You can now pick up the Orchid Grey Galaxy S8 and S8+ in India

You can now pick up the S8 or S8+ in Orchid Grey at the same price as the standard variant.

Samsung has launched the Orchid Grey color option of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in India. The price is unchanged from the standard variant — you’ll have to shell out ₹57,900 for the S8, and ₹64,900 to get your hands on an Orchid Grey S8+.

Here’s a look at all the options available if you’re looking to pick up the S8 or S8+ in India:

• Galaxy S8 – Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey – ₹57,900
• Galaxy S8+ – Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Coral Blue, Orchid Grey – ₹64,900
• Galaxy S8+ (6GB RAM/128GB storage) – Midnight Black – ₹74,900

From Asim Warsi, senior vice president of Samsung India’s mobile unit:

To further fuel the unprecedented response to Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Samsung is pleased to introduce the all new Orchid Gray colour. Through this, our consumers would make a style statement that would set them above and apart from everyone else.

If you’re interested, you can pre-order the Orchid Grey S8 or S8+ direct from Samsung’s store. Those ordering either device will receive a wireless charger worth ₹4,499 as well as a ₹3,000 cashback from HDFC.

See at Samsung

Prime members can grab a certified refurbished Echo Dot for just $30

Team Thrifter is back again, this time bringing you the most affordable way to buy an Echo Dot.

If you’ve been eyeing the Echo Dot and haven’t taken the plunge already, today’s the day. Leading up to Prime Day, Amazon has dropped the price on a certified refurbished Echo Dot down to just $29.99 for today only, which is the lowest we’ve ever seen. What makes the timing of this deal even more important is that Amazon plans to offer voice exclusive discounts on Prime Day, meaning you’ll need an Alexa-enabled product to take advantage of them.

Amazon states the certified refurbished Echo Dots have been tested and will look and work like new. You can pick one up in your choice of black or white, and at this price, you won’t want to miss out. If you aren’t already a member of Amazon’s Prime service, now is also a great time to sign up for the free 30-day trial. This will not only allow you to grab a discounted Echo Dot today, but also take part in all the Prime Day fun that is right around the corner.

See at Amazon

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

How to keep your Android contacts current and duplicate-free

Any time is the perfect time to do a little phone book shuffling.

Although smartphones have progressed exponentially through the last decade, I’m still finding myself bumping up against remnants of the past.

Take my contacts list, for instance, or my “electronic Rolodex,” if you will. I’ve had these contacts since I held my first smartphone in 2010. But there were some strange happenings back then, including friends who were still tending separate numbers because of their former T-Mobile Sidekicks, and weirdly those memories linger on thanks to a snafu in my phone book.

I was reminded of Andy Rubin’s first major claim to fame.

I was reminded of Andy Rubin’s first major claim to fame just the other day, as I texted a multi-paragraph diatribe to my friend who I figured was avoiding me for whatever reason (it was probably my fault). It turns out that I’d simply been sending messages to the wrong number for the last three months! Somehow, I resurrected my friend’s phone number for his Sidekick from back in the day, and it turns out that I never deleted it from my Google account.

I eventually remedied the situation, but it got me thinking about contacts maintenance, and how summer is the right time to take some time to eliminate those extra numbers taking up space and maybe merging any duplicates you’ve collected over the past few months. After all, your digital phonebook can very easily become jumbled in the process, especially if you’re always switching phones.

It’s also surprisingly difficult to find a decent contacts manager in the Google Play store — at least at first search. Simpler Merge Duplicates and Merge+ seem to be the more popular titles available, but I didn’t like that the former requires you to log in with an external account. There are also apps like Contacts+ and Sync.Me, both of which offer caller ID and dialer functionality as well as a bevy of other features. However, I like to use something that’s a little less intrusive.

Contacts Optimizer is one of the best contacts management app I’ve used thus far, though there are plenty more to choose from.

I’ve always been partial to Contacts Optimizer because it works locally to find duplicates. It’s also very thorough at detecting blank entries, fixing country codes, and digitizing vanity numbers, not to mention it can locate contacts that you can’t even call because the number is altogether incorrect. There’s an easy-to-use wizard you can toggle on to fill in empty contacts, and you can check on which of your apps have inherited weird metadata as a result of jumping around platforms. There’s also a data backup ability, and MOBILedit offers a PC-compatible suite if you’re aching to take your contacts management to the extreme.

Of course, you don’t have to use a fancy third-party contacts app if you don’t want to. Instead, you can manage your contacts manually from the Google Contacts web app, which gives you access to all those years of data you didn’t even know you had. Google Contacts also has a duplicates locator, or you can use it to import and export your entire address book. Don’t expect turnkey automation here, though; if you want that, you’ll have to try one of the apps I mentioned above.

