How to change your Snapchat username
Really need to change your Snapchat username but can’t figure out how?
Don’t feel bad. There isn’t a button on Snapchat that takes you to an editor where you can make the change, like there is on Twitter or other services. There is, however, a workaround that can help make the process slightly less painless. You’ll have to create an all new username, and you’ll want to do that before getting rid of your old username. If that sound complicated, don’t worry — I’ll walk you through the process!
How to change your Snapchat username
- Launch the Snapchat app.
- Tap on the Snapchat logo at the top of the screen to access your profile.
- Tap on the Settings icon in the top right.
- Tap on Log Out, it’s all the way at the bottom.
- Once you’re logged out, tap on Sign Up.
- Fill out the information requested and tap Sign Up, just make sure you use a different email address than the one you use with your current Snapchat account. Don’t worry, you can change this later.
- Tap on Add Friends.
- Tap on Add from Address Book.
- Click on Continue at the bottom of the screen, it takes a few seconds to appear.
- Tap OK in the popup window to allow Snapchat to access your contacts.
- When your address book loads, anyone who has a Snapchat username under their name instead of a phone number is using Snapchat, so add whoever you’d like.
- Now log back into your old Snapchat account and tap on the Snapchat icon again at the top of the screen.
- This time tap on My Friends.
- Tap on any user and their Snapchat username will appear underneath their display name. You’ll need to write these down. You can skip ones you know you’ve already added to the new account due to them being in your address book.
- Log back in to your new Snapchat account.
- Tap on the Snapchat icon at the top.
- Tap on Add friends.
- Tap on Add by Username.
- Manually add the rest of your friends back.
Alternately you could also blast a message on your social networks letting people know you have a new Snapchat handle. As they add you, they’ll appear in the Added Me section of your profile.
Once you think you’re completely done with your old account, you can delete it. Just remember that once you delete it, you won’t be able to access anything in it again. So make sure you view any new snaps you’ve received as tou won’t have access to them later.
Once that’s done, you can change your email address in Settings if you want to revert back to your previous email address.
It isn’t the most elegant solution but until Snapchat decides to let people change their handle, it’s currently the only option.
Apple Watch supplies in stores could be limited to reservations at launch
If you want an Apple Watch at launch, it looks like you might need to pre-order or make a reservation.
The Apple Watch will reportedly be in limited supply in Apple Stores on launch day. Most of the inventory will apparently be reserved for customers that either pre-ordered a watch, or made an appointment to try one on, according to 9to5Mac:
As one source at a flagship Apple Store said, “we’re told to treat launch day as if there will be no walk-in stock.” That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be absolutely zero Apple Watch units to buy at launch if you don’t have a reservation, just that the specific Apple Watch variant a person wants will be far harder to come by at launch than some previous iPhone models.
Supply constraints during the launch of the Apple Watch would not be surprising. During iPhone launches, the stock in Apple Stores often runs low, with online orders also slipping by a matter of weeks within hours of the device’s launch.
The Apple Watch goes on sale April 24, with pre-orders beginning April 10. For those of you still on the fence about buying the watch, or if you’re trying to decide which watch to get, be sure to check out the iMore Apple Watch buyers guide.
Source: 9to5Mac
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Tim Cook Named ‘World’s Greatest Leader,’ Reflects on Leading Post-Jobs Era at Apple
Following the release of Becoming Steve Jobs, an acclaimed biography of the late Apple co-founder, Fortune has named Tim Cook the “world’s greatest leader,” accompanied by an in-depth profile that reflects on the chief executive in the post-Jobs era. The interesting article provides a closer look at Cook’s transition from a soft-spoken operations manager to a high-profile leader at Apple, and reveals how Cook has managed the pressure that comes with his new role.
Apple CEO Tim Cook (Image Credit: Joe Pugliese)
Cook brings a different leadership style to Apple, placing more trust in others instead of being as impulsive and manipulative as Jobs often was. The results have been favorable, as Apple has grown to become the world’s most valuable company during the three-and-a-half years since Cook took over the helm. Nevertheless, he admits that he has needed to grow thicker skin to handle the intensity that comes with the territory.
