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Kicking off Device Theft Awareness Month with #AbsoluteUncovered
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Software,
A few weeks ago we talked about what what you can do to protect yourself in the event that your smartphone, tablet, or laptop gets lost or stolen. We even took a 24-hour #DigitallyDark challenge where we gave up our smartphones for 24 hours to see how it would feel. Well, August is Device Theft Awareness Month, and we wanna talk more about what you can do if you find that you're one of over 3.1 million Americans who'll likely fall victim to smartphone theft this year. A staggering 1.4 million people who lost their devices in 2013 never got them back--that is 4.5 million lost and stolen smartphones (and that doesn't include tablets or laptops,) and is enough to make us want to do something about it. This month, follow the hashtag #AbsoluteUncovered as we dive deep into this topic.
Back in June we introduced you to Absolute LoJack, a data protection software product that is tailored to help you keep your mobile data safe, track your devices in the event of loss or theft, and even an option for assistance with recovery so you can get them back. We are taking part in Device Theft Awareness Month by bringing you a series of articles in order to keep you more informed on the issue and how you can protect yourself from becoming another statistic.
Click to continue reading Kicking off Device Theft Awareness Month with #AbsoluteUncovered
Andru Edwards on GeekWire Radio: iPhone 6, Surface Watch, Fire Phone, and more
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Microsoft,
I made another appearance on this weeks episode of GeekWire Radio here in Seattle, Washington, keeping my streak alive as the person with the most guest appearances in GeekWire Radio history! In this episode, which also features Eyewitness News reporter Essex Porter (pictured with me above, and a huge Windows Phone advocate), we talk about a couple of recent Gear Live stories, including:
- iPhone 6 4.7-inch design preview
- iPhone 6 5.5-inch design preview
- Exclusive: I used the Microsoft Surface watch
I brought in the two iPhone 6 mockups in both 4.7- and 5.5-inch varieties, which made for some good conversation. We also chat about the news of the week, which included the release of the Amazon Fire Phone, and we also had a discussion about what Microsoft needs to do to make Windows Phone more accepted by the general consumer. You can listen to the show now by grabbing the MP3 below, or hitting play in the widget.
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| GeekWire Radio (MP3)
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Giveaway: $1000 Google Play store credit
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Hot Deals, Software,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop you can enter our $1000 Google Play giveaway! You can't get better than free money, right? That makes this our Deal of the Day.
Here's how this is gonna go down: The grand prize winner will talk away with $150 in Google Play store credit. Second place gets $100. 15 other winners will each get $50 in credit. Ready to enter? Go get it:
Enter our $1000 Google Play credit giveaway
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.
Latest Gear Live Videos
Apple set to introduce the iPhone 6 on September 9th
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,
As we have previously speculated, Re/Code is reporting that Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 6 on September 9th at a special event. The next iPhone design has already leaked, and we've already given you a look at both the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 design and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 design as well. Of course, they lack the fit-and-finish that Apple will undoubtedly put on them (we hope those thick antenna breaks will be eliminated and streamlined!) September 9th is also a few days after Samsung is rumored to introduce the Galaxy Note 4 during IFA. A perfect time for Apple to jump into the phablet game with a 5.5-inch smartphone.
We also guessed that Apple will release iOS 8 on September 16th, and release the iPhone 6 itself on September 19th based on previous timetables. We'll see how our guesses hold up come September 9th.
How Cortana made the leap from Halo to Windows Phone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Microsoft,
Curious about how Cortana made her way from assisting Master Chief in Halo over to helping you out on Windows Phone? During a sit-down with Microsoft's Marcus Ash, he spoke to us about what it took to get Cortana just right on Windows Phone and to be seen as a legitimate competitor to Apple's Siri.
First, the Cortana logo was the first thing Microsoft has to get right. Originally, they didn't want a physical representation. The thought was that people could think it was creepy if it is "too human." They also didn't want it to be like Clippy, the infamous character from Microsoft Office that was hated by many. It was also decided that Cortana couldn't be just a voice, since it wouldn't feel the same.
