SpaceX’s manned Dragon capsule gets its first real test on May 6th
You won’t have to wait much longer to see what SpaceX’s manned Dragon capsule is like in action. SpaceX now expects to conduct its promised Crew Dragon launch pad abort test (the craft’s first major test) on May 6th, with things kicking off as early as 7AM Eastern. The point of the system i to make sure the crew and spacecraft have a way to escape if there’s a problem with the rocket, and according to SpaceX, is an option from launch all the way up to orbit. This might be as dramatic as some of the company’s other tests, but it will give you a sense of what would happen if the vehicle had to abandon its host rocket in a hurry. One thing’s for sure: with NASA streaming the whole thing live, it won’t take long to find out whether or not SpaceX’s orbital courier is on the right track.

Filed under: Transportation, Science
Via: Phys.org
Nikola Labs’ case uses stray radio waves to charge your iPhone
To hear Nikola Labs co-founder Dr. Rob Lee tell the tale, some 97 percent of the energy a smartphone expends to forge data and voice connections using radio frequencies is lost to the ether. Rather than let it all go to waste, this Ohio-based startup claims to have cooked up a way to harness that power and redirect it using a a humble-looking, $99 iPhone case. Unlike more involved solutions like the ultrasound power transmission system that uBeam has raised over $13 million to help build, there aren’t any transmitters you need to stand in range of. The end result? A case that silently, slowly captures your iPhone’s wasted power and uses it for recharging.
Hold on, we’re right there with you — this all sounds a little magical for our liking too. Let’s take a moment to reset some expectations. It’s not like slapping this case on your phone will bring it from bone dry to fully charged. The harvesting antenna and DC power-converting rectifier circuit that make up Nikola Labs’ secret sauce can only extend an iPhone’s battery life by about thirty percent… and it does so sloooooowly. On the plus side, it’s a passive process that’ll continue as long the case is connected to the phone, so you’d theoretically see slower battery depletion over time instead of a sudden burst of charging activity. The lack of an internal battery or capacitors to store some of the energy being recaptured by the rest of the case also means we’re looking at a total package that looks and feels significantly smaller than a normal, Mophie’d iPhone.

