Apple’s Annual Back to School Promotion Still Nowhere to Be Found
For many years running, Apple has offered a Back to School promotion for students and educators, providing discounts on Apple products ahead of the coming school year. Back to School promotions have kicked off on the first Tuesday of July for the last two years, so when July 6 came and went without a Back to School announcement, many people began wondering when Apple would launch the 2015 promotion.
We’ve been receiving questions about the Back to School program for several weeks now, and in mid-July, there’s still no sign of an imminent launch. Some have wondered whether Apple is canceling the program all together, but it’s too early to say. It may be late in the month, but there are still several weeks to go before kids and teachers begin returning to classrooms.
Apple’s 2014 Back to School Promotion
Historically, the latest Apple has launched a previous Back to School program was July 2, and that was in 2013. From 2006 to 2012, Back to School kicked off in May or early June, while it launched in July in 2013 and 2014. It’s entirely possible that Apple has simply decided to launch the promotion a bit later in the year, once again adjusting the dates as it did in 2013.
MacRumors has spoken to several retail employees who often hear word on Back to School a few days ahead of its debut, but so far, no one we’ve contacted has heard anything from Apple. The last Back to School promotion Apple introduced was for Australian customers in January of 2015.
Apple’s Back to School promotion is highly anticipated because it’s one of the few times a year that Apple offers deals to customers, and many hold off on summer purchases until the event begins. Last year, Apple’s Back to School offer included a $50 to $100 Apple Store Gift Card with the purchase of a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, while years past included a $50 to $100 App Store Gift Card.
In the early days of the Back to School promotion, deals were offered in the form of rebates that provided a free iPod with the purchase of a Mac, but Apple has offered gift cards instead of iPods since 2011.
New A8 iPod Touch Clocks in at 1.10GHz, Includes 1GB RAM and Bluetooth 4.1
The new iPod touch with an A8 processor and upgraded 8-megapixel rear camera just launched this morning, but TechCrunch‘s Matthew Panzarino already has one in hand and has run some benchmarks on the device.
According to early testing, the A8 processor in the new iPod touch appears to be running at 1.10GHz per core, which is slower than the 1.39GHz per core the iPhone 6 runs at, presumably to manage battery life. In Geekbench 3, the iPod touch scored 1379 on the single-core test and 2440 on the multi-core test right out of the box. The previous-generation A5 iPod touch scored 215/410 on Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests, so the new sixth-generation iPod is six times faster and a massive improvement over the fifth-generation iPod.
Labeled as iPod7,1 instead of iPod6,1 as expected (the previous-generation iPod’s model ID was iPod5,1), the new iPod touch ships with Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 8.4, so it works with Apple Music out of the box. Like the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the iPod touch has 1GB of RAM to go along with its A8 processor.
The new iPod also includes an M8 motion coprocessor for recording motion activity that’s uploaded to the Health app, and it supports 802.11ac wireless. Its 64-bit A8 processor is a major improvement over the A5 processor in the older iPod touch, and it includes support for Metal, bringing much-improved games to the device.
The iPod touch has one feature that hasn’t yet made it into other Apple products — Bluetooth 4.1. It’s the first of Apple’s devices to offer the new specification. Bluetooth 4.1 is more reliable, offering less interference with LTE bands, improved power management, and better data transfer.
Available in several new colors, the iPod touch is priced at $199 for the 16GB model, $249 for the 32GB model, $299 for the 64GB model, and $399 for the 128GB model. It’s available from the Apple online store beginning today.
Apple’s also released new iPod nano and shuffle models in updated colors, but the internal components of those devices have not changed.
Skype for Android will now remember your login credentials after you log out
If you happen to use Skype on your Android device, a small yet notable update is headed your way. The new update, which brings the version number up to 5.5, will make it easier for you to sign back in to the app after you sign out.
Normally if you sign out of Skype and try to log back in, you’ll need to enter in both your username and password. This can get a little tedious at times, which is why the Skype team will now allow the app to remember your login credentials. If you don’t want Skype to remember your information for security purposes, you can always change this setting by heading to Settings>Privacy.
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Microsoft says that in the next few weeks, Skype for Android will also get a web link preview feature that will let Android users see web previews when someone sends them a link in a chat.
