Saygus delays upcoming V2 handset just one day before scheduled shipping date
Are you surprised to hear that the Saygus V2 was delayed yet again? Neither are we. The handset was expected to ship in March after pre-ordering opened in February; however, that was dropped and May 22 became the date to watch. Today, just one day before the V2 was scheduled to ship, Saygus emailed customers to inform them that the handset “will not be ready.” The V2 is apparently on the assembly line, but quality assurance and network testing has not been completed.
Will we ever get to see the self-proclaimed ‘superphone’ reach the hands of consumers worldwide? Some are doubting it and have reached out to Saygus in order to cancel their orders.
Hit the break to see the email that customers received.
Dear V-Squared Customer,
As you know, the Saygus team has created the world’s most advanced smartphone and we are ambitious in this venture. We know our customers around the world are excited to receive the V-squared, and we wanted to provide you with an update on the progress.
The phones are on the manufacturing line, but will not be ready to ship globally on May 22 as we had planned. We just concluded a review of the status of all critical factors in preparation for shipment. We still need to finalize some quality assurance and network testing so when we put the V-Squared in your hands (which will be soon), it will be the phone of your dreams.
Saygus is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality smartphone.
Thank you very much for your continued patience. We will update you with more information as soon as available.
Best regards,
The Saygus Team
Source: Saygus (Twitter)
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Blu Studio C goes official with a 3,000 mAh battery and $99 price tag
Blu Products has just unveiled a new budget handset known as the Studio C. Unlike most budget handsets that are launched in the U.S., devices from Blu deserve a specific mention as they come with excellent hardware and a very good price tag.
The Studio C is no exception to that fact as the smartphone features a 5 inch 720p display and a 3,000 mAh battery, all for a price tag of just $99. This is easily the best budget device to break cover in the U.S. of late.
The handset also comes with an 8-megapixel camera on the back, 2-megapixel front camera, a 1.3 GHz quad core MediaTek chipset, 8GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, dual SIM support and Android 5.0 Lollipop. The handset is 4G LTE compatible as well, so you can team up with a compatible 4G LTE network and use their services accordingly.
The smartphone can be purchased in Sandstone Black, Ceramic White, Salmon Pink, Mint Green and Sun Orange, so there are plenty of options on offer. You can get the smartphone from Amazon right away.
Catch the full press release from Blu Products after the break:
MIAMI, May 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — BLU Products, the market leader in unlocked devices in the United States, introduced today a new addition of the ever growing Studio Series, the BLU Studio C is pushing limitations to bring the best quality and design, exceptionally priced, to no-contract unlocked smartphone consumers in the USA. The Studio C will be compatible with any GSM Network in the United States allowing consumers to choose their service plans from companies such as T-Mobile, AT&T, Metro PCS, Cricket Wireless, Tracfone, Go Smart, Simple Mobile, Net 10, Straight Talk, Ultra Mobile, Telcel America, H20 Wireless, Red Pocket, and Walmart Family Mobile, among others. The unlocked Studio C is priced at an incredible $99, available today on Amazon.com.
“The Studio C is another example that we strive to change the mobile industry by making great looking smartphones that can do amazing things, priced for everyone,” said Samuel Ohev-Zion, CEO of BLU Products.
The Studio C comes with a promise that smartphones don’t always have to come with high prices and the belief that people shouldn’t have to compromise on quality, design or experience. With a bright and large screen, great cameras, and fast processing, available in 6 trendy and gorgeous colors, the Studio C gives you freedom of choice – exceptionally priced. The Studio C is BLU’s first device running the latest Android v5.0 Lollipop out of the box. Users will be able to enjoy countless hours of streaming music and videos with its super 3000 mAh battery. The Studio C comes with 1.3GHz Quad-Core processor powered by Mediatek, the perfect business or personal tool with Dual Sim capabilities, ideal for all those international travelers. Capture remarkable photos and videos with an advanced performance 8.0 Mega Pixel autofocus rear camera, including LED Flash, and Full HD 1080p recording, in addition to a 2.0 mega pixel front facing camera, 1GB RAM, and 64GB expandable microSD slot.
Available now on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/BLU-5-0-Inch-Android-Smartphone-Lollipop/dp/B00XHGI22C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431548209&sr=8-1&keywords=B00XHGI22CAbout BLU Products
BLU Products, founded in 2009, designs and manufacturers affordable, attractive and innovative mobile devices to suit a wide variety of consumer needs. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, BLU is pioneering the advancement of the prepaid and no-contract revolution by providing a vast portfolio of advanced, unlocked mobile phones to thousands of dealer agents, MVNO’s, and large retailers throughout the United States and Latin America.
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Amazon Game Studios launches new action adventure, Til Morning’s Light
Amazon Game Studios today announced a new action adventure title for Fire phones, Fire tablets, iPhone and iPads, Til’ Morning’s Light.
