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Deal of the Day: 3 Years VPN Unlimited Premium for 53 cents per month
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Hot Deals, Internet, Software,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we've got 70% off VPN Unlimited Premium as our Deal of the Day. For the next 6 days, VPN Unlimited is offering 3 years of VPN access for just $19. That is 36 months of VPN access, for roughly 53 cents per month. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better price anywhere. It’s a full account, so any upgrades or new features added over the next 3 years, you’d get access to them as well.
For those curious what a VPN is, it is a Virtual Private Network. It allows you to connect to any website anytime you have Internet access. All data sent through VPN is encrypted, which means your information is hidden from hackers or identity thieves. The other benefit is you get to choose the country of origin for your data. For example, means that if you are in Canada putting up with the abysmal WWE Network issues up there, you can instead connect with a VPN, set your country as USA, and get the full experience. Or if you're a Netflix subscriber traveling abroad, you can still access the content.
Aside from accessing the VPN on your PC or Mac, VPN Unlimited also has apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, and even Linux.
Head on over to the Gear Live Deals Shop to grab the 3-year VPN Unlimited offer for $19.
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.
Gallery: Deal of the Day: 3 Years VPN Unlimited Premium for 53 cents per month
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Apple confirms September 9 iPhone 6 event with invitation
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Wearables, Corporate News, Handhelds,
Apple has said that it plans to make 2014 a banner year for the company, offering its most impressive product line-up in company history. Well, the year's been relatively quiet, but that's about to change. The company has just sent out invitations for an Apple Event, set to take place on September 9, 2014. We've been pointing to this date for a few months as the day when the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6L will be announced, and it looks like that's exactly what's gonna go down.
Additionally, it's been reported that Apple will also announce the long-awaited iWatch, a wearable device that will sync up with the iPhone and provide both health tracking and home automation features.
We'll be bringing you the news live as it happens on September 9, so you know where to be for all the action! Be sure to check out our video previews of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, and 5.5-inch iPhone 6L smartphones.
Gallery: Apple confirms September 9 iPhone 6 event with invitation
4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Laptop Theft
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Software,
As we close out Device Theft Awareness Month, we wanted to talk about laptop security. We've already covered the device theft statistics, alongside a bunch of ways to protect yourself from smartphone theft. Some may argue that notebooks are even more of a danger to lose than a smartphone, due to the vast amount of personal data stored on them that can be lost or fall into the wrong hands, as well as the cost of replacement. Let's talk about some of the ways to protect both your investment and your data.
1. Password protect your computer. Regardless of whether you use a PC, Mac, or Linux, you have the option of settings up a lock screen barrier where you'll need to enter a password, custom swipe, image touch, or other secure option. It's a small step that some may find to be an annoyance, but it's an easy (and free) first line of defense in case someone is able to snatch up your device.
Click to continue reading 4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Laptop Theft
Gallery: 4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Laptop Theft
Deal of the Day: 36% off Limefuel Lite USB battery pack
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, USB, Smartphones, Handhelds, Hot Deals,
Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we've got 36% off the Limefuel Lite USB battery pack. Whenever I go on a trip, I make sure my Limefuel USB battery pack is in my bag. It's saved me on numerous occasions where my smartphone was about to run out of precious juice while on the go. Today our Deal of the Day brings you $20 off the Limefuel Lite USB battery pack. This one packs in 15,000mAh of power, which is enough to charge the average smartphone over 7 times from empty to full. Two USB ports mean you can charge multiple devices at once, and auto-on/auto-off preserves the battery reserve when it's no longer needed.
Save 36% on the Limefuel Lite USB Battery Pack
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.
Gallery: Deal of the Day: 36% off Limefuel Lite USB battery pack
4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Smartphone Theft
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Software,
As we mentioned last week, we're celebrating Device Theft Awareness Month in conjunction with Absolute LoJack. We gave you a rundown of just how big a problem device theft is nowadays, with over 3 million people becoming victims of smartphone theft just last year alone. It's a growing problem that you can protect yourself from, and this week we wanted to share three tips that you can do to avoid permanently losing your device or data in the event of loss.
1. Create a passcode for your device. This is a simple method of protecting the data that lives on your device in the event of loss or theft. Some Android devices will allow you to set a pattern instead of an alphanumeric code, and the iPhone 5s and later lets you use Touch ID fingerprint recognition. Any of these are a better option than not protecting the home screen of your device, which will let prying eyes get to anything on your product.
Click to continue reading 4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Smartphone Theft
Gallery: 4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Smartphone Theft
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
Gallery: 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.
Read More 
| GeekWire Radio (MP3)
Gallery: Andru Edwards on GeekWire Radio: iPhone 6, Surface Watch, Fire Phone, and more
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.
Gallery: Giveaway: $1000 Google Play store credit
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.
Gallery: Apple set to introduce the iPhone 6 on 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
Gallery: How Cortana made the leap from Halo to Windows Phone
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