Dr. Lee’s reputation as the former chair of Ohio State’s Electrical and Computer Engineering gives this seemingly kooky outfit some much-needed credibility. The technology comes straight from the depths of Ohio State’s engineering department, for that matter, and Nikola Labs has an exclusive license from the university to turn it into an actual, money-making product. A demo version of the case splayed open and connected to a live voltmeter caused power fluctuations when placed near an old Linksys WiFi router here at TechCrunch Disrupt. We can’t say with absolute certainty that this isn’t all some terribly elaborate troll, but from what we’ve seen, the chances of this being some modern day, technological snake-oil are pretty low. In any case, we’ll find out for sure before long — the startup is gearing up for a Kickstarter launch next month and promised us a much closer look at the hardware that could make this improbably wonderful phone accessory a serious must-have.
Optimize your lockscreen with Cover (Monday Makeover)
T
here is a plethora of apps out there that allow you to customize just about every single thing on your android smartphone without even rooting. That is why we have started the weekly series “Monday Makeover.” Each week we will take one of these customization apps and talk about setting it up, discuss the features of it, and show you how you can make your android device truly one of a kind. Last week we talked about Dashclock Widget. This week we are taking a look at Cover.
What is Cover?
Cover is a lock screen replacement that attempts to learn which apps you use where. It has different settings for when you are at home, at work, in the car, and just out. After using Cover for a few days, it figures out which apps you use most often and displays them on the left of the homescreen for quick and easy access. There is also an app switcher included in Cover that is accessible while your phone is unlocked by swiping down from the top right. The apps available in the app switcher also change based on your location.
Why should I use Cover?
If you are tired of having a normal lock screen and want to change things up, Cover will give you a different look while also adding some functionality. Also, if you find yourself constantly opening the same apps, Cover can help you get to those apps even faster. Many people do not think about their lock screen, but it is something that they look at daily and Cover changes their lockscreen into something useable.
How do I use Cover?
One of the great things about Cover is that is basically sets itself up. After installing, it will give you a little walkthrough of how everything works, and it will ask you for the address of your home and work. You do not have to fill these out, but you will not get app recommendations when you arrive at the places. Other than that and signing in with an email, you are done and will be taken to your new lock screen. As you go through your daily routine, you will find that the apps on the left will change to reflect the apps you use the most. You can also swipe up on Cover to reveal more apps. Holding a certain app and swiping right will open that app immediately, allowing you to get into certain apps quickly. If you want, you can simply leave Cover like this and not mess with anything, but if you are feeling daring, you can follow us into the customization settings of Cover.
At the top right of your lock screen, there is a drop-down menu that lists your different locations (Home, Work, Car, Out), but there are two other options for Wallpapers and Settings. Wallpapers let you change what photos are displayed on your lockscreen. The wallpaper changes depending on where you are and the time of day, and you can have up to five different wallpapers. You can choose between wallpapers that come with Cover, or you can choose your own photo by selecting “Custom.”
“Settings” lets you dive further into Cover and change a few things around. Here, you will find where to enable or disable Cover as your lock screen. You can also edit you home and work addresses as well as some extra features. For Home and Work, you can associate a certain WiFi network with each location so that Cover can do a better job telling when you are at those places. For Car mode, you can change how it is detected plus your ringer preference. For all four modes, you can also change your ringer preference to settings like ringer on, vibrate, silent, etc. “Preferences” brings up a few more options that may be useful. You can choose what side the app switching tray is on or disable it altogether. You can also restrict certain apps from showing up on Cover. Music controls can be configured in this menu, but they require Android 4.4 KitKat. I have a Nexus 6 running 5.1 Lollipop, and do not have the option for music controls, so this may be a bug.
Where do I get Cover?
Cover is available for free in the Google Play Store. It is still in beta so there will be some bugs, but it is definitely an app to look into downloading.
Cover is a fantastic app that adds some great functionality to your lock screen. One drawback to Cover is that it disables any sort of lock you have on your device (pattern, PIN, password, etc.) which may be a drawback to some users. However, if you are looking to change up your lock screen and gain some features, you should put Cover at the top of your list. Are you going to use Cover or have used it in the past, tell us what you think about it in the comments. While you are down there, leave some suggestions for apps you would like to see featured on future Monday Makeovers. Have a great week!
