Amazon Fire Phone will cost $199.99 with two-year contract, AT&T exclusive launches July 25

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Amazon unveiled the new Fire Phone this morning in Seattle, and we've since discovered that the new smartphone will sell for $199 with two-year contract as an AT&T exclusive for the 32GB model. If you'd rather get the 64GB version, that'll run you $299 on contract for the device that tracks you with its array of front-facing cameras. No word on how long the AT&T exclusive will last, but hopefully folks on Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint will be able to get in on the action soon enough.

The Fire Phone will be released on July 25th, and pre-orders start today. For a limited time, buyers will also get 12 months of Amazon Prime with purchase, which itself is a $99 value.

Read More | Amazon Fire Phone

Amazon announces the Fire Phone, available July 25th

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Amazon has announced its first smartphone, and it's called the Fire Phone. Jeff Bezos is still on stage giving us a rundown of the long-awaited device, but here's what we know about it so far:

• The Fire Phone sports a 4.7-inch display
• It's powered by a quad-core 2.2GHz processor, 2GB RAM, and an Adreno 330 graphics chip
• It sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization and an f/2.0 five element lens
• The Fire Phone uses a multi-camera array that powers its 3D user interface
• Dual stereo speakers which are aligned for landscape mode for watching media
• It ships with flat-cabled, tangle-free magnetic earbuds
• Owners of the Fire Phone get unlimited cloud storage of all the photos they take with the device in Amazon Cloud Drive (huge!)
• The Amazon Firefly feature allows you to use the phone to recognize over 100 million items, plus any text around you. You can then interact with it immediately, in a matter of seconds.
• Obviously, all Amazon services will be built in--Prime Video, Prime Music, Kindle, WhisperSync, and even the MayDay button for customer service
• The 32GB Fire Phone will cost $199 with two-year contract, and is exclusive to AT&T. You can get the 64GB version for $299.
• You can pre-order the Fire Phone now--it ships on July 25th and includes one-year of Amazon Prime

The Gear Live Deals shop is now live!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Features, Hot Deals, Software,

In an effort to bring you guys, our loyal readers, some of the best deals of gadgets, consumer technology, games, software, and more, we've launched the brand new Gear Live Deals shop! A few times a week, we'll pick out and feature a particularly flossy bargain that we think you should jump on, but of course, you're also free to simply head over to the Gear Live Deals store and simply shop around and grab whatever strikes your fancy.

Today, we're launching with the Name Your Own Price Mac Bundle. Name your own price for 3 apps, or beat the average price paid and get all 10 apps, which include the amazing Fantastical (one of my favorite Mac apps) and Path Finder 6, among many others.

We wanna hear what you think as well! Let us know what kind of products you'd like to see featured in the Gear Live Deals shop, and we'll do our best to get them in there and bring you even more tremendous value.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite Developer Preview 2 now available, here’s what’s new [Changelog]

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,

Earlier today Apple released iOS 8 beta 2, and a few minutes later, we now have OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 2 as well. Developers who are already running Yosemite can get the 1.16 GB update through the Mac App Store, while those who are looking to install it for the first time will need to log in to the Apple Developer Portal. As for the rest of the world, OS X Mavericks is set to launch this fall, bringing features like an all-new user interface, Continuity, and more to Apple's desktop operating system.

Click to continue reading OS X 10.10 Yosemite Developer Preview 2 now available, here’s what’s new [Changelog]

Apple releases iOS 8 beta 2 build 12A4297e to developers, download here!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

Apple has just released iOS 8 beta 2, which can be found in the Developer Portal right now. iOS 8 beta 2 build 12A4297e 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 2 today as well.

If you are a paid members of Apple's iOS developer program, here are the links for iOS 8 beta 2 downloads:

iPad:

• iPad Air (Model A1474)
• iPad Air (Model A1475)
• iPad mini (Model A1489)
• iPad mini (Model A1490)
• iPad (4th generation Model A1458)
• iPad (4th generation Model A1459)
• iPad (4th generation Model A1460)
• iPad mini (Model A1432)
• iPad mini (Model A1454)
• iPad mini (Model A1455)
• iPad Wi-Fi 3rd generation
• iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for ATT)
• iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for Verizon)
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi (Rev A)
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (GSM)
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (CDMA)

iPhone:

• iPhone 5s (Model A1453, A1533)
• iPhone 5s (Model A1457, A1518, A1528, A1530)
• iPhone 5c (Model A1456, A1532)
• iPhone 5c (Model A1507, A1516, A1526, A1529)
• iPhone 5 (Model A1428)
• iPhone 5 (Model A1429)
• iPhone 4s
• iPhone 4 (GSM)
• iPhone 4 (GSM Rev A)
• iPhone 4 (CDMA)

iPod touch:

• iPod touch (5th generation)

Click to continue reading Apple releases iOS 8 beta 2 build 12A4297e to developers, download here!

