15 Months 2012/13 HD Calendar Wild Flowers by Robert Plantfield

Cupertino, California – iPad and iPhone users who want to bring their device’s Retina display to life in gorgeous HD, can now download the 15 Months HD 2012/2013 Calendar Wild Flowers by Robert Plantfield, and keep track of their dates and appointments while enjoying stunning photographs that will transport them into a world of artistic beauty. Created by Menzel Apps, 15 Months HD 2012/2013 Calendar Wild Flowers by Robert Plantfield features:

* 15 stunning HD photos from Robert Plantfield – one for each month
* A complete calendar for 2013, plus bonus months in 2012 (November/December) and 2014 (January)
* An elegantly simple user interface that takes seconds to master
* The ability to use any photo as the device’s wallpaper simply by clicking the “share” button
* The option to view the calendar on either the Home or Lock screen
* A special iPhone version that is optimized for iPhone 5

Plus, both iPad and iPhone users will cheer the fact that, for a limited time to celebrate the app’s introduction, it’s offered at half price.

“In our fast-paced digital world, we can sometimes lose sight of the beauty that surrounds us,” commented Lars Menzel of Menzel Apps. “Our app lets iPad and iPhone users enjoy truly breathtaking photos by Robert Plantfield, while they access a handy 2013 calendar that includes bonus months in 2012 and 2014. It’s a wonderful, inspiring and fun way to keep an eye on the days, weeks and months ahead, while gazing at beautiful photos anytime, and anywhere.”

15 Months HD 2012/2013 Calendar Wild Flowers by Robert Plantfield, the new calendar app featuring HD artwork optimized for the iPad’s Retina display, is available now from iTunes, along with a separate iPhone version.

Based in Germany, Menzel Apps is new media design and development firm that is driven to create apps that are visually stunning, conveniently functional, and easy-to- use. The firm’s first app, 15 Months 2012/13 Calendar Wild Flowers by Robert Plantfield, is available on iTunes for both iPad (HD) and iPhone. Copyright (C) 2012 Menzel Apps. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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iStopMotion for iPad 2 Is Here and You’re Going to Like the Sound of It

Puchheim, Germany – Arriving just in time for the holidays, iStopMotion for iPad 2 gives moviemakers of all ages and skill levels new audio tools to make their animations sound even better. New iStopMotion audio capabilities mimic the ingenuity of the platform that hosts it, the iPad, providing a variety of ways to incorporate sound and flex your creative genius.

“In the 10 years since we launched iStopMotion for the Mac, we have crossed boundaries and pushed ourselves and the available technology to the limit,” said Oliver Breidenbach, CEO, Boinx Software. “From its inception in 2002 to the latest incarnation, iStopMotion has captured people’s imagination and garnered critical acclaim. Being named one of the Best Apps of 2012 by the Mac App Store is proof that creating stop motion movies is more relevant and popular than ever, and that makes us very proud. The launch of iStopMotion for iPad 2 is the next step in our success story, adding the second most important moviemaking feature to the app – sound. What is a movie without sound, after all? To top it all off, we’re celebrating 10 years with 10 days of insane discounts for iStopMotion for iPad and iStopMotion for Mac.”

No matter where it comes from – iTunes, Dropbox, the highly popular music website SoundCloud or another iPad app – iStopMotion for iPad 2 provides the workspace and toolbox to manage audio easily, including a sound waveform in the Timeline. Users can record soundtracks directly in the app before capturing animations, dub them after the fact or import pre-recorded soundtracks. The brand new Navigator displays the complete animation at a glance, letting moviemakers scrub through frames easily. With better control and more sound effects, users can convey the full emotion of their animation whether it is a drama, comedy or thriller.

New Features in iStopMotion for iPad 2

Step Inside the App and Get Lost in the Music:
Animators can now record audio right inside iStopMotion for iPad, either before capturing frames or after while watching the clips play back. Already have the script written? Record it into iStopMotion for iPad 2 then animate frames to the soundtrack. Or work vice versa. The app provides ultimate control over recording, including an option to limit the sound bite to the length of the current clip and an audio reader displaying the audio signal coming into the iPad. By default, the app uses the iPad’s built-in microphone, but animators can use any microphone or other sound input device compatible with the iPad. Preview the sound to ensure it’s just right, then enjoy watching and listening to your original masterpiece.

An Endless Supply of Audio:
With music libraries overflowing with songs, a multitude of programs to create original music and sound effects galore available on the Internet, we’re inundated with sound. Now, iStopMotion for iPad provides even more ways of importing those external audio files into a stop motion animation or time lapse film. In addition to pulling in music from the iPad’s Music Library, animators can import music or a pre-recorded soundtrack from Dropbox or SoundCloud, or copy audio files prepared on a computer to iStopMotion for iPad 2 via iTunes File Sharing. iPad pros can even use a separate app, like djay from Algoriddim, to create audio and open it in iStopMotion.

Help Along the Way is Music To Your Ears:
Getting started, iStopMotion for iPad’s “Working with Audio” guide will assist all moviemakers with adding in sound, whether they’re recording audio within the app or importing it from one of its many sources. After audio is recorded, an audio waveform appears on top of the animation’s timeline. With a visual representation of their movie’s sound, animators can easily recognize significant events in the soundtrack, making it easy to match sound with the animation. Imported audio files are automatically stored in iStopMotion for iPad’s audio library for future use.