The post Optimize your lockscreen with Cover (Monday Makeover) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
What’s on your HDTV: ‘Project Cars’, ‘Grace and Frankie’
The NBA and NHL playoffs have moved on to round two, and Formula E is racing in Monaco. Of course, if you prefer virtual racing, this week PC gamers will finally get to experience the release of Project Cars (consoles wait until next week). Netflix debuts its new series Grace and Frankie that reunites stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, as HBO premieres a new Kurt Cobain documentary tonight. On Blu-ray, the acclaimed movie Selma is joined by several old-but-goodies, with new editions of Mad Max, Duel, Ladyhawke, Goodfellas and The Terminator. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).
Blu-ray & Games
- Selma
- Mad Max (Collector’s Edition)
- Goodfellas
- The Terminator
- Ladyhawke
- Munich
- Duel
- Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
- Ether One (PS4)
- Project Cars (PC)
- High Strangeness (PC, Wii U)
Monday
- NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers/Bulls Game 1, TNT, 7PM
- NHL Playoffs: Rangers/Senators Game 3, NBC Sports Network, 7:30PM
- The Voice, NBC, 8PM
- 2 Broke Girls, CBS, 8PM
- The Originals, CW, 8PM
- Gotham (season finale), Fox, 8PM
- Dancing with the Stars, ABC, 8PM
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- Mike & Molly, CBS, 8:30PM
- Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, HBO, 9PM
- The Following, Fox, 9PM
- Jane the Virgin, CW, 9PM
- Bates Motel, A&E, 9PM
- David Letterman: A Life on Television, CBS, 9:30PM
- NBA Playoffs: Clippers/Rockets Game 1, TNT, 9:30PM
- Turn, AMC, 10PM
- The Night Shift, NBC, 10PM
- Castle, ABC, 10PM
- The Returned, A&E, 10PM
- StarTalk, National Geographic Channel, 11PM
Tuesday
- Community, Yahoo Screen, 3AM
- NBA Playoffs: Wizards/Hawks Game 2, TNT, 8PM
- NHL Playoffs: Blackhawks/Wild Game 2, 8PM
- The Flash, CW, 8PM
- The Voice, NBC, 8PM
- Dancing with the Stars, ABC, 8PM
- Deadliest Catch, Discovery, 9PM
- New Girl (season finale), Fox, 9PM
- Undateable (live), NBC, 9PM
- iZombie, CW, 9PM
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ABC, 9PM
- NCIS: New Orleans, CBS, 9PM
- NHL Playoffs: Ducks/Flames, USA, 9:30PM
- Weird Loners (season finale), Fox, 9:30PM
- Forever (season finale), ABC, 10PM
- Your Family or Mine, TBS, 10PM
- Chicago Fire, NBC, 10PM
- Tosh.0, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Person of Interest (season finale), CBS, 10PM
- NBA Playoffs: Grizzlies/Warriors, Game 2, TNT, 10:30PM
- Inside Amy Schumer, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
Wednesday
- NBA Playoffs: Bulls/Cavaliers, Game 2, TNT, 7PM
- NHL Playoffs: Canucks/Lightning, USA, 7PM
- Survivor, CBS, 8PM
- Arrow, CW, 8PM
- American Idol, Fox, 8PM
- The Middle, ABC, 8PM
- Young & Hungry, ABC Family, 8PM
- The Goldbergs, ABC, 8:30PM
- Chicago PD, NBC, 9PM
- Criminal Minds (season finale), CBS, 9PM
- Modern Family, ABC, 9PM
- Supernatural, CW, 9PM
- Jim Rome, Showtime, 9PM
- NBA Playoffs: Clippers/Rockets, TNT, 9:30PM
- Black-ish, ABC, 9:30PM
- CSI: Cyber, CBS, 10PM
- Nashville, ABC, 10PM
- Catfish, MTV, 10PM
- Law & Order: SVU, NBC, 10PM
- Ripper Street, BBC America, 10PM
- Freak Out, ABC Family, 10:30PM
- Big Time in Hollywood, FL, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
Thursday
- Bones, Fox, 8 & 9PM
- Grey’s Anatomy, ABC, 8PM
- The Big Bang Theory (season finale), CBS, 8PM
- The Vampire Diaries, CW, 8PM
- WWE Smackdown, Syfy, 8PM
- The Odd Couple, CBS, 8:30 & 9PM
- The Blacklist, NBC, 9PM
- Scandal, ABC, 9PM
- Reign, CW, 9PM
- NHL Playoffs: Blackhawks/Wild Game 4, NBC Sports Network, 9:30PM
- Elementary, CBS, 10PM
- The Comedians, FX, 10PM
- Dig (season finale), USA, 10PM
- American Crime, ABC, 10PM
- 8 Minutes, A&E, 10PM
- Olympus, Syfy, 10PM
- Louie, FX, 10:30PM
- Major Lazer, FXX, 12AM
- Axe Cop, FXX, 12:15AM
Friday
- Grace and Frankie S1, Netflix, 3AM
- Puss in Boots (5 more episodes), Netflix, 3AM
- NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers/Chicago, ESPN, 8PM
- Grimm, NBC, 8PM
- Cold Justice, TNT, 8PM
- Shark Tank, ABC, 8PM
- Whose Line is it Anyway?, CW, 8:30PM
- The Amazing Race, CBS, 8PM
- Beyond the Tank, ABC, 9PM
- Bitten, Syfy, 9PM
- The Messengers, CW, 9PM
- Hawaii Five-0 (season finale), CBS, 9PM
- Meet the Smiths, TBS, 9PM
- Lost Girl, Syfy, 10PM
- NBA Playoffs: Rockets/Clippers, ESPN, 10:30PM
- Vice, HBO, 11PM
- Comedy Bang! Bang!, IFC, 11PM
Saturday
- Stockholm, Pennsylvania, Lifetime, 8PM
- Outlander, Starz, 9PM
- Orphan Black, BBC America, 9PM
- The Universe, History, 9PM
- Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Showtime, 10:15PM
- Tatau, BBC America, 10PM
- Saturday Night Live: Reese Witherspoon/Florence + The Machine, NBC, 11:30PM
Sunday
- 60 Minutes, CBS, 7PM
- Once Upon a Time (season finale), ABC, 8PM
- The Simpsons, Fox, 8PM
- Royals/Tigers, ESPN, 8PM
- Brooklyn Nine-nine, Fox, 8:30PM
- Game of Thrones, HBO, 9PM
- Nurse Jackie, Showtime 9PM
- Family Guy, Fox, 9PM
- A.D. The Bible Continues, NBC, 9PM
- Mr. Selfridge, PBS, 9PM
- The Good Wife (season finale), CBS, 9PM
- Bob’s Burgers, Fox, 9:30PM
- Penny Dreadful, Showtime, 10PM
- Silicon Valley, HBO, 10PM
- Naked & Afraid, Discovery, 10PM
- American Odyssey, NBC, 10PM
- Mad Men, AMC, 10PM
- Lizzie Borden Chronicles, Lifetime, 10PM
- Revenge (season finale), ABC, 10PM
