipop. If the HTC One (M7) and the Galaxy S 5 wasn’t enough, how about the HTC One (M8) and the LG G3? A leaked document shows that the HTC One (M8) will get Android 5.0 Lollipop on February 13 and the LG G3 will get the tasty treat on February 16. If you happen to own the Harman Kardon edition of the One (M8), don’t fret, because it’s included in the update as well.
Of course, it should be noted that “subject to change” is listed so if anything goes wrong with the final testing, Sprint will delay the launch. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
source: Android Central
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Samsung to begin selling Gear VR in some Best Buy stores on February 8th
Samsung’s Gear VR headset was announced at the same time as the Galaxy Note 4, but getting your hands on one has been tricky. So far, Samsung has only been selling it online through Best Buy’s online store and in some European countries, so it’s hardly widely available. Fortunately it looks like that’ll change in February.
Starting February 8th, a select 100 Best Buy stores will begin stocking the Gear VR with a demo Note 4 for customers to test drive. The demo units will have four experiences to check out, including Milk Video for videos, TheBlu for gaming, Transformers for a virtual reality movie, and 360 Photos for viewing images. Those should cover most of the bases for someone that’s interested in buying a Gear VR.
The demo has some limitations, however. It’s limited to just 3 minutes, and you can only view content that’s approved for the demo, so you wouldn’t be able to look at your own pictures or games with the demo headset. There are a few other safety stipulations, too, which makes sense. Pricing on the Gear VR hasn’t changed, so if you are interested, it’ll run $199.
Samsung plans on testing the customer reaction with these 100 stores, and if it’s a positive experience, they’ll be expanding to more Best Buy stores later on.
source: Sammobile
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AT&T ranked #1 in J.D. Power 2015 Wireless Customer Care survey
AT&T has picked up some new bragging rights with the latest J.D. Power rankings. The Wireless Customer Care survey scored AT&T at the top, ranking them above other wireless carriers for the third time in the past four surveys spanning back to the second half of 2013.
I think it’s safe to say the pressure from some other carriers probably helped spur AT&T to step up their customer service game. Either way, it’s definitely a win for the consumer.
source: AT&T
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[Deal] Motorola taking $100 off purchases of $499 or more even without coupon code
So you missed out on obtaining a coupon code from Motorola for Valentine’s Day. It’s alright! There is still an opportunity to save money on Motorola products. The company is taking $100 off of purchases totaling $499 or more from now through February 14 and a coupon code is not required. It is not the $140 that the coupon code would save, but $100 is better than nothing. Just make sure your cart is at least $499 before checking out and enjoy putting some money back in your pocket.
Source: Motorola [Moto Maker]
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Qualcomm working on three successors to the Snapdragon 615
After the controversy surrounding the Snapdragon 810, some leaked information suggests Qualcomm is planning three new processors to supplant the Snapdragon 615 CPU that was announced roughly a year ago. It’s a pretty odd strategy, but at least they’ll have several options if one of the chips runs into any kind of issues.
The three new processors actually sport some pretty high specs considering where they fall in Qualcomm’s lineup, which is great news for someone looking for a mid-range device in 2015.
The first new processor is the MSM8952, which seems like a natural upgrade from the 615. The architecture is fairly similar, although the cores are all clocked slightly higher. It supports slightly faster memory, as well as LTE CAT 6 speeds, up from CAT 4 last time around.
The MSM8956 and MSM8976 both look like they’ll have some decent upgrades from the 615. They’ll reportedly use ARM’s Maya cores, which is its second-generation 64-bit architecture. Maya will supposedly offer a significant performance boost from the first generation of 64-bit architecture, but we’ll still have to wait and see how that actually plays out.
Both of these chips will sport an Adreno 510 GPU, LTE CAT 6 and faster memory support, and similar clock speeds. The MSM8956 is a hexa-core processor with a dual-core Maya clocked at 1.8 GHz and a quad-core A53 at 1.2 GHz. The MSM8976 will have identical clock speeds, but it’s an octa-core chipset which uses a quad-core Maya alongside the quad-core A53.
Qualcomm hasn’t officially announced any of these new processors, but they look like fantastic upgrades, at least on paper.
via: G for Games
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Apple, Tesla Fighting Over Top Employees
Apple and Tesla have been battling to recruit top talent from each other, according to a new report from Bloomberg Business. Tesla has hired at least 150 former Apple employees, more than they have from any other company.
The company has hired at least 150 former Apple employees, more than from any other company, even carmakers. The former Apple staffers work in many areas of the 6,000-employee automaker, including engineering and law. “From a design philosophy, [Apple] is relatively closely aligned,” says Musk, Tesla’s co-founder and chief executive officer. Apple declined to comment for this story.
Former Apple employees say their decision to join Tesla was based on the company’s electric cars and CEO Elon Musk, who is a similar figure to Jobs. Like Jobs, Musk pays a great deal of attention to the details of his products and is a strong, visionary leader. Musk reportedly has a soft spot for Apple and enjoys comparisons to Steve Jobs as well, one former Tesla employee tells Bloomberg.
Apple’s influence can be felt in the 17-inch touchscreen installed in Tesla’s cars as well as its retail stores, both of which had former Apple employees in key roles. High profile former Apple employees at Tesla include Doug Field, Apple’s former VP of Mac Hardware Engineering, who leads new vehicle development at the car company. Using top Silicon Valley talent, like former employees at Apple, allows Tesla to get a leg-up on competitors in the automobile industry.
While Tesla has had success recruiting talent from Apple, Musk says that Apple has hired “very few people” from the car company despite offering $250,000 signing bonuses and 60 percent salary increases to its employees.
Apple and Tesla have interacted in the past, with a report emerging in February 2014 that Apple had considered purchasing Tesla. Musk also revealed the two companies have had “conversations”, though it isn’t known whether those were about a potential acquisition, iOS integration in Tesla cars or battery technology.
The report also provides an interesting look into other ways Apple has influenced one of the most talked about companies in Silicon Valley and is worth reading at Bloomberg Business.
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