mobile
August 31, 2013
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Wireless Technology Evolution

The evolution of the G

The evolution of the G

By on August 31, 2013 at 12:45 AM.

Wireless carriers are still in the process of transitioning from 3G to 4G (and from fake 4G to 4G), but chatter surrounding the eventual transition to 5G is already starting to pop up. Wonderful. Before we get ahead of ourselves and before carriers start arguing over what 5G is and is not, CommScope recently put together a nice infographic that’s worth checking out to put the history of cellular communications in perspective. Titled “The evolution of the G,” the infographic details the history of cellular networks starting with 1G in Japan in 1979 and wrapping up with today’s modern 4G wireless networks — which, as an aside, weren’t really “4G” networks until the ITU gave up and let anyone call just about anything “4G.” CommScope’s infographic follows below. More →

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Accessories
August 30, 2013
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HTC Mini+ Release Date

HTC’s newest accessory is a phone for your smartphone

By on August 30, 2013 at 11:30 PM.

HTC’s newest accessory is a phone for your smartphone

Have you ever wished that you didn’t have to use your smartphone to make phone calls? If so then HTC is hoping you’ll throw down $50 for the HTC Mini+, a new accessory that connects with your HTC smartphone via Bluetooth and lets you make calls while you use your smartphone for surfing the web. HTC says that the new smartphone phone also features a “hands-free remote camera control lets you take pictures from your phone at a distance” and that it “even doubles as a TV remote control, and pairs with select HTC devices to operate multimedia streaming through your HTC Media Link HD.” If accessories like this start to catch on, we might see Nokia release a separate camera to go with the Lumia 1020 so you won’t have to waste your device’s 41-megapixel camera taking pictures.

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Hit List

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Gaming
August 30, 2013
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SimCity For Mac Bugs

EA accused of botching SimCity for Mac launch

By on August 30, 2013 at 10:15 PM.

EA accused of botching SimCity for Mac launch

It may be time to wonder if some malevolent entity has placed a curse on the SimCity franchise. TUAW points out that EA forums have been flooded with complaints from Mac users who say that the recently released SimCity for Mac is unplayable. The biggest complaint seems to be that the game won’t let users play in full-screen mode, although other gamers are having trouble just installing the game onto their MacBooks. A spokesperson for EA subsidiary Maxis acknowledged that “there are a small number of players who have encountered issues with SimCity for Mac” and that the company was working on fixes. EA was forced to apologize earlier this year when it botched the launch of SimCity for Windows after the company’s always-on DRM requirements quickly overwhelmed its servers and rendered the game unplayable.

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Legal
August 30, 2013
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Apple eBook Price Fixing Settlement

eBook price-fixing settlement could give customers $3 refund per book bought

By on August 30, 2013 at 9:00 PM.

eBook price-fixing settlement could give customers $3 refund per book bought

Apple may still deny that it ever fixed the prices of eBooks, but that’s not stopping some of the company’s alleged co-conspirators from settling with the federal government. Per MacRumors, publishers Macmillan and Penguin have followed in the footsteps of Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster and have submitted a settlement in the price-fixing case for court approval. If the proposal is accepted and integrated with earlier settlements, then customers who bought books on the Apple iTunes bookstore between April 1st, 2010 and May 21st, 2012 would receive a $3.06 refund per New York Times bestseller bought and $0.73 for all other eBooks bought.

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Game Changers

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mobile
August 30, 2013
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Firefox OS Marketplace iOS Android

Video: How Firefox OS will avoid the app discovery problems that plague iOS, Android

By on August 30, 2013 at 7:45 PM.

Video: How Firefox OS will avoid the app discovery problems that plague iOS, Android

In order for Mozilla to stand a chance in the competitive mobile marketplace, differentiation is vital. Samsung turned down the Firefox OS earlier this year, but Mozilla is showing signs of life once again with a demonstration of the customizable Firefox Marketplace posted on Wednesday. The Firefox OS app store is designed around a concept called “the feed,” which allows user to customize which apps appear on the front page by liking individual apps, groups of apps, or an entire page of search results by tapping on a heart. As a result, the app store learns your preferences and over time, the apps you see will start to be more in line with your preferences. More →

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Watches
August 30, 2013
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Google Smartwatch Wimm Labs

Google buys WIMM Labs to gear up for smartwatch wars

By on August 30, 2013 at 6:30 PM.

Google buys WIMM Labs to gear up for smartwatch wars

Last summer smartwatch developer WIMM Labs announced that it had entered into an exclusive relationship with an unnamed company just before its website and social media accounts were promptly shut down. One year later, GigaOM has discovered that Google was in fact the mysterious buyer that scooped up WIMM Labs to begin work on its own wearable wrist tech. WIMM released the WIMM One, a developer-centric smartwatch in 2011. More →

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Gaming
August 30, 2013
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Microsoft Xbox One Downloads

Microsoft confirms Xbox One can also download games remotely

By on August 30, 2013 at 5:45 PM.