Get the Full Picture With a Brand New Navigator:
iStopMotion for iPad 2 now features a Navigator in addition to the classic Timeline, which displays the full animation from start to finish at a glance. Animators can click and drag the Navigator’s slider to scrub through clips or quick-jump to specific scenes by tapping the desired section. The Navigator can also be hidden to provide a larger workspace for animating.

Special Pricing and Availability:
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the iStopMotion product family, for a limited time only, iStopMotion for iPad 2 is available from the App Store for just 4.99 USD (regularly 9.99 USD) or as a free upgrade for existing users. Its companion app, iStopMotion Remote Camera, is also available now from the App Store for free. Give the gift of animation by gifting iStopMotion for iPad 2 to friends and family. iStopMotion for the Mac is also on sale for just 19.99 USD. But hurry! Special pricing for both apps ends December 28th! Members of the media are invited to review iStopMotion for iPad 2. For more information, please contact Anya Oskolkova.

Boinx Software Ltd. is located in Puchheim, near Munich, Germany. Boinx Software develops award-winning animation, video production and photography software for the Mac(R) platform and iOS devices including the iPhone, iPad and iPod. Boinx iStopMotion, available for Mac and iPad, is the leading solution for stop motion animation and time-lapse capture, used by many thousands of enthusiastic animators at home, in schools, in advertising agencies and professional animation studios. iStopMotion for the Mac was named one of the Best Apps of 2012 on the Mac App Store. Boinx FotoMagico, winner of two Apple Design Awards – “Best Mac OS X Leopard Graphics and Media Application Runner-up 2008? and “Best Mac OS X User Experience Runner-up 2006? – is a presentation tool for professional photographers. BoinxTV, winner of the “Apple Design Award 2009,” is revolutionary live production software that turns any Mac into a TV studio. Boinx PhotoPresenter, winner of the Apple Design Award 2005 “Best Mac OS X Student Product,” is a quick slideshow tool with a variety of pre-built templates. Boinx Mousepose is the indispensable mouse pointer-highlighting tool for users developing presentations, training or demos.

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Holidays are… Ruined? New Coca-Cola Christmas ad fixes what wasn’t broke

There are certain televisual events throughout the year that really signpost the seasons. When X Factor starts you know it’ll soon be getting dark at 4pm, but the real sign that Christmas is round the corner is when you first see the trucks come over the hill, and ‘Holidays are comin’’ bellow out of your TV. This is the way of things, so is it unwise of Coca-Cola to mess with the formula with a new ad?

Ad agency McCann Madrid has just unveiled a new Christmas campaign for the omnipresent red-labelled drink. The company’s Leandro Raposo says: “In a year like this one, we wanted to highlight the elements of Christmas that are even more magical and relevant than the traditional ones.”

Not really sure what’s meant by ‘in a year like this one’, but – nonetheless – here’s the news ad:

Now, we know that the traditional Coke ad isn’t formatted for widescreen and is getting on a bit, but there’s still no real need to replace it with something new when it’s liked as much as it is. Especially when it’s as cringeworthy as McCann Madrid’s effort, and has such a trashy song attached to it.

EE reboots Fenton for new ad

People don’t like change, and this is a big one. Coca-Cola’s already been showing the old ‘Holidays’ ad this year, but are its days numbered? With the new campaign rolling out across 100 countries from today, the status quo looks set for a shakeup. Let us know your thoughts on the new ad below, but we predict a fallout.

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Giveaway: Kindle Fire HD + HTC One V + AUVIO Elite Series headphones

As promised, we're continuing with the giveaways this month with yet another one made possible thanks to the awesome folks from RadioShack! This week's giveaway will make one of our readers extremely happy thanks to the marvelous bundle we've prepared for them, which includes a tablet, a smartphone and a pair of quality headphones to make every experience with the new gadgets even better.

This week's not-so-humble bundle consists of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, HTC One V and AUVIO Elite Series headphones! Here, let us help you visualize it:

But before we get to the real deal, let us inform you about some pretty cool promotions that RadioShack is running this holiday season. For starters, customers will receive $10 back for every $50 they spend on in-store or online purchases!

In addition, RadioShack is running sweepstakes on its Facebook page until the 30th of this month, allowing you to win weekly prizes, plus a grand prize consisting of a $5,000 shopping spree. To enter the "Wish It to Win It" sweepstakes, you just need to like RadioShack's Facebook page!

For a chance to win the Kindle Fire HD + One V + AUVIO Elite Series headphones, you just need to post a comment answering the following question: What fits your lifestyle better: a smartphone or a tablet? Why?
For more awesome giveaways like this one and tons of coverage every day, be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter: Follow @PhoneArena!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
We'll randomly select one lucky reader next Wednesday, December 26. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our third RadioShack giveaway that will launch on December 24, with another awesome prize combo attached to it!

We wish you luck!

Giveaway terms:

By entering this promotion, participants agree to be bound by these terms and that the decision of Phone Arena is final and binding in all matters relating to this promotion.The draw is open only to USA residents aged 18 or over, other than employees of phonearena.com, its agencies or their families.Phone Arena reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if this is necessary for reasons beyond its control. No cash alternative to the prize will be offered.Phone Arena reserves the right to re-draw the prize if the prize-winner does not reply within three days after being contacted.Phone Arena accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this prize draw or by the entrant's acceptance of the prize.Phone Arena reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose this Free Prize Draw without prior notice in the event of unforeseen circumstances, which make this unavoidable.

