Motorola is rewarding dedicated fans with invites to its Moto Makers fan club
Many of us have a soft spot for a certain company, following it through both thick and thin. Sometimes the company you are loyal to recognizes your dedication and does something to reward you for your efforts. This is what Motorola aims to do with its newly minted Moto Maker program: to reward its die-hard fans loyalty.
Dedicated Motorola fans invited to take part in the Moto Maker program will be able to join behind-the-scenes Google Hangouts as well as test drive new products before release. Another perk will be getting invited to attend Motorola’s product launches and press events.
If eligible, you’ll receive an email (image above) asking you to take part. As yet there are no official instructions on how to become a member of the Moto Maker program as it has not been officially unveiled. You don’t need to be the proverbial rocket scientist though to figure out that spreading the word about Motorola’s products would aid your cause exponentially. Motorola has set up Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter pages as well as a website (although it’s allegedly for sale at the moment) to promote the Moto Maker program, although not much is happening at present. I’m sure we won’t have long to wait until Motorola make it all official.
Source: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: Motorola is rewarding dedicated fans with invites to its Moto Makers fan club
LG screen software left Windows PCs open to malware
Taking a shortcut to make your software work properly is a bit like walking across a frozen lake: it saves plenty of time until the ice starts to crack. LG’s currently suffering from a similar sort of oh shit moment as it learns that one of its display utilities may have exposed countless PCs to malware. In a piece for Developers Couch, Christopher Bachner has alleged that the Screen Split utility that ships with LG’s ultra wide monitors breaks your computer’s most basic security provisions.
The problem surrounds the Windows utility UAC, which is short for User Account Control. The feature is designed to defend your PC against hackers and malware by asking you for permission when your software makes a change. That way, only programs that you’re actually installing can be added to the system.
Bachner alleges that, instead of programming Split Screen to work with UAC, the company disables the feature so that it can function without restriction. The move also gives administrator privileges to any user, a nightmare for network admins or concerned parents. We’ve contacted LG to ask if they agree with Bachner’s findings and what, if anything, it’s going to do about it. In the meantime, you’re probably better off uninstalling the utility and re-enabling UAC from the control panel.
Update: An LG spokesperson reached out to let us know that the company is “aware of the problem that Mr. Bachner wrote about and will look into this immediately.” The full statement follows:
“We are aware of the problem that Mr. Bachner wrote about and will look into this immediately. We appreciate Mr. Bachner bringing this to our attention and expect to have a response shortly. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Filed under: Displays, Software, LG
Via: The Register
Source: Developers Couch
Amazon files lawsuit against fake review providers
Amazon has had enough of fake reviews that skew its products’ ratings, so it’s reportedly taking the issue to court. According to GeekWire, the e-commerce giant has filed a lawsuit against a man known as Jay Gentile from California, who was identified as the operator of several websites that peddle product reviews, including bayreviews.net, buyreviewsnow.com, buyazonreviews.com and buyamazonreviews.com. The Seattle TImes, however, notes that while the last two are included in the lawsuit, they are owned by different people, and that buyamazonreviews.com belongs to someone named Mark Collins.
The lawsuit accuses Gentile of offering fake verified reviews for a price and of telling potential customers that they can just ship empty boxes to his writers for the website to recognize the purchase. These sham endorsements are typically posted by established accounts, which you’d think twice of associating with sketchy practices. It accuses Collins’ website of running the same scheme, as well, though he denied the charge to Seattle Times. He told the publication that he just acts as a middleman between shop owners and customers willing to write reviews.
If you visit Collins’ website, however, you’ll find that it clearly states that “A purchase of [the seller’s] product is not required for [buyamazonreviews.com] to post a review.” It also notes that each piece will be written by someone “who specializes in writing testimonials for products and services.” While Amazon hasn’t issued an official statement yet, the sources say it has charged all the aforementioned providers with copyright infringement (for using its logo), deceptive acts and violation of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and the Washington Consumer Protection Act, among others.
This might be the first time the company has filed a case against fake review providers, but the practice has been going on for a long, long time. If you recall, Belkin had to issue an apology in 2009 after it was discovered that one of its employees solicited fake positive testimonials. A tablet-maker’s Managing Director was also forced to resign in 2011, after he was caught posting five-star reviews under fake names.
Source: Geekwire
Apple Watch Can Use Known Wi-Fi Networks for Limited Functions Even When iPhone Is Off
A collection of major tech blogs yesterday published their in-depth reviews for the Apple Watch, one of which was Yahoo! Tech‘s David Pogue, whose opinion fell in line with most other sites, describing the Apple Watch as “light-years better” than any other smartwatch, but “you don’t need one.”
