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- Rumor: Upcoming Motorola “X” is not just one phone, but a new line of devices
- Featured Android App Review: Get Free Apps [Entertainment]
- The Samsung Galaxy S 4 isn’t about the specs, it’s about the features and marketing
- JK Shin takes time to highlight there’s no demand for Windows-based products and Samsung/Google are BFFs
- Buy An HTC One, Get $100 Visa Gift Card Deal Extended Through April 4
- Blackberry introduces its topnotch security software to Android
- Facebook updates their Android app… without using the Play Store
- Samsung Game Pad Accessory Hints At 6.3″ Galaxy Note III
- Samsung Galaxy S 4 Bypasses Carriers With Latest NFC Technology
- Phones4U say that pre-registrations for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 now 40% greater than Galaxy S III
| Rumor: Upcoming Motorola “X” is not just one phone, but a new line of devices Posted: 15 Mar 2013 11:44 AM PDT
You know about that mysterious Motorola X smartphone that we’ve been hearing more and more about? Well it’s possible that it’s a codename for not one smartphone, but rather the first of many smartphones. Rumor has it that Google is considering looking at other manufacturers line and introducing an X line of smartphones— kind of Samsung’s Galaxy or LG’s Optimus lines. Not only does this unify Motorola’s product line, but it also guarantees more cohesive product support for customers. For example, the first phone in this “X” line “will guarantee at least one "full Android version" update after the purchase of the phone” that is handled directly by Oh and the news doesn’t stop there folks. Rumor also has it that this new “X” phone or line will be sold through “an unnamed online store”— which almost certainly points to the fact it will be sold in the Play Store for the masses, which by the way will be sold at a heavily subsidized priced like the Nexus 4 in order to get interest from consumers. And finally— the mysterious device(s) will be completely customizable by allowing the device’s color, RAM and internal storage to be completely configurable. Again this is pure rumor and speculation, but you can’t help but be giddy at the idea that this is the direction that the Motorola brand is potentially about to take. Maybe that rumored smartphone we saw a few days ago may hold more weight than we’d previously thought…. source: Unwired View
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| Featured Android App Review: Get Free Apps [Entertainment] Posted: 15 Mar 2013 11:08 AM PDT
I remember many moons ago, I used to wake up in the morning and one of the first things I would do is check what the free app of the day was in the Amazon appstore. After some time, I got fed up because I didn’t like having to worry about installing the Amazon appstore on all my devices. In other words, I would rather pay a couple of bucks to grab it from the official Google Play Store. This way all my apps are in one place and I get updates timely. Well if you’re like me, but you still like the occasional Free deal, you might want to check out Get Free Apps from OnaDevice. Get Free Apps features paid apps that you can download for Free from the Google Play Store. There is one catch, and it’s a small one. You have to still pay for it up front, but they will refund you the purchase price via Paypal. So in a sense, it’s a rebate, but one in which you really don’t have to submit anything, it happens automatically and fast. Your “refund” will hit your Paypal account within 20 minutes of purchasing the app in Google Play.
The app is very easy to use. Upon opening it, the Current tab will be visible along with the app of the day. You can also go to the Next tab, which will show you the apps that will be featured soon. The last tab is the Settings area and this is where you need to agree to the terms and to enter your Paypal email address. This is for receiving payments so don’t worry, you don’t need to provide a password or anything like that. Going back to the Current Tab, at the bottom left, it will tell you the Play Store purchase price along with a line through it to symbolize that it will be Free for you. You will also see how many people grabbed the deal. There is a limited number of transactions, but right now they aren’t showing what that limit is. Obviously if it’s still available, the limit hasn’t been met. If you want the app, just tap “Download for free” at the bottom. You will get a message saying that it has been added to your queue and to proceed to the Play Store to make your purchase. After you make your purchase, just go back to the app and it will ask you if you made your purchase. You can click “yes” and you will receive a full refund of the purchased price in your Paypal account as well as a notification that it took place. The best part of all of this is you have a record of owning the app through the Google Play Store, so you will get the updates just like everyone else, and you’re free to re-download it to other devices. I’ve already tested it with two different apps, and I received the refund at just about 20 minutes from the time I made the Google Play purchase. Nothing could be easier, and when the featured app changes you will get a notification so you don’t have to keep checking. Right now, the app is at it’s infancy so unfortunately you won’t find deals on a daily basis, but instead, they might last a couple of days. As the app grows in popularity, you should find the featured apps to change more often. Examples of apps that have been featured is Asphalt 7, Where’s My Water, and Where’s My Perry. Today’s app is Angry Birds Premium and upcoming apps will include Falcon Pro, Cut the Rope, and 3D Mini Golf Challenge. You might be asking how OnaDevice is able to do this? They simply partner with the developers that want to promote their app in this manner. That’s where the limits come into play because a particular developer might limit the number of downloads. As you might imagine the app itself is also Free so give it a shot. It’s one of those apps that you leave on your device and only open once in a while. You simply wait for the notifications, and if the Free app of that day interests you, than grab it. If not, you simply wait for the next deal. Either way, it won’t cost you a cent, and over time you will have grabbed yourself some Free apps in the process. Take a look at their video below and hit one of the download links to get started. As always, let me know what you think, App instructions per OnaDevice
     Click here to view the embedded video.