- Battle Creek, CBS, 10PM
- Wolf Hall (season finale), PBS, 10PM
- The Royals, E, 10PM
- Salem, WGN, 10PM
- Veep, HBO, 10:30PM
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO, 11PM
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Kraftwerk’s 3D concerts return to North America in September
Good news if you missed out on Kraftwerk’s 3D concerts the last time the band was in North America: you’re about to get a second chance. The electronic music pioneers have announced a slew of American and Canadian dates that will let you see their immersive visual landscapes first-hand. This stint kicks off in Edmonton on September 16th, and reaches the US with a September 19th gig in Portland; you’ll also get to see these 3D performances in cities like Austin, Boston and Miami. The tickets are likely to sell out quickly when they go on sale May 8th, so you’ll want to act quickly if you just have to witness a spectacle like “The Robots” in person.
[Image credit: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Via: Okayplayer
Source: Kraftwerk (Facebook 1), (2)
The super-secure ‘Case’ will fit bitcoins in your pocket this summer
There’s no such thing as being too crazy about security, especially when it comes to hoarding mountains and mountains of invisible, digital, volatile money. If that description hits just a little too close to home, you might just have a new friend in the $199 Case, a physical Bitcoin wallet the size of a credit card that secures your nebulous funds and lets you sign off on transactions with just a touch of a finger. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the name before — the team behind it, led by Melanie Shapiro –his has been plugging away on the thing for over a year a now, but it’s finally going to ship to Bitcoin magnates this summer.
It’s taken plenty of time to perfect the formula, but they figure that by setting up a trio of security keys that unlock the Case and scattering them to and fro, no one sketchy will be able to dip into your Bitcoin stash. Once it’s been set up, Case generates a key that lives right on the device, and captures a bit of personal data with a built-in fingerprint reader to ferry along to a secure server where another private key lives. If those fingerprints match up, voila: You can send or request Bitcoin in a jiffy. Another key lives solely in cold storage somewhere, and only comes into play in case you lose your Case. Throw in a teensy global SIM card for international use and you’ve got yourself a gadget that just might do the unthinkable: Making handling bitcoins a breeze.
Thing is, the Case still doesn’t seem perfect for everyone. Consider the company’s global ambitions — it wants Case to become the sort of device that becomes an everyday companion as bitcoin grows in clout and legitimacy, but a $200 price tag puts it out of reach of most developing markets. Still, it’s tough not to look at the Case with a little bit of hope. It’s tiny, it’s smart, it’s secure, and above all, it seems like the sort of thing a decently tech-savvy uncle could handle. Maybe, just maybe it’s the right device to make Bitcoin easy at the right time. We’ll find out in just a few months.
Via: TechCrunch
Comcast app lets Xfinity customers share live streams on TV
It’s no secret that people love live-streaming content to anyone who’s willing to watch, whatever it may be. So, with this in mind, Comcast is introducing an app that will let its X1 subscribers record and push video streams from their mobile device to a TV in real-time. But there’s more to it. The Xfinity Share application, available for iOS and Android, will also allow users to do the same with photos and videos from the camera roll. Better yet, you can share those (plus the livestreams) with other Comcast customers, so long as both the sender and receiver have a DVR-ready X1 set-top box and are subscribed to the Xfinity Triple Play package.
Down the road, Comcast says it plans to add more stuff to the new app, including the ability to share things via email links and stop, pause or rewind videos that are being streamed. For now, you can check out Xfinity Share in its current stage on the App Store and Google Play.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD
Source: Comcast
Humble Mobile Bundle 12 now available with Monument Valley, Joe Danger and more
The latest Humble Bundle has just been announced, once again bringing us a number of awesome titles for a small price tag. Split up into two pricing tiers this time around, Humble Mobile Bundle 12 features Monument Valley, one of the 70 best Android games on the market, Joe Danger, the recently-released daredevil side-scroller, and four other great titles.
If you’d like to pay whatever amount of money you’d like, you’ll get your hands on these three games:
- The Last Express
- Spaceteam (Premium)
- Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous
To get the next three games, you’ll need to beat the average price (currently $3.67):
- Monument Valley
- Blek
- Joe Danger
If purchased separately, these six titles would cost a total of $34, so this is quite the steal. As always, more games will be added within the next week and you can decide how your purchase is divided between the game developers, the Humble Bundle team, and two charities – Worldreader and Electronic Frontier Foundation. All games being offered are DRM-free, as well.
If you’re interested in checking out the bundle, head to the source link below.
Best gifts for Mother’s Day