“I have thick skin,” he says, “but it got thicker. What I learned after Steve passed away, what I had known only at a theoretical level, an academic level maybe, was that he was an incredible heat shield for us, his executive team. None of us probably appreciated that enough because it’s not something we were fixated on. We were fixated on our products and running the business. But he really took any kind of spears that were thrown. He took the praise as well. But to be honest, the intensity was more than I would ever have expected.”
Despite his successes, Cook has faced a number of senior management challenges since taking over as chief executive, including the disappointment that was Apple Maps, fallout with sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies and the short-lived hiring of John Browett as Apple’s retail chief. Cook reflected on Browett, who never fit in with the company’s culture and was ousted after just six months on the job.
“That was a reminder to me of the critical importance of cultural fit, and that it takes some time to learn that,” he says. As CEO, “you’re engaged in so many things that each particular thing gets a little less attention. You need to be able to operate on shorter cycles, less data points, less knowledge, less facts. When you’re an engineer, you want to analyze things a lot. But if you believe that the most important data points are people, then you have to make conclusions in relatively short order. Because you want to push the people who are doing great. And you want to either develop the people who are not or, in a worst case, they need to be somewhere else.”
Following the departure of Browett, Cook recognized the need to be patient in his search for a retail chief that could truly fit in with Apple’s culture. Last May, the company found its candidate in former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who discretely met with Cook in Cupertino, outside of Apple’s headquarters, to discuss the future of retail. Ahrendts did not expect to join Apple, but she ultimately reconsidered after she felt moved by Cook.
“The first time I sat down with him, I walked away thinking wow, that’s a man of peace,” she says. “I just absolutely loved his integrity, his values. Nothing anybody can write, say, or do is going to take him off of always doing the right thing. Not just for Apple, but for Apple’s people, for communities, for countries. The world needs more leaders like Tim.”
Cook became the first Fortune 500 CEO to publicly come out as gay last year, which he hopes will make other people realize that they do not need to hide who they are. He further expressed that he made the decision of coming out “quite some time ago,” adding that, while the United States has made some progress on the issue, he “didn’t feel like business was exactly leading the way in the executive suite.”
“To be honest, if I would not have come to the conclusion that it would likely help other people, I would have never done it,” he says. “There’s no joy in me putting my life in view.” Referencing the often-cited line that “to whom much is given, much is required,” Cook says, “I’ve certainly been given a lot.”
The full-length profile has been published in the April 2015 issue of Fortune.
LG Watch Urbane LTE will cost almost twice as much as the G Watch R
Having LTE connectivity means the Watch Urbane LTE can replace a smartphone, but that convenience comes at a steep price.
LG announced the availability of the Watch Urbane LTE for Korea; the device will hit the stores from tomorrow for a whopping 650,000 won. That’s almost $590, and, even if Korean prices are typically higher that what you get in the US, there’s a good chance the Watch Urbane LTE will remain relatively pricey if it ever makes it to other markets.
For comparison, you can buy a G Flex 2 from Expansys Korea for 818,000 won ($740), while a G Watch R smartwatch costs just 352,000 won ($318).
Announced just ahead of MWC earlier this month, the Watch Urbane LTE is very different from its Android Wear-totting cousins, the G Watch R and Watch Urbane. The device runs a WebOS-derived operating system and is designed to work independently from any smartphone. Check out our hands-on with the device from MWC:
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LG suggested that the Urbane LTE is just an experiment for now, and the eye-watering price seems to confirm this. Even if the price tag doesn’t put you off, you may have a hard time getting hold of it – it’s possible that LG will only release the Watch Urbane LTE in its home market.
What do you think about the Urbane LTE?
ZTE unveils Z9 Mini and Z9 Max
While likely to be overshadowed by today’s Galaxy S6-related announcements, ZTE has now taken the wraps off the Nubia Z9 Mini and Z9 Max at a special press event in Beijing.
The Mini model is a budget oriented offering powered by a Snapdragon 615 with 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, microSD support, a 5-inch 1080p display, LTE, and a 2,900 mAh battery. The larger 5.5-inch Max offers more upscale internals, such a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB RAM. The display is still just 1080p, with other specs including 16GB storage, microSD, LTE, and a 2,900 mAh battery.