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| The Samsung Galaxy S 4 isn’t about the specs, it’s about the features and marketing Posted: 15 Mar 2013 10:51 AM PDT
You have to hand it to Samsung really. After getting the public to generate unprecedented buzz and pandemonium, Samsung certainly brought in the Galaxy S 4 with a bang thanks to its snazzy Unpacked 2013: Episode I event. Heck— the buzz and excitement caused not one, but two competitors to try and pour salt in Sammy’s coffee, yet Sammy wasn’t deterred. As opposed to the traditional unveilings and demos that we’re used to seeing at keynote events, Samsung instead thought about doing something ummm, “unique” or “different” to say the least by providing a variety of skits, dances and literally theatrics to introduce its new flagship. More importantly, Samsung used its brand name to be out of the box in comparison to its competitors: go into the heart of the Broadway, use one of the world’s largest stages complete with an orchestra, an MC and some sweet live performances to introduce something that is “unique” and different”. While those of us in attendance were quite impressed (and believe us, Rob Nazarian & I were certainly entertained at the event)— the Galaxy S 4 certainly poses a significant observation of not just the Galaxy S 4, but Samsung as a brand as we know it: Samsung is utilizing the features and more importantly— the marketing of its products to sell its brand. Make no mistake about it: Samsung has made a serious transition going from what was known as a relatively unknown Korean brand to a wannabe Apple competitor to what is perhaps the most exciting and controversial brand to date. The scary thing is this— not only is the transition a success, but everyone else is now playing catchup in terms of brand recognition and excitement.
Let’s start off with the basics of why Samsung is focusing on its software and features that distinguish itself from the competition. As you’re already aware, the Galaxy S 4 smartphone comes with internals that have been seen in most, if not all other flagship phones already including the full 1080p display, 2 gigs of RAM and a quad-core processor (save for the octa-core processor to be found in select variants of the device). If you paid close attention to the Unpacked event, Samsung spent no more than 5 or so minutes highlighting the hardware and internal of the device, but instead spent over 45 minutes highlighting all the bells and whistles of its unique feature set. For example, Samsung spent an extraordinary amount of time highlighting its Sound and Shoot feature which more or less allows users to record audio clips to compliment any image that is taken with a smartphone— to the average user, this is something that is probably going to be useless, but Samsung spent a great amount of time and energy to make the feature truly compelling and meaningful… even if it’s not in reality. Another example is the fact that Sammy also took an extraordinary amount of time highlighting its revamped S Voice Drive feature– which is more or less a combination of bits and pieces of Apple’s Siri, Google’s Maps/Now/Navigation app and its original S Voice feature to make what supposed to be the most revolutionary and complete hands-free while driving app to date. I’ve only given two examples of what the Galaxy S 4 has to offer, but here’s a complete rundown of the Galaxy S 4′s feature set that was showcased at some point at yesterday’s announcement:
Samsung couldn’t have pulled off showcasing the compelling needs for the smartphone’s features without its topnotch research and marketing department. Don’t forget folks— Samsung isn’t afraid of spending money on its research and marketing departments— and it shows. Take a look at not just its extensive “4″ marketing campaign, but its highly successful campaign last year showcasing its Galaxy S III smartphone. While Apple spent an enormous amount of time and resources participating in a major legal battle against Samsung, Samsung instead spent an enormous amount of time highlighting what its Galaxy S III could do that the Apple iPhone couldn’t at the time, such as utilize true 4G LTE and enjoying the ability to share personal items with the simple tap of the device. The result is not only a Samsung loyal following that grew from this, but many iPhone users as well as other Android brand users jumping straight to the Samsung ship as well. The Korean giant spends an enormous amount of time observing the trends and seeing what people really want and the Galaxy S 4 as well as upcoming products are a reflection of that notion. So are the Galaxy S 4 and future Samsung products a reflection of cutting edge technology and innovation? Well no… not really. But that isn’t Samsung’s gameplan at this point. Samsung is taking aim at the general consumer at this point and showcasing how its products differ from the competition, even if it’s something we’ve already seen before. There’s a bigger picture too with Samsung’s plan: by doing this strategy, Samsung is using its marketing and special features in its devices to slowly distance itself not only from Apple and other Android manufacturers— but Google itself. If the other brands haven’t paid much attention before, they may want to start doing so soon, very soon.