The update to version 5.5 is now rolling out in the Play Store, so check out the link below to grab the latest version.
Newest update to Google’s Clock app brings more neutral colors and bug fixes
Now that Google has brought its official Clock application to the Play Store, the app finally has the ability to receive incremental improvements outside of larger OS updates. Today the Google Clock is getting updated to version 4.0.2, which will bring “more neutral colors” to the app along with a few bug fixes.
As you can see in the screenshots below, the app now sports a more blue-violet/red color scheme rather than the lighter blue/hot pink color scheme. The app still functions the same, and no other big changes have been made other than what you see in the screenshots.
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Additionally, Google has also released a fix for the pesky timer button issue, along with a fix for the duplicate provider installation issue. Again, this isn’t a huge update, so don’t expect any breakthrough features here. Version 4.0.2 is now available for all to download in the Google Play Store, so be sure to grab the update by following the link below.
Seven of the world’s weirdest green vehicles
By Cat DiStasio
Green transportation is advancing by leaps and bounds. In just the past few months, we’ve seen a solar-powered airplane complete historic flights, self-driving vehicles hit the streets and cars make astounding achievements in fuel efficiency. However, for every big breakthrough there are scores of off-the-wall designs that are almost too out there to believe. Read on for seven of the weirdest, wackiest and most wonderfully creative green vehicles around.
Filed under: Transportation
Smart camera warns you when guns enter your home
Anxious that you might face an armed home invasion, or that your kids might find the key to the gun cabinet? NanoWatt Design thinks it has a way to give you that crucial early warning. Its crowdfunded GunDetect camera uses computer vision to detect firearms and send a text alert to your phone. If it works as promised, you’ll know there’s an intruder at the door, or that you need to rush into the den before there’s a terrible accident. If you’re intrigued, it’ll take a minimum $349 pledge to reserve a Cloud GunDetect (which requires a service subscription to process images) and $549 for a Premium model which does all the image recognition work itself. Provided that NanoWatt reaches its funding goal, both cams should ship in February.
There’s a question as to how effective this will be as a first line of defense, though. The makers say that their system is accurate “90% of the time” in instances where a gun is clearly visible. That sounds good, but that leaves a lot of room for misses. What happens if nogoodniks are smart enough to conceal their weapons? Also, night vision support isn’t in these existing models — for now, you can forget about spotting thieves in the middle of the night. The technology could easily be useful as an extra layer of gun safety or security, but it won’t replace a good home security system or vigilant parenting.
Filed under: Household, Peripherals
Source: Kickstarter
MetroPCS launches ‘Mexico Unlimited’ to make you feel at home in Mexico
As part of T-Mobile’s ‘Mobile without Borders’ initiative, Un-carrier’s prepaid brand MetroPCS announced its ‘Mexico Unlimited’ plan today. The new plan will allow its customers to use their mobile phones in Mexico just the way they use them at home, which means no extra roaming charge, unlimited calling and great LTE coverage in North America.
MetroPCS customers can add Mexico Unlimited to their plan on or before August 31st to get these services for free until 2016, and it will cost just $5 per month after that.
Those customers who are use a $40 or higher base rate plan can add Mexico Unlimited to their existing plan from today onward.
MetroPCS Introduces ‘Mexico Unlimited’: Call Mexico & Use Your Phone There Just Like at Home
MetroPCS customers can now enjoy calling to Mexico and coverage throughout the country at no extra charge until 2016 when you sign up before August 31st
Bellevue, Washington — July 15, 2015 —As T-Mobile’s [NYSE: TMUS] breakthrough new ‘Mobile without Borders’ launches in stores and online today extending Simple Choice coverage and calling across North America at no extra charge, MetroPCS, the Un-carrier’s flagship prepaid brand, is joining in the cross-border fun. Today, T-Mobile launched MetroPCS Mexico Unlimited®, building on the same philosophy and partnerships behind ‘Mobile without Borders’ but tailored for MetroPCS customers. Mexico Unlimited expands MetroPCS customers’ coverage and calling throughout Mexico. More than just a ‘roaming plan,’ Mexico Unlimited means MetroPCS customers can use their phones in Mexico just like they do at home and call Mexico all they want.
Even better, customers who add Mexico Unlimited to their plan on or before August 31st will get it at absolutely no extra charge until 2016 – and it’s just $5 per month per line after that.