Unfortunately, the game isn’t available on Android. However, for those of you that own Fire or iOS devices, this game seems to offer a lot of enjoyment. Co-developed with WayForward, Til Morning’s Light, set in a haunted mansion, pairs rhythm-based combat, puzzle solving, and a beautiful narrative together to bring you a fascinating, action adventure experience.
You play as Erica Page, a teenager trying to get out of a mansion haunted by a 200 year-old curse. Explore, solve puzzles, and fight off monsters with rhythm-based combat to break yourself free of the confines of the mansion.
If you really want to get into the story of this game, Amazon is offering a free audible–The Private Blog of Erica Page.
Click here to view the embedded video.
The only downside is that the game is going to set you back $6.99. Anyone picking up Til Morning’s Light?
Amazon App Store Download Link
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Shazam update adds Android Wear support, bringing lyrics to your wrist
Shazam still remains one of the most popular music recognition apps out there, and today it is getting even better as it moves off your phone and over to your wrist.
Adding support for Android Wear, Shazam now lets you quickly see what’s playing with just two taps on your AW screen. The Android Wear app also lets users see what’s playing on My Shazam as new songs are added to your My Shazam Tracks playlists. The biggest feature here though is the lyrics support. Android Wear users can now watch lyrics from the songs they are listening to as the words appear in real-time. That’s certainly a handy way to check out the lyrics and follow along.
Android Wear support might not be a massive change to Shazam, but it’s still a welcome one. To get the new Android Wear support you’ll first need to the latest version of the Shazam app, which you get can through Google Play. For more details on how Android Wear support works on Shazam, be sure to check out their official FAQ page.
HTC One M9 droptest gets a bit crazy, host brings in a flamethrower
A typical drop test generally involves tossing the phone a few different ways, while checking out the level of damage seen in between each drop. For the website Digiato, however, drop test apparently means dropping it a few times and then lighting it on fire.
The extreme drop test starts out normally enough, but after three drops are complete, the video’s host takes 700-degree fire to the One M9’s metallic body via a flamethrower. It’s pretty much a given that the phone didn’t survive the fiery hell unleashed upon it, but it actually lasted for an impressive amount of time before the display went black.
Obviously drop tests of any nature don’t really prove anything and are more about chance than actual device durability, but when you add an extra torture method to it like a flamethrower it can be admittedly kind of fun (or painful) to watch.
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What did you think, were you impressed by how well the One M9 fared before finally dying, considering the extreme torture it underwent?
Google Maps updated to help you avoid delays
With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many of us are looking toward an extending weekend with some sort of travel involved. Living in San Diego, I see plenty of traffic on weekends as this city is a hot spot for tourists. What do I hate most about driving? Traffic.
Google’s latest update to their Maps app, brings new traffic alerts to help you avoid traffic jams. When you input a destination, Google Maps will give an explanation of upcoming traffic conditions which will help you select the fastest route saving you time and minimizing your head aches. Once on the road, Maps will give you a notification if there is traffic ahead, and it will tell you how long the delay will be, while giving you an alternative to avoid said traffic. This is one of those updates that seems insignificant, but once you start using it I am sure you won’t be able to go back to standard maps.
If you are traveling this weekend, please drive safe and have a happy Memorial Day.
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Apple to Remodel Flagship Regent Street Store in United Kingdom
Apple is planning to remodel its flagship Regent Street retail store in United Kingdom per a recent application filed with the City of Westminster in England. The company has contracted award-winning architecture firm Foster and Partners to design the layout of the new store and commissioned Donald Insall Associates to conduct a historic building report that justifies the renovations in the iconic shopping area.
A view of the current Apple Store facade facing Regent Street (Foster and Partners)
The proposed renovation will consist of the partial removal of the existing mezzanine floor at the front of the store, the relocation of three columns to create a more spacious feel, the removal of the existing main glass stairs leading up to the mezzanine level and replacement with two new side staircases, and re-configuration of the back of house at the basement level with improved staff facilities.
“The proposal looks to enhance the ground floor sales area by removing the front part of the mezzanine and creating a double height entrance,” reads Foster and Partners’ project rationale. “This partial removal of the mezzanine also enhances the transparency from the street and floods the store with natural light. The interior front facade, with its full height arches, clad in natural Portland stone, can now be appreciated in its full extend. Moreover the visual connection between the two levels of retail is dramatically improved. This is key to the customer journey and the efficient use of the overall retail area.”
Foster and Partners will also be removing the four Apple logos found on the store’s facade in order to allow more natural light inside and preserve the historic look of the building. The store’s overall square footage will be reduced by 4,400 square feet, or around 25% of the current size, and the interior will consist of terrazzo floor, GFRC cladding on the walls and oak timber for all fittings and fixtures.
Floor plan for remodeled Regent Street store interior (Foster and Partners)
Apple plans to open a temporary store at 235 Regent Street to continue to serve customers during the remodeling process. The temporary location will be located at the basement level of the same building as the permanent store for a maximum of three years, accessible by a carefully designed lobby at ground level with a minimal steel staircase and a fully accessible lift.
