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Microsoft should buy RIM
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Editorial, Features, Microsoft,
At this week's BlackBerry World trade show, everyone expected the top headliner to be the company's just-released PlayBook tablet and its new software offerings. As it turned out, the gadget ended up taking second spot to a surprise guest: Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer.
Ballmer came out during RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis' keynote yesterday morning to announce a partnership that would bring Microsoft's Bing search engine to BlackBerries. Search is a big deal in mobile devices, so it's fitting that a heavy hitter from Microsoft came to give its blessing, but many took the appearance of the CEO as a clear sign of bigger things to come.
Does RIM know what it's in for, though? There's considerable doubt over whether the company's strategy and platforms can be successful over the next couple of years. If they're not, Microsoft could end up owning RIM.
"Will Microsoft buy RIM? That is a possibility and a fast track for Microsoft to gain a foothold in the mobile hardware business," says Harry Wang, director of mobile research at Parks Associates. "RIM's market capitalization is only $25 billion and Microsoft has $48 billion in cash. If RIM's value drops to $15 billion, it will become an attractive target for Microsoft. Maybe Steve Ballmer was planting that seed during his keynote appearance at Blackberry World."
Click to continue reading Microsoft should buy RIM
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Deal of the Day: 61% off Kodak SLICE 14 megapixel touchscreen camera bundle
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Hot Deals,
eBay has a hot deal today, offering 61% off the Kodak SLICE camera bundle. It's got a 14 megapixel sensor, touchscreen, and can share to social networks like YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and more with the touch of a button. This camera typically sells for $319, but today's deal brings it to you for $124, saving you $194 in the process, and shipping is included in that price. They've got limited stock, and this deal will only last for a few hours. If you're interested, head on over:
Save 61% on Kodak SLICE camera bundle
Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals, or you can Like TechPromos on Facebook.
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American Airlines will stream video to your devices while you fly starting this summer
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Movies, Transportation, Wireless / WiFi,
Passengers on American Airlines flights are about to get a new perk. Instead of craning their necks to catch reruns of "Monk" and excerpts from "The Tonight Show" on tiny aisle TV sets, they'll be able to wirelessly stream content to their personal devices from the comfort of their own seats.
American announced Tuesday that it will begin testing an inflight streaming service, created through a partnership with Aircell, that gives customers choices of movies and TV shows that they can stream to Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the air.
"American was the first North American airline to launch inflight Wi-Fi, and today we again set a new industry standard as the first domestic airline to test inflight streaming video content," American's vice president of marketing, Rob Friedman, said in a statement. "We know our customers want to be connected on the ground and in the sky, so we are working hard to stay on the leading edge of connectivity through technology enhancements like this."
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Windows Phone 7 NoDo update finally hitting HTC Surround
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Microsoft, Software,
Microsoft on Tuesday started rolling out its Windows Phone 7 "NoDo" update to the HTC Surround, the last U.S. smartphone on the platform to get the upgrade.
Separately, Microsoft also started rolling out the first security update for Windows Phone 7, which fixes nine fradulent third-party digital certificates.
Like other Windows Phone 7 users, those with an HTC Surround will receive two updates, the first of which will be for a minor update first rolled out in February. Once that's updated, users can move on to the March update, which includes copy and paste, improved Marketplace search, and faster app launching.
Windows Phones check for updates every three days, so it might not appear right away. If you don't want to wait, you can check for it manually via the Zune software on the PC. Just plug the phone in via USB and click "update now." Once the February update is installed, you will have to unplug the phone and plug it back in to receive the March "cut and paste" update. Microsoft has a how-to guide on its Web site.
Click to continue reading Windows Phone 7 NoDo update finally hitting HTC Surround
iOS 4.3.3 now available (4.2.8 for Verizon,) fixes location tracking “bug”
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, GPS, Software,
Apple just released iOS 4.3.3, an update aimed to fix the location tracking issue that raised a bunch of concerns over the last couple of weeks. With this update, the consolidated.db database that stores the location data will be reduced in size, and that database will no longer be backed up to iTunes. In addition, if you turn Location Services off, the cache gets deleted entirely. Plug your iPhone in and have iTunes check for the update when you get a chance--jailbreakers, you'll wanna wait until there's a compatible fix.