You now have less than one week to get your mom (or your baby momma) something amazing for Mother’s Day, which happens to fall on Sunday, May 10th this year. But with so many new and interesting products becoming available every day, how do you decide on the perfect gift? To help you make that decision, we’ve rounded up some of the best tech gifts available on the market from smartphones to fitness trackers.
Low-cost smartphones
Moto E

Motorola took a lot of attention to detail with its followup to the original Moto E. Now with 4G LTE capabilities in tow, the Moto E (2015) boasts a 4.5-inch qHD display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 CPU (for the 4G variant), 8GB of on-board storage and a 5MP rear-facing camera. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and features all of Motorola’s great software enhancements we’ve grown to love.
The device is now available in many different regions around the world. It’s available for just $149.99 off-contract for the LTE version, with the 3G iteration an even cheaper $119.99. We do recommend spending the additional $30 on the LTE version though, as high-speed internet does do a lot in enhancing the overall usability and experience of this smartphone.
OnePlus One

While it’s no longer a “brand new” device, the OnePlus One’s low pricing (starting at $300) still makes it an absolute winner and recent software updates have eliminated many of the complaint points that some OnePlus One users had to deal with early on.
As for the hardware? The OPO is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 with 3GB RAM. There’s also storage options of both 16 or 64GB, a 13MP camera, a 3100 mAh battery and Cyanogenmod 12S (based on Android 5.0). The OnePlus One is a solid device, spec wise, and the addition of out-of-the-box Cyanogenmod makes it stand out. At the same time, the OPO is also a desirable device for those that prefer a stock-like Android experience.
While the device used to require an invite, that’s no longer the case!
More on the OnePlus One
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Huawei SnapTo

Huawei just launched its budget-friendly SnapTo handset a few weeks ago on Amazon, and you can already order the device for just $179.99. The cheap price point of the SnapTo puts it right up against Motorola’s Moto G (2nd Gen.), which offers up very similar specifications. Much like we saw on the Samsung Galaxy Note series, the SnapTo features a nice faux leather back to give it a more premium design.
It has a 5-inch 720p display, a quad-core processor, MicroSD expansion up to 32GB, and has a front and rear-facing camera. This is the perfect device for someone who wants a bigger screen than the Moto E’s, but doesn’t want to break the bank.
Fitness trackers
Fitbit Charge

The Fitbit brand is popular for a reason, and that’s because their products are extremely great quality. The Fitbit Charge is an accurate fitness tracker that gives you useful information like distance traveled, step counts, calories burned, stairs climbed, and much more. It’s made of a high quality rubber material that won’t wear down over time. It features a small OLED display that gives you notifications, phone calls, and basically anything else that you need to see on your phone. In terms of fitness trackers for under $200, this is likely your best bet.
UP24 Jawbone

The Jawbone UP 24 is a fitness tracker that’s controlled solely from the Jawbone app on your phone. It tracks steps, calories burned, hours slept, quality of sleep, and more. It can track your food, drink, and calorie information, and you can share your progress between other Jawbone users. It’s small, light, and comes in a selection of six different colors and three different sizes.
Garmin Vivofit

The Garmin Vivofit is sort of a hybrid between the first two offerings. It resembles a bracelet, but has a long screen that solely gives you tracking and workout information. It’s made of a rubber strap that’s waterproof and light, allowing for a comfortable fit. You also have the option to buy it without the heart rate monitor, dropping the price by $50… not a bad deal!
Portable battery packs
CTA Digital Compact Mirror 5000mAh External Battery Charger

