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:

Click to continue reading Apple releases iOS 8 beta 4 build 12A4331d to developers, here’s what’s new!

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.

Giveaway: PlayStation 4 Battlefield bundle

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Hot Deals, Video Games,

Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop you can enter to win a Sony PlayStation 4 Battlefield bundle. You can't get better than free, so this is our Deal of the Day.

Aside from the actual PlayStation 4 console, you'll also walk away with two wireless PS4 controllers, and a copy of Battlefield 4 as well. Ready to enter? Go get it:

Enter our PlayStation 4 Battlefield bundle 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.

Bleeding Edge TV 513: Our #DigitallyDark Giveaway Winner!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cell Phones, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Software, Videocasts, Videos,

We announce the winner of our #DigitallyDark Absolute LoJack Premium Family Pack giveaway in this episode! Did you win?

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel--also, we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 513: Our #DigitallyDark Giveaway Winner!

Bleeding Edge TV 512: #DigitallyDark Results & Giveaway

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cell Phones, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Software, Videocasts, Videos,

We're giving away an Absolute LoJack Premium Family Pack--protect up to five of your mobile devices for a year with guaranteed recovery in the event of theft! We also talk about what happened when we went #DigitallyDark for 24 hours, giving up smartphones for a full day to see if we could do it. The results are in.

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel--also, we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 512: #DigitallyDark Results & Giveaway

Deal of the Day: 28% off the SmartPlane, a smartphone-controlled airplane

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Hot Deals, Wireless / WiFi,

Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we're offering a 28% discount on the SmartPlane. This is the world's first aircraft that is controlled by your smartphone, making it our Deal of the Day. You can use on-screen controls, or the accelerometer by tilting your device to steet the SmartPlane. It's made of durable EPP material, making it crash-proof, and Bluetooth Low Energy allows it to fly longer distances for a longer amount of time. You'll need an iPhone 4S or newer, 5th generation iPod touch, iPad 3 or newer, or an Android 4.3 device with Bluetooth Smart in order to fly one.

Save 28% on the SmartPlane

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.

Pre-order WWE 2K15 and get twice the Sting

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Fighting, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One,

Update: 2K Games has revealed the limited exclusive WWE 2K15 Hulkamania edition!

During the last episode of Monday Night Raw, it was revealed that the pre-order bonus for WWE 2K15 will be a double-dose of Sting. Wrestling fans in the 1980s and 1990s will remember Sting as both a blonde, spiky-haired grappler with colorful face paint, and later, the mysterious black-and-white character reminiscent of "The Crow."

When WWE 2K15 launches in North America on October 28th (and October 31st internationally,) those who pre-ordered will get both incarnations of the Sting character right off the bat, similar to what happened last year with The Ultimate Warrior in WWE 2K14. This will be the first WWE title available for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. You can order WWE 2K15 now.

Windows getting an all-new Start menu in future release, and here it is

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Rumors, Software,

One of the biggest complaints about Windows 8 is the lack of the Start button, but the feature is about to make a return with an overhauled look and feel. In the leaked screenshot above, you see the new Start menu, which incorporates Microsoft's tile design that you'll find it using across its product line in areas like Xbox, Windows Phone, Office, and of course, Windows itself.

As you see in the screenshot, there are tiles embedded into the Start menu for items like People, Mail, PC Settings, Calendar, Xbox, Camera, and more. We'd imagine that you'd be able to rearrange items, pin your favorites, and remove things you'd never use. Bringing back the Start menu could be seen as a big step back, with Microsoft succumbing to users who refuse to embrace change; others may see it as the company finally listening to user feedback and addressing those needs. The Start button is much more usable on a computer that doesn't have a touchscreen than the home screen version of the Start menu. No word on when the change will go public.

What do you think? Have you been waiting for the return of the Start button on the Windows 8 desktop?

Read More | MyDigitalLife

Will Cortana, the Windows Phone assistant, come to other smartphone platforms?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Microsoft, Software,

One of the more exciting aspects of Windows Phone 8.1 is the appearance of Cortana, a Siri-like voice-based personal assistant. We spent time talking to Microsoft's Marcus Ash about Cortana, and we asked him about the possibility of Cortana making its way over to other smartphone platforms like iOS and Android. After all, the demo we were given was impressive. According to Marcus, at first it'll be a focus that is part of Windows Phone, and that's the number one priority with Cortana.

To extend Cortana across the entire smartphone ecosystem, that's the part that Microsoft is still mulling over and figuring out. The question is "How do we get Android or iOS users that also use Windows to have a great Cortana experience?" As a company, Microsoft is putting work into solving the question, and it isn't afraid to put its apps on competing platforms. After all, there's Office on Android and iOS, Bing, and others. For our money, it makes a lot more sense for Microsoft to release Cortana across multiple ecosystems rather than tying the service down as a Windows Phone exclusive. It's not the kind of feature that sells phones (similarly, we don't think that Siri on its own sells iPhones, either.) As a cloud-powered service, is Cortana a Windows play or a service play? Time will tell.

Supreme Court to drop the hammer on Internet threats

Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Corporate News, Internet,

Anyone who has spent any time online has probably gotten a death threat or two. Maybe you were playing Call of Duty and some 11-year-old questioned your sexuality before telling you he'd kill your family. Maybe you offended the legions of desperate Tumblr bloggers in some arcane way and you woke up to a swarm of messages on your dash saying they would hack you and your dog apart with rusty machetes. You probably did what any reasonable person did and rolled your eyes and went about your day.

Statements and threats on the internet aren't usually taken seriously. Both the giver and the receiver are usually anonymous and the threat is usually over the top enough that you laugh and think nothing of it.

Well, the highest court in the United States might be ready to have the final word.

Click to continue reading Supreme Court to drop the hammer on Internet threats