Both phones share a few things in common, including reasonably attractive metal-framed designs with all-glass rears. The designs aren’t identical, but they are certainly similar. The camera experience on both phones is also quite similar, with both offering an 8MP front cam and a 16MP rear cam. That said, the Mini caps out a 1080p recording for the 16MP shooter, while the Max supports 4K. Both phones also include Android 5.0.2 Lollipop right out of the box.
The phones are expected to be priced at $240 (CNY 1,499) for the Z9 Mini and $400 (CNY 2,499) for the Z9 Max. It’s unclear what markets, outside of Asia, we can expect to see the Z9 Mini and Max arrive in. What do you think of ZTE’s latest? Impressed or not?
Final Fantasy: Record Keeper arrives to Google Play
After a soft launch in select markets including Canada, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy: Record Keeper has now landed on the Play store! Unlike most Final Fantasy titles, we’re not talking about a $15+ purchase, instead this is a free to play experience built in partnership with Japan-based DeNA.
For those that haven’t heard of the game, the story basically merges together the entire Final Fantasy universe, bringing back popular characters including heroes such as Cloud, and plenty of well-known villains too. Square-Enix says you’ll be able to battle through some of your favorite moments FF history, and “put your own twist on the tales”, building your own dream team of party members and so on.
Characters can be customized extensively through special gear, weapons, spells and more. This includes special items that were seen in past games. As for the storyline? While it’s based on the past events and characters of FF, the story itself is all new. Keep in mind that right now only “records” for Final Fantasy IV, V, VI, VII and X are available, though you can expect more through future updates (and likely in-app purchases too).
FF: Record Keeper certainly looks like a fun game, but it all depends on just how much in-app purchases are necessary in order to make the experience worthwhile. Anyone try this game out yet, if so, what do you think so far?
OPPO VOOC Flash Charge takes on Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 has proven to be fast at bringing your empty phone battery back to life, as the company demonstrated yesterday by charging an empty Nexus 6 to 50 percent in just 40 minutes. However, not every manufacturer is using Qualcomm’s technology. OPPO has its own VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 technology and has just released information explaining how it works. But it is any better than Qualcomm’s tech?
OPPO was working on its VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 technology for three years and brought the first iteration to market in its Find 7 smartphone. Now, the company is giving us a closer look at how its charging tech works.
According to OPPO, its technology can charge the OPPO Find 7’s 3,000mAh battery from empty to 75 percent in just 30 minutes. I don’t need to tell you that that is fast, but OPPO also claims that its technology is quick enough to give you 2 hours of call time following just a 5 minute charge. Perfect if your phone is on its last legs while you’re out and about.
VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 vs Quick Charge 2.0
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology typically allows for a maximum power transfer of 15 watts between the charger and phone. This is split into a maximum of 3 amps at 5 volts, 1.67 amps at 9 volts, or 1.25 amps at 12 volts, depending on the configuration of the device, although some products will allow for even more power. The HTC Rapid Charger and Motorola Turbo Charger operate to these specifications.
For comparison, Quick Charge 1.0 allowed for 2 amps at 5 volts for 10 watts of power and most chargers these days come close to this specification. Older chargers operate at 5 volts and put out little more than 1 amp of current, if not less.
| Charging Technology | Typical Old Adaptor | Typical Modern Adaptor | Quick Charge 2.0 | VOOC Flash Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 5V | 5V | 5V / 9V / 12V | 5V |
| Current | 1A | 2A | 3A / 1.67A / 1.25A | 5A |
| Power | 5W | 10W | 15W | 25W |
Rather than scaling up the voltages for more power and a smaller transfer drop, OPPO’s VOOC Flash Charge aims to brute force more current over 5 volts. The standard peaks at 5 amps, allowing for a massive 25 watts of power to charge the battery with, in ideal operating conditions. That’s a 66 percent increase in power over Quick Charge 2.0 and explains why OPPO’s technology appears that much faster. However, long or poor quality charging cables will lower performance more noticeably than Qualcomm’s higher voltage technology.
As well as raw power, there are also some subtle differences between the ways each design detects compatible phones. Qualcomm’s charger design matches the maximum power output to the phone’s voltage, leaving the phone’s internal circuitry to draw the correct amount of current and dissipate the heat.