How do you manage?

With the massive number of contact apps available in the Play Store, and duplicates plaguing so many smartphones, we’re curious to hear what your phone book maintenance methodologies are. Do you practice a ritualistic cleanse session each season? Or have you simply given up keeping tabs on whether your cloud data is doing what it’s supposed to do?

Leave us a comment, especially if there’s a contacts management app you particularly like.

All Volvo cars will be electric or hybrid within two years

Volvo is best known for building cars that are safe and beloved by flower children, but it now has a new distinction. Every car it unveils by 2019 will have an electric motor, either as an all-electric EV, plug-in hybrid or hybrid, making it the first major automaker to stop selling cars with only gas or diesel engines. “This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” said Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson in a statement.

Just last week, Volvo rededicated its Polestar performance division to electric cars, but the news that all of its vehicles will be electrified in some way comes out of the blue. Volvo has been behind the curve in that area — so far, the it built a handful of hybrid cars, and not a single full-on EV. In 2015, it announced that its first series 40 electric cars would arrive in 2019.

The company is planning to launch five EVs between 2019 and 2021 — two will be rubber-burning Polestars, but three will be more sedate Volvo models. Those will be supplemented by gasoline and diesel plug-in hybrids that can run you to work or get groceries without using the gas engine. It’ll also unveil new “mild-hybrid” cars that run mostly on gas or diesel, using the electric motor to save energy via regenerative breaking and coasting.

Volvo isn’t the only European-based company that’s making a large bet on EVs. At last year’s Paris Auto Show, Volkswagen launched its I.D. electric car concept and said it plans to sell three million EVs by 2025. Mercedes also launched the EQ brand, promising to unveil its first crossover EV by 2019. However, both of those (much larger) companies will probably still sell be selling ICE-powered cars ten years from now and beyond.

Volvo had some tough times after Ford sold it to China’s Geely Holding in 2010. However, it reported an $880 million net profit in 2016, selling some 534,000 vehicles last year. The automaker is building its first manufacturing plant the US, employing 2,000 workers, and will start shipping cars from it by 2018.

Volvo said the news is part of its pact to minimize environmental impact and have climate-neutral manufacturing by the year 2025. “Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of one million electrified cars by 2025,” said Samuelsson. “When we said it, we meant it.”

Source: Volvo

Amazon’s Echo lets you sign up for Prime just by asking

As Amazon gears up for next week’s annual Prime Day sale, the online shopping behemoth has also opted to lower the barrier of entry for Prime subscriptions. With Prime members previously having to sign up for the service online, Amazon Echo owners can now opt in for a Prime Membership simply by saying “Alexa, sign me up for Prime”. Doing so will not only save users time but also money, netting Echo owners a year’s membership for $79 – $20 less than the usual price.

For those who already have Prime, Amazon is also offering a couple of incentives to invest in an Echo. People who use Alexa will get access to Prime Day deals two hours earlier than regular users and receive a range of Echo-exclusive offers. With the cost of an Echo likely outweighing the slight savings you’d make on Prime Day deals anyway, these features will probably only sway those who were already interested in buying one.

While voice-activated shopping isn’t exactly anything new, Amazon’s decision to let you sign up for an annual contract without having to read the terms (or even see the price) is definitely a first. By removing all the usual steps that come with registering for such a service, the company is clearly hoping that it’ll entice a few more impulse Prime signups.

Source: Business Wire

First Person Shooter ‘Shadow Warrior Classic’ is a Free Download for Mac

Classic first person shooter Shadow Warrior is available as a free download for Mac over on GOG and Steam this morning. The 1997 PC game garnered fans for its wacky humor, multi-function weaponry, and destructible environment, being based on the Build platform that powered Duke Nukem 3D.

Shadow Warrior was an ambitious game for its time, containing many features not seen until later first-person shooter games, such as drivable vehicles, climbable ladders, and multiple firing modes for various weapons. The game was rebuilt in 2014 with OS X support and published by 3D Realms.

The full game (including two expansion packs) is being offered on Steam as a free download, but picking it up from GOG also gets gamers the original soundtrack in MP3 and FLAC format as an additional freebie. The remastered “Redux” version of the game is also available on Steam for $0.99 as part of a 2017 Summer Sale.

Shadow Warrior Classic has the following minimum requirements: OS X 10.6.8 or later, an Intel Core Duo 2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 64MB of video memory, and 1GB of hard disk space.

(Via MacObserver.)

Tag: Steam
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In-Cabin Laptop Ban Lifted on U.S.-Bound Flights From Dubai and Istanbul

The U.S. government has lifted the in-cabin ban on laptops and other large electronic devices on inbound flights from Dubai and Istanbul, according to Emirates and Turkish Airlines.