Chris Weber interview: The future of device branding for Windows Phone

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Features, Handhelds, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Software,

Chris Weber is the CVP of Mobile Devices Sales at Microsoft, re-joining the company through it's purchase of Nokia, where he was in charge of global sales. He knows his way around every Lumia device, and is now aiming to make sure that Windows Phone first-party hardware is an even player at the devices table. We were able to sit down with Chris to talk about Nokia, Lumia, Windows Phone, and what changes need to be made in order to realize the success he is seeking. Check out the full interview below:

When is Windows Phone 8.1 coming out?
The answer varies by device and operator. The Lumia 630 and 635 are the first 8.1 products, launched internationally. We’re also working with our current products, and any Windows 8 phone is upgradeable to 8.1. There is currently a developer preview, but the operator version requires further testing. 8.1 is a completely different experience. Things like the background wallpaper, increased customization, and especially Cortana, which is one of the best features.

There are key differences between Cortana and similar services on other devices. It proactively learns. The other day I was flying to Moscow. The week before, it asked if it wanted me to track my flight to Moscow. There is a link that says "Do you want to know how I knew that?" Cortana looked at my calendar and started looking up flight numbers. It also has geo-fencing. You can say "Remind me that Ignacio owes me $100." I can say remind me when I send an email, when I arrive home, etc. Or "Remind me to pick up my dry cleaning" and when you get in the area, the message pops up. "Remind me to pick up milk at the grocery store” and you get the choice of having it remind you when you are near any grocery store, not just one specific one.

Back to being on the plane, I said "Remind me to download the music for guitar when I get home." It's really, really good. Flow writing, which is similar to Swype, means I can do emails faster on my phone than on the keyboard now. I got a new phone and it wasn't running 8.1 and the hunt and peck was tough!

Click to continue reading Chris Weber interview: The future of device branding for Windows Phone

Microsoft to integrate Kinect-like motion control into Windows Phone

Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Microsoft, Software, Video Games,

Microsoft has an ambitious new idea to set themselves apart from Android and iOS. They want to install their video game motion sensor technology in an upcoming Windows Phone. Tom Warren of The Verge says that Microsoft insiders have slipped him some elusive information on the new phone.

The goal is to eliminate as many buttons and screen swipes as possible from the new phone. It should be able to answer a call simply by holding it up to your ear and end a call when it is dropped into a pocket. Place it on the table to put it on speaker, wave a hand in front of the screen to dismiss alerts, and push buttons without touching the phone, these are the feats that Warren says the phone will be capable of.

The 3D features, as they are being called, are not unique to Microsoft. Amazon is purportedly going to reveal a similar device June 18th. Eliminating screen smudges is cool, but I am not certain if I would be willing to buy a whole new phone to do it though. Given that the Kinect didn't sell consoles on its own merit, I am skeptical if it will do so in the even more competitive smartphone market.

Still, if the 3D sensor allows me a full size keyboard without taking up any real space, it might just be worth a glance.

Apple posts video of OS X Yosemite redesign [Video]

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Design, PC / Laptop, Software, Videos,

Apple has posted the OS X Yosemite design video that it showed during the WWDC 2014 keynote, which shows a bunch of the new features and design elements found in OS X 10.10. In case you haven't seen WWDC (although you can watch the WWDC 2014 keynote video in its entirety,) this video covers the larger design language updates, and the more subtle changes to the dock, icons, traffic light buttons, etc. It also gives a look at the new AirDrop functionality, Finder, Messages, Notification Center, and all the rest of the OS X new hotness.

You can check out the video after the jump.

Click to continue reading Apple posts video of OS X Yosemite redesign [Video]

LG G3 sports best-in-class smartphone battery life

Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds,

The unlimited leaks surrounding the LG G3 left little to the imagination. We got a very in depth look at the massive smartphone, with a quad-core processor boasting 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, and 5.5-inch 2K display. Very impressive numbers. Those are the kind of systems that consume a lot of power.

Power has always been the greatest limitation of electronic devices, but the G3 is certainly pushing those limits. It boasts the kind of battery life you'd expect from a tablet, weighing in at 8 hours and fifty minutes. This beats out the 8 hours and 20 minutes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia's 8 hours and 10 quite handily. My iPhone gives me about five.

It also takes the lead in charge time. From empty to full the G3 finished its tests in 120 minutes, two faster than the next fastest (the S5 again). The Xperia took close to four hours.

LG has not revealed all their secrets regarding the G3, but they say they have replaced a lot of metal on the insides with graphite, as well as implemented adaptive frame rate based on the phone's usage.​

Skype completely redesigns iPhone app

Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Social Networking, App Updates, Free Apps,

Skype has decided to overhaul its iOS app, bringing it to version 5.0. Recently, the communications company has been upgrading its mobile app for other platforms, namely Android and Windows Phone, but until now Apple has been left behind.

The first thing you might notice is the new interface. They have completely changed the looks to bring it in line with the newer iOS design language. The next thing is the software changes. You can now start group chats directly from the central hub and don't have to wait until a friends is online before you can message them. Apparently offline messaging was something that was only developed in 2014.

Skype 5.0 also has some software upgrades that are not obvious upon opening the app. It is better at synching your messages between devices and has had its coding redesigned to work up to five times faster, according to a teaser video released Monday evening.

But after tempting you with all the upgrades and good news, Skype is going to leave you hanging. It will be another week before the new Skype for the iPhone is released to the public.

Read More | Skype for iPhone