Apple’s flagship Regent Street retail store opened in November 2004 and attracts over 4 million visitors per year. The iconic store was last expanded and remodeled in mid-2006 to become the largest Apple Store location at the time. Apple has contracted Foster and Partners for several other projects in recent months, including the design of Campus 2 and remodeling of Apple’s flagship San Francisco store.
Apple Working on Split-Screen Multitasking, Multi-User Support for iPad
We’ve had previous rumors suggesting Apple is working on split-screen multitasking capabilities for the iPad, and hints of the feature are buried within iOS 8, but thus far multitasking has not made its way into the hands of customers. In a post covering information on future iPad upgrades, 9to5Mac confirms split-screen multitasking is still in the works and on schedule to be released as part of iOS 9.
Split-screen multitasking will display two apps side-by-side on the iPad’s screen or two views of the same app, allowing users to see multiple documents in Pages at the same time, for example. As was first discovered in code buried within iOS 8, apps will be able to be arranged in multiple views, covering 1/2, 1/3, and 2/3 of the screen in the latest iteration.
Concept for split-screen multitasking (not based on specific rumors)
9to5Mac warns that though the split-screen multitasking feature is slated for inclusion in iOS 9, it could be removed before the update’s debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference if it is not ready in time as it was originally developed for the upcoming “iPad Pro.” 9to5Mac previously said the multi-tasking feature would be included in iOS 8.
Apple is also said to be working on a highly anticipated feature that customers have requested for years — multi-user login support. This will allow multiple users to have unique profiles on a single iPad, with individual access to apps and documents. Multi-user support will not be ready when iOS 9 launches in the fall, but it could be released later in 2015 alongside the iPad Pro or in 2016.
Both split-screen multitasking and multi-user login support are features that will be added to Apple’s rumored larger-screened 12-inch iPad Pro, which may also include features like a USB-C port, a stylus, and a pressure-sensitive Force Touch display. The tablet, internally numbered “J98″ and “J99″ to represent Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models, will launch in late 2015, according to the latest rumors. Apple is said to be working to finish software and source hardware components for the device.
Sources have confirmed that Apple is testing jumbo-sized iPads internally codenamed “J98″ and “J99,” which are apparently larger versions of the Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad Air 2, save for additional speaker holes.
Given the large size of the iPad Pro’s display, some apps may be redesigned to accommodate the larger screen real estate available on the 12-inch tablet, with Apple rumored to be working on new designs for Siri and Notification Center. Features tailored to the iPad Pro could work in the same way as features tailored to the iPhone 6 Plus, which has a unique layout in landscape mode to account for a larger display size.
Lenovo posts quarterly earnings, becomes world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer
It’s been a promising year for Lenovo, completing a full quarter of business with Motorola under its wing. The Chinese manufacturer shipped a record 18.7 million smartphones in its most recent Q4 2014 report, making the company the third largest smartphone vendor in the world.
Lenovo brought in a revenue of $2.8 billion, which not only includes smartphones, but Android TVs and tablets as well. Motorola had a big part to play in this quarter’s smartphone figure, shipping over 7.8 million devices. For the full year, Lenovo said it shipped 76 million smartphones, the best the company has seen yet. China made up the majority of the shipments, at 44.9 million units.
In addition to smartphones, Lenovo said they shipped 12 million tablets, with a market share of 5.1 percent.
The Chinese company beat a lot of expectations, boasting a record setting revenue of $46.3 million, an increase in profit by 20% from the same period last year. They boasted a gross profit of $6.7 billion and an operating profit of $1.1 billion.
In other words, Lenovo is becoming an increasingly stronger player in the smartphone market, not only in sales, but in the products they offer as well. It wouldn’t be a far-fetched idea for their smartphone shipments to drastically increase if the Chinese manufacturer lived by the same update standards as Motorola does.
source: Lenovo
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New YouTube improvements bring with it 60fps live streaming in HTML5
YouTube launched 60fps (frames-per-second) video playback just a few months ago (in 4K nonetheless), and today they’re launching 60fps live streaming for HTML5-compatible browsers.
When you start a live stream at 60fps, YouTube will transcode (read: convert a media file from one format to another) it into 720p60 and 1080p60, offering viewers buttery smooth playback in fast-action content, such as Call of Duty or Battlefield 4 streams.
However, some smartphones don’t support 60fps. No worries–YouTube will make the stream 30fps for those who aren’t able to view high frame rates. While not all devices will get 60fps playback, YouTube is working to support more devices in the coming weeks.
So, what does this all mean for content curators? You’ll be able to provide better quality content to your viewers, especially when in terms of gaming streams where there are a bunch of fast-action movements going on. Quality improvements will probably be more noticeable in more competitive gameplay on titles like Call of Duty and Battlefield 4.
These are the latest improvements to YouTube, making their service a more seamless and quality experience.
source: YouTube
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AIVAnet 