An Emirates spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday that the ban was lifted for flights out of Dubai after the airline adopted new security measures announced last week by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Turkish Airlines tweeted on Tuesday that the ban had been lifted, while CEO Bilal Eksi informed Reuters that he also expected restrictions to be lifted for U.K.-bound flights.

The original ban came into effect in March on flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey. The ban was imposed after “evaluated intelligence” suggested a bomb threat that involved smaller bombs being concealed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft.

The new enhanced security measures were announced on June 29 and require additional time to screen passengers. The new protocol takes effect within three weeks of the announcement and will affect around 325,000 daily passengers travelling on 180 airlines from 280 airports around the world, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia) expects the ban to lifted on flights from Jeddah and Riyadh by July 19, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.
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Three’s ‘Go Binge’ plans offer ‘free’ data for Netflix streaming

To better compete with EE, Vodafone and O2, Three is introducing a zero-rating scheme in the UK. The network operator has teamed up with Netflix, TVPlayer, Deezer and SoundCloud to offer inclusive streaming with select mobile contracts. So when you watch or listen to these services on the go, they won’t count towards your monthly data cap. The move, while contentious for net neutrality advocates, will no doubt be welcomed by customers. There is, however, a pretty big catch: to take advantage of the new perk, you’ll need to upgrade to a “Go Binge” plan, which Three admits will be slightly more expensive than your current, equivalent contract.

SpaceX aims for a Wednesday rocket launch after second abort in two days

Why it matters to you

No one ever said that creating a reusable rocket system was going to be easy, but despite the current difficulties SpaceX is continuing to make huge strides in its endeavors.

SpaceX had been enjoying a decent run of successful launches since resuming its operations in January after a four-month lay-off caused by September’s rocket explosion.

But it came to an end on Sunday night when Elon Musk’s private space company had to abort a mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida just seconds from lift-off. It happened again on Monday, and now the team is hoping for a case of “third time lucky,” possibly on Wednesday evening.

Sunday’s night’s aborted mission was put down to a computer guidance issue, while the cause of July 4’s abandonment, which like Sunday’s effort occurred within 10 seconds of lift-off, is yet to be fully determined.

Desperate to avoid any major mishap along the lines of last year’s launchpad calamity, SpaceX said it would be performing thorough checks before its third launch attempt, which, when it eventually takes place, will put  the Intelsat 35e communications satellite into geostationary orbit.

“Out of an abundance of caution, SpaceX will be spending the Fourth of July doing a full review of the rocket and launch pad systems,” the company said on its website. “The next launch opportunity for Intelsat 35e … is now no earlier than Wednesday.”

When the mission does eventually takes place, the large amount of energy needed to deliver the satellite into geostationary orbit (much higher higher than the Falcon 9’s usual low-Earth orbit missions) means the rocket won’t have enough fuel to bring it back to terra firma for one of those awesome landings SpaceX fans have come to know and love. The company has so far achieved 13 launch-and-land combos.

Better news

There was better news for the SpaceX earlier in the week when it successfully welcomed back its Dragon capsule, the first to make more than one mission. The capsule delivered supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) in early June and stayed docked till its return voyage, splashing into the Pacific Ocean south-west of Los Angeles on Monday.

“Dragon’s been an incredible spacecraft,” current ISS astronaut Jack Fischer told mission control shortly after the the capsule left its outpost, adding, “I could even say it was slathered in awesome sauce. This baby had almost no problems, which is an incredible feat considering it’s the first reuse of a Dragon vehicle.”

This particular Dragon capsule made its first mission to the ISS in 2014 and forms part of the reusable space transportation system being developed by SpaceX in a bid to significantly reduce the cost of space travel.

Actors on streaming shows reach a deal for better pay

It’s not just writers who are getting a better deal from streaming video providers. SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached a “tentative” 3-year deal that includes better pay for actors on Amazon, Hulu, Netflix and other subscription-based on-demand services. They’ll now get their first residual payments (compensation for subsequent showings) within 90 days, rather than a year. They’ll also get a higher residual rate, and will receive their first residuals for “foreign use.” A streaming show available worldwide will be about 300 percent more lucrative over the first 2 years.

It’s safe to say that this will raise production costs in the streaming world, although it’s going to be a while before we know the practical impact. There’s no guarantee that it’ll lead to subscription fee hikes. However, the agreement could ultimately help internet video by luring actors toward internet-oriented shows they wouldn’t consider otherwise. It’s easy for a company like Netflix to throw money at major stars — it’s harder to attract mid-tier actors bound to standard contracts. This won’t necessarily lead to better shows, but it could give streaming media more credibility in an industry that still revolves around TV and film.

Source: SAG-AFTRA