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Will you be doing any last minute phone shopping?

lifestyle Samsung Galaxy Note II Black 16GB Samsung Galaxy Note II Marble White 16GB Samsung Galaxy Note II Silver 16GB Samsung Galaxy Note II Titanium Gray 16GB Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Blue Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Amber Brown Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB White Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Garnet Red Nokia Lumia 920 Black Nokia Lumia 920 High Gloss Red Nokia Lumia 920 White Nokia Samsung Sprint T-Mobile

Just as quickly as the holidays come around every year, they seem to leave just as fast. With the holiday season officially coming to an end in less than two weeks, the sales will start to grow few and far in between. However, many sales are still going on and some continue to pop up here and there. Will you be taking advantage of these last minute sales?

Some would consider it risky to wait last minute for sales, but sometimes you can find the best sales by waiting to do so – especially if you don’t plan on getting some of the products that are high in demand. While Apple products and higher end Android and Windows devices are safer to secure earlier on in the holiday season, you can still manage to snag some great deals of these devices and more.

Samsung in particular seems to have some serious discount fever this year. The Samsung Galaxy Note II will be available from Amazon (for new customers only) for $99.99. The Samsung Galaxy Note II is very popular right now, topping the charts at number one in both the People’s and Expert’s Choice Rankings here at PhoneDog’s Official Smartphone Rankings this week. The 16GB Samsung Galaxy S III for Sprint is on sale for new Sprint customers for just $0.01 through Amazon (existing customers eligible for upgrade can get the device for $49.99 through Amazon as well). Best Buy is also getting in on the Samsung Galaxy S III deals by hosting numerous sales for the device this season, although none to report on at this very moment. The last sale they held for the device was for $49.99 on December 16, so hopefully we can see another sale from them sometime soon, just in case you didn’t catch it.

Samsung isn’t the only manufacturer hosting sales, of course. The Nokia Lumia line has been receiving some love this season as well with many sales being devoted to the line of devices. Some variants of the Nokia Lumia 920 for AT&T are on sale at Amazon right now for just $39.99 for new customers – a great deal for a high end phone like this. These variants include the black, red, and white versions of the Windows Phone 8 device.

If you’re not interested in purchasing a smartphone, there are often plenty of messaging and flip devices that also go on sale this time of the year, many of which are free or come at a very low cost. Messaging phones and flip phones are great gifts for kids – or anybody looking for something more basic. Messaging phones do offer some great qualities such as long-lasting battery life (they can actually last for days without having to be charged) and easy navigation. Most messaging phones offer data services like web-browsing and navigation, so if you have a family data package that you would like to share with somebody these services can also be used on messaging phones.

If you’re not sure exactly which device you’d like to purchase, if any, some providers are hosting their own sales that include multiple manufacturers or styles of phones. T-Mobile is tipped to have a sale starting on December 21 that’s set to include several discounted phones, some of them starting at $0 down (after mail-in rebate). However, there are specifications to attaining a phone at this bargain of a price, including a specific phone plan to be attached to the device with certain features, so make sure to read up on how to qualify before making any purchases.

Have you waited last minute to do shopping this holiday season, or did you get all of your phone shopping done early? Are there any phones you’d like to see on sale before the holiday season comes to an end? Let me know in the comments! 

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Anna was born and raised in Kansas City, which ironically is not located in Kansas, but in neighboring Missouri. She has an ornery son named Riley, who may or may not be more obsessed with technology than she is. Her passions include writing, drawing, music, and of course - cell phones! She has ghost written over 300 articles, and is a serial cell phone hoarder. - full profile

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Andy Samberg the latest celeb to do a Windows Phone ad

If the iPhone can get away with bragging about "noise cancellation microphones", then WP can exaggerate Word a little.

Not sure why all the negative comments on this ad. It wasn't hilarious, but everyone under 30 knows Mr. Sandberg and the ad will play well to his fans.

As to all the exclusive 920 slams in the comments above me: Point conceded. While I am sure HTC thanks Nokia and AT&T for their cooperation, customers interested in WP lose out. Kinda stupid.

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Barnes & Noble NOOK HD+ Review

Introduction:

So the Barnes & Noble NOOK HD isn’t enough of a tablet for you, huh? Well, you’re in luck because Barnes & Noble has a full-sized tablet offering in the NOOK HD+, which is expected to tangle against some of the big names in the category – like the Google Nexus 10, Apple iPad 4, and Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9. Recognized as being the lightest 9-inch tablet with a 1080p display on board, its other main attraction is no doubt the immaculate $270 price point attached to it. Based on that, it’s undeniable that it’ll turn heads everywhere, but as always, it’ll require a good balance between features and functionality to stay afloat as a respectable contender.

The package contains: Proprietary USB cableWall ChargerQuick Start Guide
Design:

Strange to say, the NOOK HD+ looks more like the NOOK TABLET from last year than its 7-inch sibling in the NOOK HD. In fact, it’s employing some of the distinct design characteristics from last year’s model – such as the lanyard spot on the lower left corner. As much as it’s a unique characteristic that defines it as a NOOK, we find it rather impractical because its larger size doesn’t fit the mold of something we’d want to tether to us. Still, we’ll admit that it’s extremely light weight (1.13 lbs) and comfortable to hold on its side with a single hand. And just like its sibling, it’s utilizing an all-plastic construction, which is decent at best, but maintains a clean appearance thanks to the soft touch matte casing of its rear. Overall, there’s a bit more appeal with its design over the NOOK HD, but it’s nothing spectacular to tell you the truth over other things.