Microsoft confirms Xbox One can also download games remotely

Not to be outdone by Sony, Xbox Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten confirmed on Friday that the Xbox One will be able to remotely download games purchased through smartphones and other devices on the Xbox mobile companion app, just like the PlayStation 4. Earlier this month Microsoft also made moves to allow indie developers more freedom to develop for their home console, something Sony has been touting since announcement the PS4. As we approach the launch dates for the new consoles, their feature lists are closer than ever, especially after Microsoft was pressured to backtrack on some initial announcements that the gaming community found objectionable. Microsoft’s Xbox One will cost $499.99 and its release date is still unknown.

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Business
August 30, 2013
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Morgan Stanley BlackBerry 10 Upgrade

Major Wall Street firm holds off on BlackBerry 10 upgrade amid sale rumors

By on August 30, 2013 at 5:00 PM.

Major Wall Street firm holds off on BlackBerry 10 upgrade amid sale rumors

BlackBerry had better decide on whether it’s going to pursue any “strategic alternatives” pretty soon. Bloomberg reports that rumors of a potential sale of BlackBerry have spooked Morgan Stanley from upgrading its employees’ phones from BlackBerry 7 to BlackBerry 10. An unnamed source tells Bloomberg that the company normally would have had an upgrade plan for BlackBerry 10 in place by now but that the firm did not want to commit to a platform that faces an uncertain future now that BlackBerry is pondering a change in direction. BlackBerry said earlier this month that it’s exploring “strategic alternatives” that “could include, among others, possible joint ventures, strategic partnerships or alliances, a sale of the company or other possible transactions.”

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Services
August 30, 2013
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Microsoft Cloud Storage

Microsoft doubles cloud storage for Exchange Online, Office 365 mailboxes

By on August 30, 2013 at 4:25 PM.

Microsoft doubles cloud storage for Exchange Online, Office 365 mailboxes

Microsoft is currently on a streak of increasing cloud storage capacity for its customers. Earlier this week, Microsoft more than tripled the storage capacity for SkyDrive Pro users from 7 GB to 25 GB. The latest cloud mailboxes to receive a storage boost are for Exchange Online and Office 365, which will increase from 25 GB to 50 GB starting this Friday. Customers should see their storage capacity double sometime between now and November. According to the Office 356 blog, the following services plans will receive the upgrade: Exchange Online Plan 1, Office 365 Small Business, Midsize Business, Enterprise E1, Government G1, and Education A1. Shared mailboxes and Resources mailboxes will grow to 10 GB as well. A chart of the new plans follows below. More →

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mobile
August 30, 2013
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Galaxy Note III Pictures

Photos: Galaxy Note III front panel leaks in white

By on August 30, 2013 at 3:50 PM.

Photos: Galaxy Note III front panel leaks in white

Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy Note III is set to debut during a press conference in Berlin, Germany next Wednesday. Shockingly, we have yet to see Galaxy Note III pictures leak that reveal the device’s final hardware. We have seen prototype Galaxy Note III pictures and we’ve also seen photos of the front panel leak in black. Now, FanaticFone has published leaked images of the Note III’s front panel in white. The pictures show a remarkably thin and clean front panel assembly and as expected, it looks almost identical to other recent Samsung smartphones. As for the rest of the device’s external hardware, we might have to wait until September 4th to catch our first glimpse. More →

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mobile
August 30, 2013
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Apple iPhone 5S 5C Release Date

Apple issues vacation blackout from September 15th-28th for new iPhone launch

By on August 30, 2013 at 3:05 PM.

Apple issues vacation blackout from September 15th-28th for new iPhone launch

We’re getting very close to the launch of Apple’s new iPhones. AppleInsider has obtained a leaked a document showing that Apple is barring its support staff from going on vacation between September 15th and September 28th so it can have all hands on deck to handle support for both of the company’s new iPhone models and for the final version of iOS 7. There has been a lot of evidence to suggest that Apple plans to release both the iPhone 5S and the lower-cost iPhone 5C on September 20th, including a BGR exclusive report on AT&T blacking out vacation days for employees on September 20th. More →

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Business
August 30, 2013
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BlackBerry Executive Nordberg Interview

BlackBerry exec says company will likely sell off parts to become ‘niche’ player

By on August 30, 2013 at 2:40 PM.

BlackBerry exec says company will likely sell off parts to become ‘niche’ player

BlackBerry knows that it’s never going to move as many smartphones as Apple or Samsung. All the same, the company thinks that it can be a competitive niche player in the mobile world if it cuts off some of the excess baggage that it’s been lugging around for years. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, BlackBerry director Bert Nordberg explained that the company needed to get leaner so that it could focus more on its core strengths. This will likely mean selling off some of its components that don’t fit in with its revised business plan. More →

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Legal
August 30, 2013
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Microsoft Google NSA Lawsuit

Microsoft, Google team up to sue federal government over NSA spying

By on August 30, 2013 at 2:06 PM.

Microsoft, Google team up to sue federal government over NSA spying

It doesn’t happen very often, but it’s always nice to see two tech giants set aside their differences for a greater cause. This time, Microsoft and Google have come together to file a lawsuit against the federal government to let them speak more freely about the data they collect from their users relating to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The government announced this week that it would finally begin publishing requests for consumer data once a year, but in a blog post published on Friday Microsoft and Google said that “the public deserves and the Constitution guarantees more than this first step.” More →

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