Google play store celebrates its 3rd birthday with 33 hot deals
The Google play store is now an incredible three years old! Can you remember what life was like without apps? I certainly know that I love my apps, from productivity apps like Gmail, calendar, Chrome, to fun apps like Boom Beach and Words with Friends, down to the very useful apps like Domino’s pizza for when I am too lazy to cook or get myself food.
In typical fashion, Google is celebrating its birthday by offering thirty-three deals on apps, books, movies, TV shows, and movies. All of the titles are relevant too with music from Daft Punk and Beyonce, to movie titles like The Dark Knight and the Departed. Head on over to the Play store and check out the deals for yourself.
What app has the most impact in your life? Post in the comments below and maybe we will feature one of them in an app review.
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According to Gartner, Apple beats Samsung in smartphones sales for first time since 2011
Gartner, a research firm, claims that in Q4 of 2014 Apple slightly edged out Samsung as the world’s number one smartphone distributor with 74.83 million sold as opposed to Samsung’s 73.03 million. It is also noteworthy that this is the first time Apple has been atop of Samsung since 2011 and Gartner correlates that with Apple’s success with the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. While Samsung still outsold Apple for the entire year of 2014, the drop in Q4 is still a cause of concern for the company according to a Gartner rep:
“Samsung’s performance in the smartphone market deteriorated further in the fourth quarter of 2014, when it lost nearly 10 percentage points in market share,” said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner. “Samsung continues to struggle to control its falling smartphone share, which was at its highest in the third quarter of 2013. This downward trend shows that Samsung’s share of profitable premium smartphone users has come under significant pressure.”
As we reported earlier, Samsung is poised to take market share back from Apple with the refreshing design of their Galaxy S6. How do you guys think their Galaxy S6 sales will do compared to Apple’s upcoming iPhone iteration this year?
source: Gartner
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Tinder Plus now available with undo swiping feature and an option to change location
Tinder, the popular dating application, is going premium with Tinder Plus. For a price per month, Tinder Plus will allow users to undo swipes and adjust their locations at will, without the need to be in the current location.
The first big feature available in Tinder Plus is called “Rewind”, which lets users take back their swipes. This will surely come in handy, because up until now, users who accidentally swipe left on another someone else would dismiss that user forever. But now, if you change your mind, you can always go back and redo the swipe. The second big feature is called “Passport”, which will let users change their current location without actually being there. Users can search by city or drop a pin on the map, and instantly start swiping in that area. The folks at Tinder explain:
Whether you’re planning vacations and business trips or simply expanding your social network, with Passport, you’re swiping before you arrive.
Tinder isn’t just giving out these features for free. For users between the ages of 18 to 27, Tinder Plus will run $9.99 per month. For users older than that, Plus will run a hefty $19.99 per month. Tinder’s reasoning behind the more expensive prices for older users has the potential to come off as offensive for both age groups, though. Representatives from Tinder told NPR in an interview that “younger users are more budget constrained, and need a lower price to pull the trigger”.
If you’re interested in Tinder Plus, head to the Google Play Store link below to give it a try.
Mojo Battstation Optimus 20400 review
Whether it’s internal, removable, wireless, microUSB, USB 3.0 Micro-B plug, or something else, batteries are one of those phone features we care deeply about. And, although we’ve had tremendous advances over the years, we still somehow find ourselves running low on juice every once in a while.
We recently spent time reviewing the Mojo Battstation Optimus 20400, a portable power bank that houses 20400mAh of life. Indeed, this guy is able to power your newer model Androids up somewhere between 8-10 times.
Build quality
First things, first, we are incredibly impressed with just how much power you can squeeze into a device this small. Just a few years ago we were carrying around a 4800mAh unit bigger that took up more space. The Mojo Battstation Optimus 20400 measures a mere 5.5-inches high by 2.8-inches wide with a little more than 3/4-inch depth. It’s heavier than our old devices at 14 ounces but we are happy to trade that in for more battery. The overall design is slightly angular; the battery is a slate grey color with an orange accent stripe.
General details
The Battstation offers two separate options for charging, a 1A and a 2.1A USB port. If you’re like us, and typically only need to add life to your handset, plugging into the faster option is the way to go. Got a tablet or second phone to add to the mix? You’ll do yourself a favor by prioritizing the outlets.
We like that the device comes with a pouch and some cables however we didn’t find ourselves using those too often. But, the carrying case is nice to have; it, too, is darker and a little hard to find in a purse or dimly lit scenario.
Because of the capacity of this battery you’ll find that it takes a long time to get to 100% charged. We’re talking well overnight and into around 14-16 hours. But, charge up on a Thursday and take it with you on a weekend trip and you’ll have more than enough to get your phone through the weekend, plus some for friends, too.
Other notes
Do note that you must press the power button to turn on charging. Simply plugging in does not trip the trigger. Double tapping the power button turns on the LED flashlight. Yep, this one also pulls double duty as a flashlight, should the need arise. We can’t wait to take this one camping with us!
It’s not a deal breaker by any stretch but we might like to see the power indicator switched to 5 lights or something that changes colors when it gets dangerously low.
What’s included
- Mojo Battstation Optimus 20400
- One Micro-USB Charge Cable
- One Travel Pouch
- One 30-pin Apple Connector
- One Galaxy Tab Connector
- Quick User Guide
- 1 Year Warranty
Where to buy
You can pick up a Mojo Battstation Optimus 20400 directly from ibattz.com or through a variety of online retailers. Pricing is listed at $129.95 however we found it at Amazon for $107.50. It’s still a shade more expensive than what other name brands might sell for however we didn’t have any issues. If you can get one for close to $100 then you’re doing quite alright.