When discussing the Watch’s tethering to an iPhone, Pogue reveals a few pieces of information about the Watch that Apple has yet to comment on in any promotional material for the wrist-worn device, mostly regarding some cellular-related functionality sans iPhone.
And here’s a surprising feature that Apple hasn’t said anything about previously: When the watch is in a known Wi-Fi hotspot, the watch can perform the most essential online functions even when your phone is completely dead, turned off, or absent. It can query Siri, for example, send and receive texts, and send/receive drawings and tap patterns to other watch owners. That’s impressive.
According to Pogue’s week-long experience with the Apple Watch, even with the iPhone dead or turned off, his Watch could still perform these basic iPhone-reliant functions like sending and receiving texts and drawings. He never mentions actual phone calls, which are undoubtedly still reliant on full use of an iPhone.
Pogue also mentions the Watch’s ability to communicate with an iPhone over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, meaning the two devices can communicate indefinitely as long as they stay under the same Wi-Fi connection even when they’re out of Bluetooth range, a previously known but still notable aspect of the Watch.
The Wall Street Journal‘s Apple Watch review makes a passing reference to Pogue’s claim, though providing fewer details than Yahoo! Tech‘s piece. “The watch does work (a little) away from the phone,” The Wall Street Journal‘s Geoffrey A. Fowler said. “When you’re around a known Wi-Fi network, the watch can tap directly into it.”
Stay up to date on the latest Apple Watch news, from estimated shipping and delivery dates to the newest reviews, before Apple’s first wearable device goes up for pre-order tonight at 12:01 AM Pacific Time.
Sony’s Z Ultra GPe has begun receiving Android 5.1 update via OTA
If you own a Sony Z Ultra Google play Edition smartphone, you are in line to receive a second helping of the Android 5.1 Lollipop goodness in the form of an Over-The-Air (OTA) update.
The Android 5.1 OTA comes in at around 212MB and is build LMY47D, bringing enhanced security and HD voice support as well as other goodies. If you haven’t received the OTA just yet, and there’s no update available for your device when you go to Settings/About Device/Software update then it’s quite likely that it’s a staggered roll-out and it’s just a matter of waiting for it to arrive. You can also download the OTA (here) and flash manually but only if you know what you are doing so you don’t brick your handset.
Source: AndroidPolice
Come comment on this article: Sony’s Z Ultra GPe has begun receiving Android 5.1 update via OTA
New render of Sony Xperia Z4 leaked
The Xperia Z4 continues to leak like a sieve. Today we have a press render, which really doesn’t reveal all that much more than what we have seen from previous leaks. However, if you’re a Sony Xperia fan, this just might get your blood pumping.
I am still wondering when Sony will announce this phone. There are no major events until IFA, which is in September. Sony traditionally likes to announce their mobile devices at these types of events. Could they host a special event on their own for the Z4?
source: @OnLeaks
Come comment on this article: New render of Sony Xperia Z4 leaked
Deal: Stay safe for 4 years with the ibVPN Total Plan (84% off)
Having access to a VPN service is extremely important in today’s age. If you’ve ever used public Wifi, gotten your bandwidth throttled or needed to work remotely, a VPN service might be for you. The ibVPN Total Plan, which is currently 84% off in the AA Deals Store, will give you online privacy, unrestricted web browsing, faster streaming and more.
Compatible with your smartphone and tablet, ibVPN will safeguard your internet privacy, bypass geo-restrictions, and keep your connection speed fast no matter what you’re streaming. Not only that, you’ll be able to choose between more than 75 VPN servers in 39 countries, take advantage of the 256-bit encrypted P2P file sharing and torrent download, and access blocked social media websites from anywhere. It’s also compatible with your Mac, Windows, Android or iOS devices.
Right now the ibVPN Total Plan, which gets you a 4-year subscription to the service, is just $59 in the Android Authority Deals Store. It’s tough to find a good deal on a VPN subscription nowadays, so you might want to check this one out! If you’re interested, head to the link below.
Mophie Announces New Spacestation, Space Pack for iPhone 6, 6 Plus and iPad mini [iOS Blog]
Mophie announced on Thursday that it has released an updated version of its Mophie Space app on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, alongside new Space Pack battery and storage cases for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad mini and a new universal Spacestation battery and storage pack for iOS, Android, Mac and PC. The new products are available through the Mophie website today, with prices ranging from $149.95 to $199.95.