By comparison, OPPO has moved the current control circuit to the charger itself, resulting in less heat dissipation in the handset, which is good for component lifespans. The charger is able to detect whether or not the device is VOOC compatible, and will supply the correct current, either 5A or 1A, to the device to prevent damage. The trade-off here is a lack of flexibility with other products; you can’t optimally charge a 3 amp Quick Charge 2.0 phone with the VOOC adaptor for example, but a Quick Charge 2.0 adaptor is backwards compatible with handsets that don’t quite meet its maximum specifications.
As well as regular mains charging adaptors, OPPO has also worked its technology into its VOOC car charger, Power Bank, and a mini mains charger with a detachable USB cable.
With high performance smartphone and tablet specifications still putting a strain on our batteries, faster charging technology offers a way for power users to keep their devices topped up throughout the day. Hopefully we will see a lot of more Quick Charge 2.0 and OPPO’s VOOC Flash Charge in this year’s product line-ups.
Apple Hiring for Retail Store in São Paulo as Construction Nears Completion [Mac Blog]
Apple has posted several job listings in recent weeks to fill retail positions at an under-construction Apple Store in São Paulo, the most populous city in Brazil. The company is seeking to hire Creatives, Specialists, Geniuses, Managers and a number of other positions for the store, which appears to be nearing completion based on new photos published by Brazilian website Blog do iPhone.
Apple has placed its traditional large wooden tables throughout the store, while the lighting fixtures and interior panels have also been installed. This new location will be the second Apple Store in Brazil, alongside the Village Mall store in Rio de Janeiro that opened in February 2014. Apple now has over 450 retail stores in 16 countries, with aggressive plans to continue opening new stores in China and other emerging markets.
Report: Samsung to triple Galaxy S6 Edge production
The Galaxy S6 is looking to be a much needed early winner for Samsung this year. The need for additional Galaxy S6 production capacity was already been rumored earlier in the month, and this time sources are stating that the Galaxy S6 Edge in particular is seeing higher demand than expected from retail and carrier partners. Samsung is now expected to triple the originally planned production volume of the S6 Edge.
According to the Korean media, Samsung is looking for additional suppliers for the Galaxy S6 Edge’s touchscreen panel (TSP). Apparently, Alps Electronics, currently Samsung’s only supplier, does not have sufficient production capacity to keep up with demand. It is currently unclear which other suppliers Samsung may end up working with, but S-MAC has been rumored has one potential subcontractor.
The Galaxy S6 Edge’s curved display is more difficult and expensive to produce than the regular S6’s AMOLED display. Originally, it seems that Samsung may have planned a more limited supply of its Edge design for these reasons, just like with the Galaxy Note Edge, but there appears to be a strong appetite for Samsung’s more premium design. Analysts are anticipating strong demand and 20 million unit pre-orders have already been reported for Samsung’s latest flagship.
With US pre-orders scheduled to begin tomorrow and many regions already accepting early purchases, we will have to see if high demand leads to any Galaxy S6 Edge stock shortages following the global release on April 10th.
Report: Samsung to triple Galaxy S6 Edge production
The Galaxy S6 is looking to be a much needed early winner for Samsung this year. The need for additional Galaxy S6 production capacity was already been rumored earlier in the month, and this time sources are stating that the Galaxy S6 Edge in particular is seeing higher demand than expected from retail and carrier partners. Samsung is now expected to triple the originally planned production volume of the S6 Edge.
According to the Korean media, Samsung is looking for additional suppliers for the Galaxy S6 Edge’s touchscreen panel (TSP). Apparently, Alps Electronics, currently Samsung’s only supplier, does not have sufficient production capacity to keep up with demand. It is currently unclear which other suppliers Samsung may end up working with, but S-MAC has been rumored has one potential subcontractor.
The Galaxy S6 Edge’s curved display is more difficult and expensive to produce than the regular S6’s AMOLED display. Originally, it seems that Samsung may have planned a more limited supply of its Edge design for these reasons, just like with the Galaxy Note Edge, but there appears to be a strong appetite for Samsung’s more premium design. Analysts are anticipating strong demand and 20 million unit pre-orders have already been reported for Samsung’s latest flagship.
With US pre-orders scheduled to begin tomorrow and many regions already accepting early purchases, we will have to see if high demand leads to any Galaxy S6 Edge stock shortages following the global release on April 10th.
AIVAnet 