Yet again defining it as a NOOK, there’s a physical “n” button below the screen, which is responsive and gets you back to the homescreen when pressed. On one hand, the power button is located in an ideal spot on the right edge of the tablet, but it’s a bit awkward to find the volume control located in close proximity on the top edge. Even though they’re springy in response, they’re rather indistinct to the touch due to their flat looks. Along the top trim as well, we spot its 3.5mm headset jack and microphone – while on the bottom edge, we locate the LED charging light, proprietary charging/data port, and microSD card slot that’s hidden behind a plastic flap. In the rear, there’s a single speaker grill that’s located on the bottom left corner – with the giant sized “n” logo etched squarely in the middle. Unfortunately, there are no cameras whatsoever with this one too, which means it’s lacking video-chatting functionality at the very least that many of its closest rivals offer.
Display:

When NOOKs are known to be reading devices first and foremost, the NOOK HD+ surely lives up to that notion with its display. Specifically, it’s donning a 9-inch 1920 x 1280 IPS LCD display, which puts out a very respectable pixel density figure of 256 ppi – inching out the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9, but still not toppling the Nexus 10. Regardless of that, it’s undoubtedly detailed enough to visibly make out fine text from a good distance away. And of course, it works wonders with reading too, seeing it’s able to produce a good look at the lowest brightness setting, thus, reducing eye strain in low light conditions. Conversely, it’s still a marvel to look at in direct sunlight, as its warmer color reproduction and full lamination enables it to remain clear and visible in all viewing angles.

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I'm quitting Instagram, but not over the new terms of service

In just two years, Instagram has exploded in terms of users, adoption and notoriety. As of May, the network had over 50 million users and over one billion photos had been uploaded. And the growth of those two numbers are astounding. Every second, there are 58 new photos uploaded and at least one new user.

I have been using Instagram for nearly two years now. I have uploaded 398 photos and have 336 followers. I have received over 1,700 total likes and just shy of 400 comments. And I'm just moments away from deleting my account. Forever.

Why?

Yesterday, the social network updated its terms of service and the Web went nuts. As a matter of fact, it is still going nuts. Hundreds of stories detailing the new, seemingly controversial terms have surfaced and Instagram users across the Web are up in arms.

But what are the controversial changes to the terms and conditions? The most contentious changes are under the first two entries in the Rights section. They read as follows:

"1.    Instagram does not claim ownership of any Content that you post on or through the Service. Instead, you hereby grant to Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to use the Content that you post on or through the Service, except that you can control who can view certain of your Content and activities on the Service as described in the Service's Privacy Policy, available here:http://instagram.com/legal/privacy/.

2.    Some or all of the Service may be supported by advertising revenue. To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you. If you are under the age of eighteen (18), or under any other applicable age of majority, you represent that at least one of your parents or legal guardians has also agreed to this provision (and the use of your name, likeness, username, and/or photos (along with any associated metadata)) on your behalf."

For one, Instagram now reserves the right to share information seamlessly between Facebook to learn more about users and to deliver more targeted ads at said users. And, in essence, Instagram now reserves the right to sell your photos and account information for advertising revenue, meaning your face, Instagram username and other account information are free game for advertisements.

Say you visited a venue or a hotel. Pictures taken while you were at that specific location would be prime advertising material for those businesses and venues. They could purchase a license to your photos from Instagram – without your knowledge – for use in ads.

However, nothing about these new terms truly bother me.

It's no secret Facebook wanted to monetize Instagram. Otherwise, I doubt it would have bought the startup for a cool one billion dollars. Facebook makes its money through advertising and it should come as no surprise that Instagram would take a similar route. Anyone surprised by the change clearly doesn't understand how the free Internet works or how social media makes its buck.

I'm not exactly thrilled about the changes. I take some pictures that I would rather not be shared without my knowledge or sold without some incentive or compensation to me, the creator of those images. But the changes are not enough to drive me away from the social network altogether. I would simply not share those particular photos to Instagram.

I made the decision to leave Instagram a few days ago – the 15th, to be exact – when I posted a picture from a bar I was at with some friends. What drove me away is the network itself, the atmosphere and the core reason it exists. For anyone unaware, that core purpose is to share photos with friends, and potentially strangers with common interests via tags.

For me, though, Instagram has only served a single purpose: to share pictures with my existing friends on Twitter and Facebook. The problem is, Instagram itself is a poor vehicle for sharing photos if you care about interaction or picture quality.

I'm a stickler for high-quality images, yet at least 90 percent of everything I have ever viewed on Instagram is terrible. There were a few photographers I follow that regularly post quality content. But the images are scaled down and cropped to a maximum size of 612 by 612 pixels. Throw a filter on top of that and possibly faux tilt-shift and a frame, and you have an over-processed piece of garbage.

I almost entirely quit using filters in March in favor of a much better post-processing app called Snapseed. And, for me, it was then that Instagram lost what little value it had. Other than a few likes, my photos on Instagram get little engagement. A few comments and maybe 20 likes, at best. But I also share those pictures to other networks, like Twitter and Facebook, where the very same pictures get all sorts of comments, likes and tons of interaction from friends and followers.