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IGN and Nerdist apps make their debut on the Xbox One
Two more media streaming apps are now available for owners of Microsoft’s Xbox One console. One features content from the gaming-themed IGN website, while the other contains videos and podcasts from the Nerdist Network.
The six things you need to know from Mobile World Congress
It’s a massive show this year, with exciting news coming at us from every direction.
We’ve had boots on the ground for several days now, and the sheer volume of news coming out of Barcelona this week has been nothing short of exciting. We’ve seen huge product announcements, brief glimpses into the future, and a whole lot of new ideas that are going to keep everyone quite busy for a little while. It’s been difficult to keep up with, so while we are hard at work getting you our hands on experiences with all the new things it feels like a recap is in order.
Here’s six quick clicks with all the huge news to come from the show so far.
CyberPowerPC takes a second shot at Steam Machines
CyberPowerPC’s original Steam Machine plans didn’t amount to much (the company ultimately turned them into Windows boxes), but it’s back again for another round. Its recently established Syber division has revealed that it will launch no less than six of SteamOS computers this fall. The system builder isn’t saying much about its new living room gaming rigs at the moment, but it’ll give Game Developers Conference guests a sneak peek at three systems: the Mini, Mercury and Switch.
Whatever happens, this year’s roster will be cheaper. The starting Steam Machine-E will cost $449 (down from last year’s promised $499) with an entry AMD quad-core chip and unnamed NVIDIA graphics, while the $549 Steam Machine-P will kick that up to a 3.2GHz Intel Pentium and AMD Radeon R9 270X video. Performance-minded players will want to look at the Steam Machine-K, which touts a 3.5GHz Core i5 and NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 970 for $999, and there’s even a special, eye-searing orange Steam Machine-X at $1,399. That’s a lot to spend on hardware that will likely be a bit behind the curve by the fall, but it’s good to see at least one notable PC maker that hasn’t had second thoughts about backing Valve’s TV gaming efforts.
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Syber
OnePlus to venture into a new product category next month
According to OnePlus founder Carl Pei, the company will venture into a new product category next month. The manufacturer hasn’t revealed as to what this device could be, but has ruled out a tablet or a smartwatch being shown off next month.
This leaves us open to something like a fitness wearable or perhaps a set of audio equipment. Much is left to our imagination at the moment and it seems like we’ll have to wait until April to find out more.
It’s unlikely that he’s talking about the OnePlus Two here as the smartphone isn’t expected to break cover until mid 2015. Also, a smartphone doesn’t constitute a new product category, so we’re sure the company has some other plans in mind.
What do you think OnePlus will show off next month?
Via: GSM Arena
Come comment on this article: OnePlus to venture into a new product category next month
Researchers Find New ‘FREAK’ Security Flaw, Apple Says Fix Coming Soon
Researchers have recently uncovered a major security flaw in software created by companies like Google and Apple, leaving many devices vulnerable to hacking attempts, reports The Washington Post. Called “FREAK” (Factoring Attack on RSA-EXPORT Keys), the vulnerability stems from a U.S. government policy that once prevented companies from exporting strong encryption, requiring them to instead create weak “export-grade” products to ship to customers outside of the United States.
These restrictions were lifted more than a decade ago, but the weaker encryption has continued to be used by software companies as a result of the old policy and it has even been built into software in the U.S. The existence of lingering “export-grade” encryption was unnoticed until this year, when researchers found they could force browsers to use lower-grade 512-bit encryption and then crack it.
Hackers could potentially employ the same tactic, cracking weak encryption and then stealing passwords and other information. Researchers also believe the vulnerability could be used to launch attacks on and infiltrate major websites. In testing, the export-grade encryption key was breached in seven hours using computers and more than a quarter of encrypted sites were found to be vulnerable.
“We thought of course people stopped using it,” said Karthikeyan Bhargavan, a researcher at the French computer science lab INRIA whose team initially found the problem during testing of encryption systems.
Nadia Heninger, a University of Pennsylvania cryptographer, said, “This is basically a zombie from the ’90s… I don’t think anybody really realized anybody was still supporting these export suites.”
As pointed out by The Washington Post, the FREAK vulnerability is an example of the problems that can arise when the government gets involved in device security. Government officials have recently expressed concern over the privacy features that Apple and Google have been building into their smartphones in response to outrage over secretive government surveillance programs like PRISM.
FBI Director James Comey has made remarks suggesting Apple and Google should scale back encryption, as government access to electronic devices is necessary in some cases. He has said that it may matter a “great, great deal” that the government be able to infiltrate the device of a kidnapper, criminal, or terrorist.
The researchers who discovered the flaw have notified government sites and major technology companies to fix the issue before it became widely publicized. FBI.gov and Whitehouse.gov have been fixed, and according to Apple spokeswoman Trudy Miller, Apple is preparing a security patch that will be “in place next week for both its computers and its mobile devices.”
iPhones could soon get support for Android Wear smartwatches
According to a French source, Google is planning to bring Android Wear to iPhone owners. This is unconfirmed at this point, but makes sense given Google’s willingness to improve Android Wear marketshare.
The smartwatch OS is currently an exclusive to Android smartphones, so it will certainly be a surprise if the company bakes in support for the competing iOS devices. This might perhaps be the only way to stop Apple device owners from getting the Apple Watch, which will release this Spring.
Even if Google does introduce support for iPhones, users won’t be able to install third party apps like on their Android devices, so functionality will be very limited. The fact that Google has merely said that they don’t have anything to share at this time sparks off speculation that the Mountain View giant is working on something.
What do you think?
Come comment on this article: iPhones could soon get support for Android Wear smartwatches
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