“Boost and Cricket offer you exactly ZERO data coverage in Mexico, so the moment you cross the Mexican border, your phone becomes a brick as far as data’s concerned. Are they for real?” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “MetroPCS already delivers a blazing fast prepaid LTE network, the best prepaid plans, the hottest devices, unmatched service and value. Now MetroPCS is busting down the border to deliver a great experience for data AND calling to Mexico that the other prepaid guys can’t touch.”
In the U.S, MetroPCS customers already enjoy lightning-fast 4G LTE network speeds, which are faster than Boost or Cricket (based on download speeds). And now in Mexico, partnerships with leading providers with the best networks offer 4G LTE data speeds throughout the country everywhere these networks reach.
MetroPCS customers with a $40 or higher base rate plan can add Mexico Unlimited at MetroPCS stores or online starting today, and it couldn’t be simpler to use. Here’s how it works:
While in the U.S. you get:
- Unlimited mobile to mobile and landline calls to Mexico
- Unlimited texting to Mexico (and most other countries worldwide)
While in Mexico you get:
- Unlimited mobile to mobile and landline calls to virtually anywhere in the U.S. and Mexico
- Unlimited texting to the U.S.
- Unlimited data (straight from your 4G LTE data plan)
For more information about Mexico Unlimited, check out http://www.metropcs.com/mexicounlimited
About T-Mobile US, Inc.
As America’s Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company’s advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to approximately 59 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.
Come comment on this article: MetroPCS launches ‘Mexico Unlimited’ to make you feel at home in Mexico
Huawei Nexus specs revealed via @evleaks
The anticipation around new Nexus phones is always high. This year is no exception, especially following last year’s phablet-only release. Throughout the year we’ve constantly heard about two Nexus phones coming our way, a Nexus 5 refresh made by LG and a phablet made by Huawei.
Today we have word that reinforces the existence of the Huawei Nexus, provided courtesy of the credible leaker @evleaks. According to Evan Blass of @evleaks, the Huawei Nexus will be a smaller phablet than the Nexus 6, at 5.7″. It will maintain the QHD resolution.
The chassis will allegedly be a metal body, which is not too surprising, as this has been a Huawei trend lately. What I’m wondering is how will they make wireless charging work around the metal. This has been a problem for manufacturers who prefer a metal build. Wireless charging as been a Nexus staple since the Nexus 4.
Insuring that the Huawei Nexus is a beast is the power of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 SoC. This Nexus is also said to have a fingerprint reader, which would fall in line with Google’s outlook for Android following Google I/O. Release of the Huawei Nexus is of course slated for Q4.
Are you excited for the Huawei Nexus or do you wish Motorola got another crack at it before Google switched manufacturers? What about the phablet’s decrease in screen size?
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Pushbullet brings SMS conversations to your fingertips
Pushbullet has been around for quite some time, and have added a bunch of functionalities to extend and expand upon what your devices have been able to do. The last update, which was release a few weeks ago, was a rather large update, and brought features such as instant messaging, and a total re-organization of where your files are sent or received.
Today’s update, brings something that folks have always been looking for. The ability to send texts from your desktop. This has already been accomplished by folks like MightyText, but there are still some quirks that have yet to be really worked out.
Pushbullet is really trying to be the all-in one file-sharing application, no matter what device you are using. Today’s update pushes them even closer to becoming a new-age all-in-one multi-tool. With the care and detail that Pushbullet puts into just about everything that gets released, there is little worry about how well these new features will work.
Instead of replying to individual messages, Pushbullet now has a full messaging experience for SMS that’s synced with your phone. This means you can comfortably text from your PC while at work, then pick up the conversation later on your phone and all of your messages will be right where you expect them to be.
Now, Pushbullet is really knocking these updates out of the park, and with a full-fledged messaging extension, many folks should be excited. I’m not sure what else Pushbullet could push out in the future, but it will definitely be fun to see what’s up their sleeve next.
Let us know what you think about the latest update to Pushbullet, and how excited you are to see another option for SMS messaging between your device and your computer.