Instagram was sort of fun while it lasted. But this morning, I created a new recipe on IFTTT.com, where any picture I upload to Facebook is immediately posted to Twitter, which will work quite well since I always share everything to Twitter and only select photos to Facebook. Once I download a backup of all my Instagram pictures, I'm going to disable my Instagram account and never look back.

I will do all my photo sharing via Twitter and Facebook, where full-res pictures are more than welcome. And, who knows, maybe I'll get around to giving Google+ some more attention now. But I'm done with cropped, scaled-down, terribly filtered photos.

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Have you added a tablet to your wireless plan?

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BlackBerry 10 browser beats iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in rendering speed

BlackBerry 10 missed this Holiday season, but it’s gearing up for a big launch early next year, and leaks of devices and the operating system are all over the place. You probably already know how BB10 looks like, and also how you can easily navigate around using swipes and other gestures, but one important aspect that we get to look at today is browser performance.

These latest tests of the browser on a BB10 prototype show rendering speeds and are very impressive. Gadget Masters got their hands on a Dev Alpha B smartphone running BB10 and fared it against the iPhone 5’s Mobile Safari browser on iOS 6 and an HTC Windows Phone 8X with Windows Phone 8’s Internet Explorer.

We could safely say that BlackBerry 10 beats both. Take a look below.

source: Gadget Masters

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Ho Ho Ho: Track Santa with new Android app

"I guess they were lying when they said its normal to have a stratch because mines did not have any."

But other people had faced with that problem and Apple told them that it is normal and it is lie because it is not normal it is Apple's malpractice and don't need to lie for customers!

"If holding the phone a certain way was a problem for the antenna, how are they lying."

It is Apple's design fault and they lie because they say that it is customer's fault!

"I have no problem with apple map. I'm ok with it"

Then good for you but it still doesn't chanege the fact that Apple was claiming that Apple Maps is "The most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever." and it is called a lie!

"I have a iPhone 5 and I haven't took a photo yet with a purple tint. And I could be a normal thing with the camera lense"

Fact is that a lot of people face that problem and it is not normal. So saying that it is normal is just a lie.

"It may not be the world thinnest smartphone, but it's the thinnest iphone"

Agree, maybe it is thinnest iPhone, but then don't need to claiming that iPhone 5 is thinnest smartphone because it is pure lie.

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Poll results: How often do you use the stylus in your Samsung Galaxy Note/Note II?

Well let's try to ponder that, shall we:

you do bring up a good point......

I think adding an S-Pen to the next Galaxy S iteration would also blur the unique distinction between the Galaxy Note line and the Galaxy S line. Granted, some would say that the Galaxy Note [II] has Multi Windows but, that feature has already been announced for the Galaxy S III via an OTA update (or, KIES) and, more than likely, will come "stock" on the Galaxy S IV.

As far as hardware and device, 'Noting' that the S III is also an awesome device (and, so too shall be the Galaxy S IV), the screen size on the Galaxy Note II makes the experience all the more enjoyable, even with the screen size difference between the two devices being only about ¾ of an inch.

Look on the bright side of the whole matter, at least we're not stuck with a 3½" screen (or 4") using a Single Window on an outdated 2007 OS without a stylus and installing everything on fixed memory via a computer using proprietary software.

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Sprint says Upgrade Now program is currently now unavailable

business and money news Sprint

Hey Sprint folk, remember Upgrade Now? The program, which we first got wind of in February, allowed customers to pay a fee (which varied depending on how long it'd been since their last upgrade) to receive upgrade pricing on a new device ahead of their actual upgrade date. Unfortunately, Sprint today confirmed to Android Central that Upgrade Now is "currently now unavailable." The good news is that the program could make a return in the future, as Sprint added that users could "check back later to see if the program has been reinstated," and a leaked memo also mentions that Upgrade now has been "temporarily discontinued."

While the Upgrade Now program may not have been something that every Now Network customer took advantage of, I'm sure that there are some frequent upgraders out there that are a bit bummed to see it go. Sprint didn't say precisely why Upgrade Now is being yanked, but hey, there's appears to be a chance that it could come back at some point in the future. We'll be sure to let you know if we hear anything about the program being reinstated. Have any of you Sprint folk out there ever taken advantage of Upgrade Now?

Via Android Central

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Alex is the News Editor for PhoneDog. He digs mobile tech and just about every other kind of tech, too. He's also into cooking, sports, his two cats and drinking lots of coffee. - full profile

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ClipClock Releases History of Sharing: 101 Infographic

Moscow, Russia – ClipClock 2.1, a social video sharing app that has been featured on TechCrunch, Venturebeat, Wall Street Journal, and other popular media sites, released an infographic this morning titled, History of Sharing: 101. This creative graphic details the history of information sharing, from messenger pigeons to social media. ClipClock created the infographic to inform app users on how far social sharing has come since the invention of social media.

“If you boil it down to the basics, social sharing has made huge leaps and bounds over the past decade, said ClipClock PR manager Jacqueline Lage. “The evolution process of social sharing went into hyper speed around the turn of the century, and we’re very proud to be on the forefront with our app.”

The infographic begins with prehistoric cave paintings, evolves to Greek runners, messenger pigeons, town criers, radio transmissions, and eventual concludes with social media technology. ClipClock believes that the infographic grants keen insight on how quickly technology has sped up social sharing evolution in comparison to previous forms of sharing.