If you’re going to carry around an external battery pack, why not add a little functionality to it? You can now, thanks to this 2-in-1 compact mirror and external battery pack. With its 5000mAh of battery capacity, the mirror/battery pack hybrid will keep your mom’s mobile device charged up while not taking up too much room in a purse or coat pocket.
Pearl Compact Mirror USB Rechargeable Battery Pack

Much like the first battery pack on this list, this external charger will also keep your mom’s devices charged up with the added convenience of a built-in mirror. This one has a slightly smaller battery than the first, though it does have two mirrors (normal & 3X magnified). It also comes with a matching Pearl carrying case with a separate compartment for cables.
Innogie eLite Series Unique 3200mAh Aluminum Battery Pack

If you’d like to buy a battery pack that’s cheaper than the ones we’ve attached above, try out the Innogie eLite 3200mAh battery pack. Made from aluminum, this compact external charger will fit perfectly in your mom’s purse or pocket. And starting at only $14.95, this might be a difficult accessory to pass up.
Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 Ultra Compact 10000mAh Battery Pack

Looking for a battery pack with a little more juice? Perhaps your mother needs the Anker Astro E3 10000mAh portable charger. Measuring only 5.4 x 2.6 x .6 inches, this pack will be able to charge your smartphone’s battery roughly three times on a single charge! Head to the link below to pick one up for just $28.99.
Around the house
Perfect Bake App-Controlled Smart Baking

The Perfect Bake App-Controlled Smart Baking Kit aims to make you a better cook using your mobile device and a few connected kitchen tools. Included in this kit is a Smart Scale which attaches to your mobile device, allowing you to measure out your ingredients the most accurate way possible. The kit also comes with three mixing bowls, a phone/tablet stand and an oven thermometer. The Perfect Bake app tells you how long to stir, how much of each ingredient to measure out, and it even provides an easy way to change serving sizes on the go. You can pick this kit up from Amazon for just $45.58.
August Smart Lock

The August Smart Lock offers up a secure way to provide keyless entry to your home. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, August will let you control who has access to your home and manage how long their access lasts. It’s also powered by four AA batteries, so there’s no risk of the smart lock going off line for any extended periods of time. You can pick up August from Amazon for just $249.95.
Dropcam Wireless Video Monitoring Security Camera

Want to know what’s going on at home when you’re not there? Perhaps the Dropcam will do the trick. This wireless video monitoring system pairs with your smartphone, and gives you an easy way to check up on your home without the need to be there. It also has a 130-degree view, all glass lens and a 2X sensor image area, so your video feed will be crystal clear. Available on Amazon for just $199.99.
Crock-Pot Smart Wifi-Enabled WeMo 6-Quart Slow Cooker

The Crock-Pot Smart WeMo Slow Cooker performs the same functions as any other slow cooker, only this one allows you to do it remotely. It’s connected to your mobile device, so you can change the cook time, temperature and more from anywhere. And it’s only $112.49 on Amazon!
Wireless bluetooth speakers
HMDX Jam Party Wireless Boombox

The HMDX Jam Party Wireless Boombox that connects wirelessly to any Bluetooth-enabled device, and features two stereo speakers for a superior bass performance. The stereo speaker also comes with line-in capability, which allows for connecting non-Bluetooth-enabled devices directly to the speaker. This wireless stereo speaker features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to 12 hours of wireless play, and includes an AC adapter for quick charging. The Jam Party Boombox features an integrated handle for easy transportation, and with it’s large rechargeable battery, is ideal for on-the-go use. The device is also available in multiple color options, including grey, blue, pink, and yellow.
Oontz XL Bluetooth Speaker

Bluetooth speakers are awesome if you’re throwing a party near the pool or grilling out in the yard. The OontZ XL Bluetooth Speaker may be just the device for you, as it can easily be heard from far away. This one has up to 10 hours of use on a single charge, and has the ability to charge your phone while you listen. It weighs under two pounds, and the curved design makes it easy to carry wherever you go.
Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker

Bose has always put out some great audio products, and the SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker is no exception. It gives out crystal clear highs, deep, prominent bass, and great-sounding mid-tones that you might not expect to hear from a wireless speaker. This speaker lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge and is fully compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled device you own. It’s compact, loud and clear… what more could you ask for?
Headphones
JVC HAS400B Carbon Nanotube On-Ear Headband Headphones