“With this new introduction of Space, it’s a transformative moment for mophie, as we’ve created a solution millions of people could use and benefit from, but without the barrier of a high price point – the app is free,” said Daniel Huang, mophie CEO and Co-Founder. “Space represents another opportunity for us. Just as we created and established a real solution for mobile power with the juice pack, the next phase of Space establishes a complete, user-friendly solution for mobile storage and file management.”
Mophie’s Space Pack for iPhone 6 ($149.95) features a 3300mAh internal battery that provides up to 100% additional battery life, while Space Pack for iPhone 6 Plus ($149.95) includes a 2,600 mAh internal battery that provides up to 50% extra battery life. The popular lineup of battery cases also provide up to 128GB of extra storage for storing up to 64,000 additional photos, 56 additional hours of video and 36,000 additional songs.
The universal Spacestation ($149.95) is equipped with a 6000mAh internal battery and 2.4A of high-current power that provides up to 100% extra battery life for iPad mini and 200% to 300% extra battery life for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Like the Space Pack, the Spacestation also includes up to 128GB of extra storage for storing up to 64,000 additional photos, 56 additional hours of video and 36,000 additional songs.
How to pre-order the Apple Watch
Apple Watch pre-orders start 12:01AM PT/3:01AM ET/8:01AM GMT!
It’s almost time once more for thousands of eager Apple product buyers to smash Apple’s web servers into oblivion. Yes, the Apple Watch is coming, and coming soon — preorders begin Friday morning for the West, East, and European coasts.
If you haven’t yet planned your pre-order strategy, let us help you with these tips on getting your pre-order in and set without too much fuss.
Pick your style
If you’re preordering at the crack of dawn, chances are you have an inkling of what you want to pick up already. If you don’t, both Apple.com and the Apple Store app have detailed and thorough explanations and (in some cases) short movies of each of the Watch styles and band options you can pick up. The Apple Store app even offers a visual size representation for your wrist to help make your decision between 38 and 42 millimeters.
Before you go into pre-order, make sure you’ve got picks for the following:
- Sport, Watch, or Edition?
- Silver/Aluminum, Black, Yellow Gold, or Rose Gold?
- 38mm or 42mm?
- Default band?
I’d also suggest having secondary picks for bands, in case your initial combination isn’t available.
The Apple Store app also lets you favorite specific watch combinations so that they’re ready for pre-order: Just select the watch/band combination you like, then tap the heart icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
Need more help deciding which Apple Watch to get? We’ve got a complete guide that walks you through every possible permutation.
Know your options
When pre-orders open at 12:01AM PT/3:01AM ET/8:01AM GMT, you’ll have two different immediate options for getting your order in online: the Apple.com online store, and the Apple Store app.
In general, I recommend the app over the store; as fewer people seem to know of its existence as a pre-order method, it processes orders faster and experiences fewer hang-ups than the Apple.com online store.
If you’re still unsure of your band/watch combination, you can visit an Apple Store: The physical stores aren’t opening early, but you’ll be able to visit one near you during their regular operating hours to try on an Apple Watch and make a more concrete decision there. You’ll still have to place a pre-order via the app or Apple.com, however, as all initial Watch sales are being done online.
You’ll be able to make same-day reservations for Apple Store appointments, so make sure you visit Apple.com/retail to make your appointment on Friday.
Plan your escape
Once you’ve placed your pre-order, it’s time to wait: Apple Watch will be available in just over two weeks, on April 24. That gives you plenty of time to get ready for Apple Watch’s entry into your life; you can read some Apple Watch reviews, brush up on what the Apple Watch can do, get updated on the latest Apple Watch news and, most importantly, chat with us about what kind of Apple Watch you’re getting!
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LinkedIn’s latest acquisition will train you for your dream job
LinkedIn has always been helpful if you’re seeking a job, but now it can train you for one too, thanks to a $1.5 billion deal to acquire Lynda.com. That site offers nearly 3,500 courses by subscription on subjects ranging from web design to leadership body language, all taught by industry experts. Citing the obvious synergy between the companies, LinkedIn said that the deal would help job-seekers “know what skills are need for available jobs in a desired city… and then be prompted to take the relevant and accredited courses to acquire this skill.”
It’s not clear yet how the acquisition will directly affect LinkedIn users. The company has attracted criticism in the past for being annoying and lacking in privacy features, though it recently instituted blocking to help users avoid stalkers. However, LinkedIn did say that it has a grand plan help members spot and train for jobs through a new program it calls “the economic graph.” It added that the $1.5 billion deal is “our largest to date.”
[Image credit: Associated Press/Mark Lennihan]
Filed under: Internet
Source: LinkedIn
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