“The human race went from small steps to giant leaps in social sharing evolution once social media technology got on board,” said Lage. “If look at the whole timeline in one piece, it pretty amazing.”

The infographic is currently posted on visual.ly and other sites around the web. For more information on the History of Sharing: 101 infographic or ClipClock, visit the company’s website.

Device Requirements:
* iPhone 3GS/4/4S/5, iPod touch (3rd/4th/5th generation), and iPad
* Requires iOS 5.1 or later
* 6.3 MB

Pricing and Availability:
ClipClock 2.1 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photo & Video category.

Future Services, LLC. created ClipClock as a way to discover and share the best video moments through a fun and easy to use social hub format. As a young team based out of San Francisco and Moscow, Future Services looks to lead the way in video app innovation and continually improve the ClipClock app. Future Services remains proud to provide the first app which acts as a social hub and video highlighting service, so the best moments can be easily watched and shared on mobile like never before. Future Services established itself in early 2012, commercially operates out of San Francisco, California and develops the product in Moscow, Russia. Copyright (C) 2012 Future Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Tumblr’s next move: User payouts?

What’s the next big trend in online media? Money. That’s the word from the man behind a website that garners 20 billion monthly page views. Now that the world and his wife has easy access to cameras, music-making tools and online distribution, isn’t it time we started turning it into cash?

Speaking at the Monaco Media Forum, Tumblr’s CEO David Karp was vocal about the fact  that social media sites are currently sitting at ‘phase two’ and need to shift into the next phase, in which we all start reaping the benefits.

“Tumblr is part of a creative ecosystem,” said Karp. “One form of the internet is social, about sharing and communication, while another form is made up of the Tumblrs and Instagrams and YouTubes where people who are making the stuff can share it across all of those networks. That ecosystem is at phase two, which is distribution, with phase one being the ability to make the stuff…the second phase was empowering creatives with distribution, the third phase has already started to show is face, the new economics.”

Tumblr’s best, most-bizarre blogs

The ‘new economics’? He means that with sites evolving to enable everyone to create and distribute content, surely the next step is bringing money into the equation. Karp already sees this trend with crowd-funding, but where next?

“These creators who are building their own audiences are using all sorts of tools to engrain stuff and build huge audiences – the next big step will be how we commercialise that and we’re starting to see that through Kickstarter. I’m really curious to see what else comes out there and I’d put all my money in those platforms that are producing new economics for creators.”

So if the CEO of Tumblr thinks that offering users a shop window is the future, does that mean that Tumblr’s about to turn into the next Etsy? Recent stats suggest that more people buy from social media sites than from traditional web advertising, so it makes sense.

Via The Drum

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FCC releases 'smartphone security checker' to help newbies

The FCC is looking out for you, and wants you to be safe and understand how to do some basic things with your smartphone. With that in mind, the FCC has released the 'smartphone security checker' to help newbies to understand some basic things like password security, and backing up data from your smartphone.

The FCC starts out by scaring you, and explaining why you may need this info, by saying there has been a 350% increase in "mobile security threats" since 2010. With that in mind, the new checker is intended to "help consumers protect their mobile devices this holiday season." The checker allows users to select their OS of choice, and gives a bullet-point list of tips for important things that many casual users may not know, like setting PINs and passwords, installing apps from "trusted sources," installing patches, and what to be wary of when "on open Wi-Fi networks."

There is some good info on the site. We don't expect that many of our readers will need it, but it could be a good link to have ready for friends and family.

source: FCC

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Facebook mobile payments power deal: Should Apple and Google be worried?

The Facebook App Centre (or ‘Center’, if you’re on the other side of the Atlantic/reason), which went live earlier this year, is largely home to free apps that don’t require any cash to let you get going. But with Facebook rolling out in-billing payments, is that all about the change?

Facebook has partnered with mobile payment experts Bango to deliver Orange France with a way to let app fans buy App Centre goodies and have the money come out of their monthly bill.

“We are delighted to be powering operator billing in France for Facebook, says Bango CEO Ray Anderson. “The enhanced user experience for smartphones and other connected mobile devices means that Facebook users who connect either through the Orange network or through WiFi can consistently pay on their Orange France phone bill.”

Are brands stealing Facebook likes?

Facebook already has deals with networks in the US and Germany, and will be looking to roll out a similar scheme in more European markets soon.

With that being the case, we’re likely to see a shift in the ratio of free:paid apps in the Facebook App Centre, and Facebook’s evolution to app platform step up a gear as a result.

If the complexity of apps can begin to rival and best those found on native mobile platforms, Facebook could soon be on the app warpath with renewed gusto. Looks like Apple and Google both have themselves a new rival.

Via The Next Web

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Report: Android hits it big in China while iOS is in trouble in the U.S.

Informa Telecoms is an analytics firm that grabs market intelligence, computes statistics, and tries to make sense out of the whole thing. According to the firm, an amazing two-thirds of all handsets sold in China this year have been powered by Android. At the same time, one out of every three Android devices sold in 2012 was sold in China. That compares to 11% of all Android sales taking place in the U.S. Those numbers sound amazing, but they need to be adjusted a bit since 41% of those Chinese Android sales were models that did not use an "authentic" build of Google's open source OS and in fact, did not have Google services. Taking those phones out of the picture means that China still accounted for 20% of Android sales in 2012. Quite impressive, still.