Initially, Microsoft tried to use the Xbox Live avatar idea, but that was odd due to everyone having the female Cortana voice. Then they started playing around with the circle. A circle can stretch, bounce, and transform. They also tried triangles, diamonds, hearts, and the ability of letter the user choose any of these. At the end of the day, the circle next to Metro on the start screen looked good, so that was what Microsoft decided on. The next issue was that a simple circle isn't iconic, and is hard to brand. That's when the Windows Phone team met with the Halo team at 343 Industries.
Click to continue reading How Cortana made the leap from Halo to Windows Phone
Deal of the Day: 25% off the Sensordrone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Hot Deals, Wireless / WiFi,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we're got an awesome 25% discount on the Sensordrone Bluetooth Sensor. Connect this thing to your smartphone over Bluetooth, and you've got a supercharged device that can monitor things like carbon monoxide levels, temperature, weather, gas leaks, and more. Other sensors include light, pressure, color, and proximity. It's good enough to be our Deal of the Day! There are almost a dozen apps you can download that can take advantage of the data that the Sensordrone provides, with more to come. Check out the video below that gives more details.
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.
Click to continue reading Deal of the Day: 25% off the Sensordrone
Apple releases iOS 8 beta 5 build 12A4345d to developers, here’s what’s new!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has just released iOS 8 beta 5, which can be found in the Developer Portal right now. iOS 8 beta 4 build 12A4345d works with supported iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models, and is available as an over-the-air update to users already running a previous iOS 8 beta on their devices. If you're already running iOS 8, you can update over-the-air by going into Settings > General > Software Update. Or you can go and grab the necessary download at http://developer.apple.com. The update for the iPhone 5s comes in at 272MB in size. Apple originally showed off iOS 8, and released its first beta, at WWDC 2014. The full release will come in the fall. Apple also released OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 5 today as well.
Deal of the Day: 60% off the Bluetooth Shower Speaker
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Hot Deals, Smart Home, Wireless / WiFi,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we're offering a 60% discount on the Bluetooth Shower Speaker. If you're one who likes to jam out in the shower, belting out the hits, then you'll wanna grab our Deal of the Day! It'll stream music from any Bluetooth device, so your smartphone and tablet are covered as long as they're no more than 10 meters away. Of course, this thing is showerproof, and is also great around the pool. Even better? There is a buit-in microphone, so you can even take calls on this thing. From the shower.
Save 60% on the Bluetooth Shower Speaker
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.
Apple releases iOS 8 beta 4 build 12A4331d to developers, here’s what’s new!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has just released iOS 8 beta 4, which can be found in the Developer Portal right now. iOS 8 beta 4 build 12A4331d works with supported iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models, and is available as an over-the-air update to users already running a previous iOS 8 beta on their devices. If you're already running iOS 8, you can update over-the-air by going into Settings > General > Software Update. Or you can go and grab the necessary download at http://developer.apple.com. Apple originally showed off iOS 8, and released its first beta, at WWDC 2014. The full release will come in the fall. Apple also released OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 4 today as well.
If you are a paid members of Apple's iOS developer program, here are the links for iOS 8 beta 4 downloads:
Deal of the Day: 92% off iOS 8 + Swift learning course
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Hot Deals, Software,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we're offering a 92% discount on the complete iOS 8 + Swift developer course. Have you ever wanted to make your own apps for the iPhone and iPad? Then pay attention to our Deal of the Day! Alongside iOS 8, Apple is releasing its new programming language, Swift. This video course will teach you everything you need to know in order to build 14 different apps, giving you a solid foundation for becoming an iOS developer. You get access to 350 videos that walk you through the process over the course of over 36 hours. Additionally, you get the full iOS 7 developer course as well, which doubles the amount of content you get for your money.
Save 92% on the complete iOS 8 + Swift developer course
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.