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| Posted: 15 Mar 2013 10:09 AM PDT
JK Shin may have been pretty excited about the Galaxy S 4 launch yesterday, but he doesn’t seem to be quite as enthusiastic about Sammy’s Windows-based smartphones. As highlighted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Shin clearly indicates that:
While he took some time to clearly express what we’ve all been thinking all along with Windows-based products, he also took some time to reiterate its partnership with Google and put to rest any potential rumors out there by stating that “we like Android and we plan to continue our good relations with Google. I don’t think it’s correct to say that there’s friction”. So there you have it folks— Samsung is content with Android, knows the market well and will continue to do its best to innovate and grow as a brand. source: Wall Street Journal
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| Buy An HTC One, Get $100 Visa Gift Card Deal Extended Through April 4 Posted: 15 Mar 2013 10:01 AM PDT
HTC is wanting the launch of their One smartphone to be a success and has extended a special deal through April 4. For consumers in the market for a new phone, when you sign up online and buy the HTC One, you’ll receive a $100 Visa pre-paid gift card in the mail. To fully qualify, you’re required to send in your old smartphone and proof of One purchase. HTC doesn’t say how long it’ll take for the gift card to arrive, but you can likely expect at least several weeks after mailing your old phone and proof of purchase. Does this deal entice you to buy the new HTC One or are you more interested in another phone?
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| Blackberry introduces its topnotch security software to Android Posted: 15 Mar 2013 09:51 AM PDT
Those of you who are looking to get a more secure device can look forward to something new and exciting from Blackberry. It has announced that it plans on bringing its Secure Work Space for Android devices in June, which should bode well for those of you who happen to hear about a little something called Samsung Knox, but want to stay with your existing smartphones. In case you’re not familiar, Secure Work Space is a security solution that allows enterprise customers to separate and secure both work and personal data on employee smartphones— effectively creating a work profile completely independent of a personal profile that’s all on one device. The great thing is that the product is completely managed by BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, which frees users from the need of having to use separate phones or complicated virtual networks. No word on the cost yet, but further details will probably be out before you know it. source: AllThingsD
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| Facebook updates their Android app… without using the Play Store Posted: 15 Mar 2013 09:43 AM PDT
We always love updates for our apps, especially when they bring drastic changes for the better. Facebook’s newest update is definitely a big change, but it’s also pretty weird. Instead of getting the prompt to update your app from the Play Store, users are beginning to see a notification from within the Facebook app itself letting you know there’s an update available. The app then updates from within itself, no Play Store required. It’s a weird approach to take, especially for a major application like Facebook. Although, with Google’s foray into the world of social networking and web integration with Google Plus, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to see Facebook attempt to distance themselves from their competitor’s market. As far as the update goes, it’s actually pretty minor. It includes the ability to change profile photos from within the app, and you can now hide and mark postss as spam. It also comes with a new permission to allow the app to auto-update itself. According to Facebook’s support center, that’ll only happen over WiFi, but I’m not sure this is a direction everyone is going to be comfortable with. Anyway, we’d give you a Play Store link in the source and tell you to go download the app, but, uh… I guess that doesn’t work anymore. So let us know in the comments if your Facebook app source: Facebook
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| Samsung Game Pad Accessory Hints At 6.3″ Galaxy Note III Posted: 15 Mar 2013 09:21 AM PDT
Last night’s Samsung Unpacked event unveiled the Galaxy S 4 and one accessory, the Game Pad, caught gamers’ interest. Looking very reminiscent of an Xbox 360 controller, the Game Pad can attach to the S 4 for better game play on the phone’s 5-inch 1080p HD display. What’s particularly interesting though is that it works with devices up to 6.3 inches. If you’ve been following news around the Galaxy Note III, you’ll remember that it’s rumored to have a 6.3 inch Full HD display. We’re still months away from hearing anything concrete about the Note III, but in the meantime, you can check out the video below of the Samsung Game Pad in action. Click here to view the embedded video. Source: Samsung
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| Samsung Galaxy S 4 Bypasses Carriers With Latest NFC Technology Posted: 15 Mar 2013 08:37 AM PDT
NFC payment technology is on the cutting edge and Samsung has implemented Visa payWave into the Galaxy S 4 which completely bypasses carriers. Visa payWave works by storing encrypted payment information on an embedded secure element within the phone versus storing payment information on your SIM card. Samsung claims the Galaxy S 4 is the world’s first device to do this with Visa payWave. NFC payment services like Google Wallet have had issues with carriers, Verizon being the largest. Back in December, the carrier delayed approval of Google Wallet while not surprisingly developing their own mobile payment service, Isis. Samsung seems to have been aware of carriers interfering and has developed a better way for users to pay with their smartphones. Source: CNET UK
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| Phones4U say that pre-registrations for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 now 40% greater than Galaxy S III Posted: 15 Mar 2013 08:14 AM PDT
One thing you can’t argue about is the success Samsung has enjoyed with the Galaxy S and Note line. Each newer version has always exceeded the results of the previous version, and it doesn’t look like that will change with the Galaxy S 4. One UK retailer, Phones4U, says that pre-registrations are going through the roof. In fact, they are seeing a 40% increase over what they experienced with the Galaxy S III, and it has only been 48 hours since they opened pre-registrations. “The anticipation surrounding the next Samsung Galaxy has been astounding and it has already received the most pre-registrations as Phones 4U of any other smartphone launch in 2013,” said Scott Hooton, Chief Commercial Officer at Phones 4U. He also went on to say that it could be the “biggest selling smartphone of 2013.” It doesn’t seem limited to Phones4U as EE is seeing some action. ”The interest we’ve received from consumers and businesses has almost reached fever-pitch levels,” said Paul Jevons, Director of Products and Devices at EE. source: TechRadar
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