The fastest growing smartphone market is China with an 85% year-over-year gain, led by demand for Android models. The Apple iPhone has a 5% market share in the country while Windows Phone accounts for 1%. The Apple iPhone 5 launched in China this past Friday, selling 2 million units over the launch weekend which was the best launch all-time of Apple's smartphone in the country. Not only did Apple institute a new pre-ordering process in China, but for the first time the device is available on two carriers instead of just one.

Apple will need to develop a model for China's TD-LTE or else lose market share in the country. The world's largest carrier, China Mobile, has been unable to sell the iPhone because of its proprietary 3G network. It is hoped that the operator's build out of TD-LTE in 2013 will allow China Mobile to offer the Apple iPhone next year. Meanwhile, Informa sees Microsoft doubling its share in 2013 to 2% of China's mobile phone market.

Turning to the U.S., Informa says that if Apple doesn't update iOS, it risks losing even more sales to high-end Android models. Malik Saadi, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, says that next year 50% of all mobile phones sold in the United States will be flavored by Android. The report says that Apple could be forced to cut margins to keep market share, which is econo-talk for "Apple must cut the price of the Apple iPhone 5 or else risk losing more business." The report also says that even the most diehard Apple fan is becoming disillusioned with the aging iOS and forecasts U.S. sales of 34 million units of the Apple iPhone in 2013, down from 35.5 million units this year. Windows Phone is estimated to grab 6.5% of the U.S. market next year as HTC and Nokia improve marketing and take advantage of closer relationships with U.S. carriers.

By 2015, Android will control 50% of the global market, according to Informa. But Android will peak or decline in 2016, says the report, thanks to "more aggressive penetration of the alternative OSs, most notably Windows Phone," said Saadi. He pointed out how strong the global smartphone market is, estimating sales of 786 million units, up 45% from last year. And yes, that figure includes those Android phones in China that were not authentic.

source: Informa via AndroidCentral

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FCC gives green light to AT&T acquisition of numerous spectrum licenses

Today, the FCC approved, en masse, a series of spectrum acquisitions which encompass 608 cellular market areas (CMA), in the Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) and Wireless Cellular Service (WCS) bands. In all, the licenses, which will be acquired from several different companies, cover about 82% of the US population in the lower 48 states.

While the license spread is complex, it basically boils down to four separate transactions. AT&T will be acquiring, or assigned spectrum currently belonging to Comcast, Horizon Wi-Com, NextWave Wireless and San Diego Gas & Electric. For those that are wondering what an electric company would do with spectrum, many utilities use it to establish “Smart Grid” systems, enabling remote meter reading and other telemetry.

What is most significant about this finding from the FCC is how it relates to the WCS spectrum. This frequency band, in the 2.3GHz range, also contains the frequencies used by Sirius-XM satellite radio (called SDARS – Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service). Just this past October, the FCC revised the rules to allow more use of spectrum adjacent to the frequencies used by Sirius-XM. AWS is more familiar as it houses the 1700MHz block that is also used by T-Mobile USA.

There were a few issues raised in petitions against the transactions, but the FCC rejected them all. AT&T’s plans for this spectrum are plain and simple: LTE. For those that are cheering the decision and hoping to see 5-bars on your devices right away, you can settle down a bit. The build out of the infrastructure for using this spectrum will occur over the next few years, plus, devices with the appropriate radios to use it need to be introduced to the market as well.

It is very good news for AT&T. What will also be interesting to see going forward, is how the FCC treats pending deals between SoftBank and Sprint, Sprint and Clearwire, as well as T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS. From a spectrum holding standpoint, this announcement may actually grease the skids for the aforementioned pending deals.

source: FCC, AT&T via PhoneScoop and Engadget

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Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1, Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 coming in red?

Leaked press renders reveal that Samsung has a Garnet Red version of the Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 coming. That is the GT-P3100, GT-P5100 and GT-N8000 respectively. The color is the same shade of red that is available on the Samsung Galaxy S III from AT&T. The speculation is that the devices in the new color will be available next year, most likely before Valentine's Day on February 14th. The red version is expected to be offered on Wi-Fi/cellular variants of the trio, only.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 offers a 7 inch Super LCD screen with resolution of 1024 x 600. That works out to a pixel density of 170ppi. A dual-core 1GHz processor is under the hood with 1GB of RAM. The tablet is available with 8GB or 16GB of native storage and a 32GB capacity microSD slot is available. A 4000mAh battery powers the device. On back is a 3MP camera with a VGA front-facing shooter. The latest update brought Android 4.0.3 to the device.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is equipped with a 10.1 inch Super LCD screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800. The pixel density is a rather poor 149ppi. Under the hood is the well known Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 which is a dual core 1.5GHz processor for this tablet. The Adreno 225 GPU handles the graphics and 1GB of RAM is on board. 8GB of native storage can be expanded using the 32GB capacity microSD slot. The 7000mAh cell keeps the power on. A 3MP camera is on back with a .3MP front-facing camera available for self-portraits and video chats. Android 4.0 is running the show.

Lastly, the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 has the same screen size and resolution as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, but under the hood is a quad-core 1.4GHz processor and there is 2GB of RAM on the tablet, making multitaskers happy. 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of native storage can be pumped up by an additional 32GB using the microSD slot, and a 5MP camera on back has LED flash and records video in 720p. A 7000mAh cell keeps the hamsters' wheel spinning and Android 4.1 is now installed.