AT&T reportedly says there won’t be an iPhone 5 this summer
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors,
The rumors continue to pile up that Apple won't release the iPhone 5 this summer as expected. The latest word reportedly comes from an AT&T rep, who confirmed to a customer that the next-generation iPhone won't make its debut in June or July.
According to MacRumors, Apple allegedly confirmed to AT&T that the phone is delayed, and that information was relayed to an AT&T customer.
"Apple has informed us that they do not plan to release the iPhone in the June to July timeframe, though there will be a newer version in the future," an AT&T rep allegedly said. "Unfortunately, we have not been given a release time for the new phone. We will release this information on our Web site when it is available to us."
Click to continue reading AT&T reportedly says there won’t be an iPhone 5 this summer
Today Pandora is expanding from Simon & Garfunkel to Seinfeld and George Carlin. The Internet radio service is adding 10,000 comedy clips from over 700 comedians to its existing music library.
A host of big names have already taken the stage, including: Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Cheech & Chong, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, Joan Rivers, Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg.
"Adding comedians to the mix has been one of the top requests from our listeners," Pandora founder Tim Westergren wrote in a blog post. "We've taken the same approach to comedy as we have to music: carefully and deliberately analyzing comedic 'bits' across a very large number of attributes to capture the style, delivery and content of each performance."
Click to continue reading Pandora now serving over 10,000 comedy clips
Spotify unleashes music downloads with iPod syncing
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Software,
European online music service Spotify on Wednesday announced a new MP3 download service, as well as the ability to sync music on iPods and the Spotify iPhone and Android apps.
With Spotify's download service, users can purchase tracks in bundles. Ten tracks will set you back £7.99, 15 tracks will cost £9.99, 40 tracks will be £25, and 100 tracks will be £50.
"Spotify's new MP3 download service makes it possible to own your playlists in one easy step," the company said in a statement. "By introducing a range of MP3 bundles, we've been able to offer you some of the most competitive prices available—from as little as 50p per song."
Spotify features include the ability to: search, browse, and play millions of tracks; stream over Wi-Fi or 2.5/3G; access offline playlists; on-the-fly sync; a what's new tab; wireless sync of your local files to your phone; and the ability to tag favorites into a special list.
One of the most frequent requests, however, was the abilty to sync that music to Apple's iPod, something Spotify said is now a reality. Just connect an iPod to your computer via USB and it will appear in the "devices" section of the Spotify sidebar. You can then sync MP3s in your Spotify playlists to the iPod.
Click to continue reading Spotify unleashes music downloads with iPod syncing
Nintendo Wii price slashed to $150, now includes Mario Kart Wii
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hardware, Hot Deals, Nintendo, Wii,
Confirming rumors that emerged in mid-April, Nintendo is officially lowering the retail price of the Wii to $149.99 on May 15, and including a copy of Mario Kart Wii and a black or white steering wheel.
Previously, the Wii console cost $199.99 and came with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. The Mario Kart with Wii Wheel bundle was separately listed at $49.99.
Also on May 15, Nintendo is launching Nintendo Selects, a bundle of four "must-own" Wii games for $19.99. The games are: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers, and Wii Sports.
Click to continue reading Nintendo Wii price slashed to $150, now includes Mario Kart Wii
Deal of the Day: 41% off 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hot Deals, Microsoft, Video Games,
If you're an Xbox 360 owner, you'll wanna get a look at this deal from eBay, which offers 41% off a 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription. With services like Hulu Plus, Netflix, and ESPN requiring a Gold account, it's nice to see the $34.99 price tag here, down from the typical $59.99, saving you $25. They've got limited stock, and this deal will only last for a few hours. If you're interested, head on over:
Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals.
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