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a nice-sounding, inexpensive pair of headphones. If that’s what you’re looking for, we think the JVC Carbon Nanotube Headphones will do just the trick. These headphones are sleek and easy to carry due to the tri-fold design. They fold up more easily than other headphones this size, and only weigh 9.6oz, making them extra portable. The headphones are offered in black or white, but the black pair are being offered for 25% off right now, so you may want to stick with that color.
SONY MDR-XB50 Extra Bass Earbuds

If you need some extra bass in your headphones and don’t mind paying a bit more, these Sony in-ear headphones may be for you. These offer 110 dB/mW at 4-24,000 Hz, electric condenser/omni directional microphone, and has a multi-function button that has integration with the SmartKey app. The plug is gold-plated and makes the headphones much more premium looking. These are a great bang for your buck, and would please any audiophile.
Sennheiser Momentum On Ear Headphone

The Sennheiser Momentum On Ear Headphones offer premium sound quality and maximum comfort. The over-ear design helps isolate ambient noise to ensure you’re getting the best quality sound. The headband and earphone cushions are made from soft, breathable and durable Alcan Tara, giving you the most comfortable fit you can buy. The headphone cable also includes a three-button control system and microphone, so you don’t need to worry about taking them off to answer your phone.
Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Earbuds

Oftentimes when we see wireless headphones, they’re big and bulky, and usually ones that fit over your ear. The Plantronics BackBeat Wireless Earphones don’t fit that mold, as they’re Bluetooth-enabled wireless earbuds. If you need to charge these on the go, just slip them in the included carrying case and let them charge. The headphones are slated at about 4.5 hours of listening time, while the carrying case gives about 14.5 hours of listening time. That’s almost 20 hours of listening time out of wireless earbuds! These are sweat-proof, durable, and feature a “deep sleep” low power mode to save battery.
Misc
Space Monkey 1TB Online Storage Device

The Space Monkey Online Storage Device is very similar to storing your online files in the cloud, only with a few notable differences. Instead of sending your files to an online data center, you store all of your files on the Space Monkey device. All of your files will also be protected through the Space Monkey security network, so everything will be backed up the moment you add it to the device. After you get over the initial $180 price tag, you’ll be able to buy 1TB of storage for just $50 per year. Compared to other cloud storage services out there, this is quite the steal.
Polaroid Zip Instant Mobile Printer

Smartphones are great for taking and storing photos, but even after all of these years, nothing beats the feeling of holding a physical photo in your hands. That’s why Polaroid created the Zip Instant Mobile Printer. It can attach to your phone via an application, allowing you to print physical photos from anywhere. It comes with 10 sheets of premium ZINK photo paper so you can start printing when you get your hands on the device. Available now from Amazon for $129.99.
HTC compares its Uh-Oh Protection Plan to the competition

Alongside the new One M9 handset, HTC unveiled its Uh-Oh Protection Plan that truly benefits users, as long as those users live in the United States or Mexico. Folks are signed up for the free service automatically when they buy a One M9 or newly-purchased One M8. Within the first 12 months of owning the device, if at any time the user cracks the screen, drops the phone in water, or even switches carriers, HTC will replace the device for free, no questions asked. And if users don’t take advantage of the service, the company will pay $100 towards the next purchase of an HTC One handset.
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Sounds pretty great, right? HTC thinks so too. And to make consumers (and competitors) more aware of the benefits that Uh-Oh provides, President of HTC America Jason Mackenzie recently provided some insight on some of his competitors’ protection plan offerings:
Other OEMs view “protection” as another thing to sell consumers. In our opinion, that isn’t taking care of your customers. It is profiting from their misfortune. In addition to actually paying for their “Elite” protection plans, they also expect you to pay additional service fees to use the service – and, you don’t get anything back if you don’t use it. Some competitors are just offering coverage for some types of damage covered by HTC UH OH Protection but not others. HTC is making sure our customers are taken care of without additional costs because we believe that if you purchase a premium phone it should stay that way.
To help prove his point, Mackenzie released a big chart that compares HTC’s Uh-Oh Protection Plan to similar offerings from Samsung, Apple, LG and Motorola. Take a look at the chart below for more details.
Also, if you’d like to hear some real horror stories from One M9 owners, head here to read about folks that have already taken advantage of the plan.

What do you think? Does HTC’s Uh-Oh program offer up enough benefits for you to buy the One M9?