Source: Pushbullet Blog
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TYLT ENERGI+ an awesome backpack that charges your stuff
Kickstarter can be real hit or miss sometimes. For every great idea that gets funded, there’s another that never seems to materialize. Lucky for us the TYLT ENERGI+ falls in the former category. Their idea was to integrate an extremely functional backpack with the ability to charge your mobile devices. All they needed to make it happen was $50,000. Not only did they hit their funding goals, but they surpassed it, hitting over 150% of their goal. We’ll be looking at whether they were able to accomplish all they set out to do with this backpack.
TYLT ENERGI+ overview
I recently had the opportunity to review TYLT’s RIBBN charger. What impressed me the most about that device was the quality of materials and product design. So, needless to say, I came into this review with some pretty high expectations.
When I first pulled the TYLT ENERGI+ out of its box, the first thing I noticed was that there were instructions and diagrams everywhere in the backpack, showing how to get things set up. There was also a manual, but I didn’t need it. The diagrams were more than adequate. I also noticed a few loose strings poking out of the backpack, not a big deal, but again, I’m coming into this with abnormally high expectations.
When you purchase the backpack you’ll also receive a 10,400mAh battery pack and 3 micro USB cables. One of the cables will have an older 30 pin iPad/iPhone/iPod adapter plug attached. Before you continue setting things up, it’s best to charge up the battery pack to full capacity. The battery pack charges using a standard micro USB cable. They do not furnish a charging cable, but the device will work with the phone charger you already have and can even charge from any of your computer’s USB ports. One added bonus of the battery pack is that it has an output of 4.2A. This will allow you to quickly charge tablets, phones, or anything with a micro USB connection.
TYLT ENERGI+ setup
The backpack has a little pouch for the battery pack that will snuggly hold it in place. All the cables are fairly easy to route to the various pockets and pouches that you might want to place your devices in. One of the best features is that they don’t limit the pockets that can be routed to. Even though there are only 3 cables, almost all of the pockets can have a cable routed to it, so you don’t have to rely on where TYLT recommends you to place your devices. You can use your discretion to decide where you could best use the charging capabilities.
I also loved their cable management solution. They included elastic strips in strategic parts of the backpack to keep your power cables nice and neat. If you’ve ever built your own computer, you know how important that cable management can be.
Overall it’s not too difficult to get things up and running. It also fairly easy to reroute the cables to adapt to your changing needs.
TYLT ENERGI+ usage
I mentioned earlier that the idea for the ENERGI+ was to make an extremely functional backpack. I think the better word to describe it would be practical. There is virtually no unused space. If there is an empty space, there is a pocket. They even included a space with a rigid sunglasses and phone holder. This exact same space, of course, has a slot for a power cable, but it also has a slot to feed some wired headphones outside of the backpack so you can listen on the go.
Everyone that I showed the backpack to said that the only thing it needed was a water bottle holder. They then proceeded to be amazed as I pulled out just such a holder out of one of the pockets. This is just another example of how TYLT utilizes every usable space on the backpack. I was able to cram a ton of stuff in the backpack. I had my laptop, laptop power adapter, tablet, phone, lunch container, and various knick-knacks, with room to spare. Even with the backpack being fairly heavy at this point, the strategic padding really helped to remove any undue strain or pressure on my body.
I imagine that when they designed this backpack, they had a bunch of people sitting around asking, “Yeah, but can it do this?”. There are so many little things about this backpack that make it great. For example, there is a waterproof pouch on the front of the backpack for important documents. There is an embedded NFC tag in the strap so that you can trigger your phone to easily do certain tasks. There is a slot behind the backpack that will allow for the handle from a roller luggage to slip through so that you don’t have to carry the backpack on your back while getting to your plane at the airport. Speaking of traveling, the ENERGI+ is also TSA friendly.
What we liked
- Extremely functional and practical
- Ability to charge devices on the go
- Wow factor
What could be better
- A lower price would be nice
- More flexible battery pocket for other nonTYLT battery packs
- Quality was slightly off from their norm
TYLT ENERGI+ overall
For the most part, TYLT met my expectations with the ENERGI+ and I am very happy with the results. If you’re in the market for a backpack and travel a lot or you find yourself needing to charge your mobile devices fairly often, this is the backpack for you. If you’re a penny pincher, then not so much. The TYLT ENERGI+ retails at $169.99 on TYLT.com but is currently on sale for $119.99 with free shipping for Prime members on Amazon.
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AIVAnet 