It's just like that song by Chris de Burgh, "Tablet in red".

source: SamMobile via AndroidCentral

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Ugly, uglier, ugliest: abominable phones that should have never existed, but yet did

We love original product design. In a world of greyish slabs, new ideas stand out and are always welcome. Some of the products we remember, though, just took it too far.

We don’t have a triangular tablet yet for a reason. What’s strange, though, is that those devices listed below are quite real, and were sold for a lot of money back in the day. Some of them even aspired to lead the way for others.

It never worked that way, and if you’ve ever looked about examples of what one should NOT do in product design, take a look at the gadgets below.

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ZTE Grand Era LTE Android smartphone

The Chinese company, ZTE has recently introduced its latest Android smartphone, the ZTE Grand Era LTE. It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, while on software front is ZTE’s Mifavor user interface. Interestingly, the phone is support for two different kinds of 4G LTE mobile data, the TD-LTE and LTE FDD. New ZTE Grand Era LTE Android smartphone has appeared on China Mobile Hong Kong.

For hardcore scratch resistance, the ZTE Grand Era LTE smartphone delivers a 4.5-inch touchscreen Gorilla Glass display along with resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. This 4G LTE phone boasts a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and MicroSD card slot.

The Grand Era LTE dual-mode network phone packs two cameras – an 8MP rear and a front-facing for video calls. As connectivity, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS. Other features are digital compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity and ambient light sensor, as well as 1780 mAh battery.

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Twitter’s secret skill: Is it really an advertising goldmine?

The average Twitterer sees so many tweets in a single day that you’d be forgiven for naturally thinking that advertising on the platform is akin to shouting into a hurricane. But guess what: shout loud enough, and you’ll be heard…

Twitter’s inability to generate money from advertising blighted much of its first few years – the media writ-large laughed at it for not being able to capitalise on its huge user base. Things may be different now that the promoted tweets business model is in place, but did you know it’s not just Twitter that can benefit from retail-centric tweets?

A joint survey by Twitter and research firm Compete has uncovered the virtues in tweets from retail firms. The 75 day study looked at the habits of 7,800 Twitter users, interspersing tweets from 665 different retailers.

Rise of the Twitter monkey

That huge user group was divvied up into three camps: those who’d get routinely exposed to retail tweets, those that wouldn’t, and a sort of control group designed to just use Twitter like your average norm.

The results? Anyone who saw more than 12 tweets from a retailer’s account was 33 per cent more likely to thumb together the cash and buy something online. Which is a pretty sizeable percentage.

Just another reason why you shouldn’t underestimate the role of your company’s Twitter monkey. But remember: it’s all too easy to make a mistake like this.

Source: Twitter & Compete

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One Direction’s 100 million streams: Do artist apps defeat the purpose of Spotify?

One Direction. 1D. Those lads off that thing with that one who likes older women. However you know them, they’re big news. And their big news today is that they’ve racked up 100 million streams on Spotify. To celebrate, Sony Music and One Direction have launched the 1D Music Spotify app. But is that going against the online streaming tool’s grain?

Musically has done some napkin maths to work out that 1D’s 100 streams amount to something in the region of $825,000 (£519,000), so why not celebrate? The 1D app on Spotify allows fans to stream the new album, look at photos and listen to playlists created by the band. It’s not the first such app, though. Not by a mile.

Artist apps from Blur, Quincy Jones and Rancid all offer similar experiences, but none have really taken off. Why? Well, because sticking to one artist isn’t what Spotify’s about.

Spotify apps: Are they too much of a distraction?

The most successful apps on Spotify (aside form lyric and ticket apps) are about discovering new music. If you already know you like One Direction, you can stream their stuff from their artist page, while extra bobbins like photos can (traditionally) be found on the band’s website.

Merging the two seems counter-intuitive; locking people into one place on Spotify destroys some of the experience that makes the music streaming behemoth what it is.

We’ll keep a beady eye on the app charts, but even with the legion of One Direction fans, we’d be surprised to see it make too much of a splash.

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EE reboots Fenton for 4G YouTube ad, sucks the fun right out of him

Today is exactly one year since a 14 year-old lad put a video online of a tearaway dog chasing deer on YouTube. Fenton, the dog who taught us all to follow our hearts no matter who shouts at us, has racked up in excess of 7.5 million views online, which in internet terms makes it ripe for some cashing in. Cue EE, which has taken the original and supercharged it for a new online ad. And it’s a bit weak.

A few weeks back we reported that the ‘Charlie bit my finger’ boys are about to add to the huge pile of cash they’re already sitting on, by way of both a Ragu ad and an online mini-series. And we reported on it wearily – this kind of thing is rarely any good.

In fact, the only furthering of viral YouTube hits to date that hasn’t been awful is Weezer’s video for Pork & Beans.

The best Fenton remixes ever

Sadly, this overblown Fenton remake from EE isn’t like that. With HD camera work, bombastic CGI and overzealous acting, the whole thing feels incredibly forced, which is exactly what the original wasn’t. Take a look and let us know if you agree:

EE’s still just getting started as a brand, but for our money it’s yet to find its groove when it comes to marketing. Remember this depressing vision of tomorrow?

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