Month: July 2014

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LG G3 and G Watch coming to AT&T July 8th

LG G 3The newest hot flagship phone in AndroidLand is heading to AT&T, and it’ll be available to order tomorrow!

The G3 shows off why LG is the fastest growing Android manufacturer, and recent phones like the G2 and G Flex have started giving players like Moto, HTC, and Samsung a run for their money. A 5.5″ QHD screen (2560×1440) with ultra-thin bezels is powered by a Qualcomm 801 quad core, 16GB of storage (with MicroSD expansion), 3GB of RAM, all fed by a 3000mAh battery. Camera junkies will appreciate the 13MP rear shooter capable of UHD video with true Optical Image Stabilization and a new Laser Focus autofocus.

lg g watchAlso in attendance, it’s clear why carriers are getting into the accessories game. More than a bumper case or pair of headphones, gadgets like speakers and smartwatches are tangible value add for consumers, and better help the carrier’s bottom line. The G Watch is one of the first to offer up Google’s Android Wear OS, and it’ll function like having Google Now cards on your wrist, a handy way to keep you from having to check your phone for every little alert you get.

The G3 will run you $199 on a two year agreement. The G watch will set you back an additional $229. Both will be in stock at brick and mortar AT&T stores starting July 11th. Full PR below for more info!

Continue reading “LG G3 and G Watch coming to AT&T July 8th”

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Friday Fun: Daughter & Father Record their Reactions to Watching Scary Film – Hilarity Ensues

the_conjuringFamily bonding at its finest!

I’m a sucker for scary films, and I loves me a good reaction video. This Father (who isn’t a fan of horror) stuck it out for some Daddy Daughter bonding and captured some hysterical moments of fright while the two watched The Conjuring together.

I loathe horror films, but my oldest daughter has a penchant for them. She thought it would be cute to record ourselves watching The Conjuring. My embarrassment is for your pleasure. Enjoy!

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Samsung Targets iPhone Battery Life in “Wall Huggers” Commercial

samsung wallhuggers commercialI haven’t always loved Samsung’s snarkier spots, but this one is tickling my funny bone. If you’ve traveled recently, you’ve probably noticed this phenomenon of people crowding the outlets at airports.

As more and more phone manufacturers rush to enclose their device’s batteries in non-removable shells, I have a soft spot for Samsung continuing to provide us with removable back plates. Funny to think that the company working hardest on waterproofing and rugeddizing their phones, also continues to let consumers swap out their battery.

But I digress. Here’s Samsung’s latest assault on the iPhone. Enjoy.

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Interview: Monika McMahon chats Noiselace Necklaces – Fashionable Earplugs for Concert Fans!

I got to meet Monika during my recent adventure out to the Firefly 2014 Music Festival with the Microsoft Lumia and MixRadio crews. She’s a concert and travel blogger who created the Noiselace Necklace, a MUCH more fashionable way to protect your hearing while out at shows than traditional gummy earplugs.

Noiselace Necklaces
Noiselace on Twitter
Monika on Twitter

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Pre-Cut “Oculus Thrift” Google Cardboard VR Headset Kit Available on Amazon

google cardboardDuring Google I/O this year, one of the biggest hits actually came by way of an inexpensive cardboard shell. Like when you buy a kid an expensive toy and they’d rather play with the packaging…

Google Cardboard is designed for developers to start inexpensively developing apps for 3D and VR. A cardboard shell sets up like an old Viewmaster toy, and it uses your phone screen as the display. It might look a bit silly, but what was demonstrated at I/O was actually quite sophisticated, with magnets for orientation and NFC tags inside to launch the special split-screen mode for your phone.

Now you can also buy a pre-cut kit from a company called Smart Exhibits on Amazon. If you don’t want to bother with all that cardboard slicing, they have you covered for $10. Though you’ll have to supply your own magnets, lenses, and NFC tags…

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Longterm Review: RAVPOWER Lipstick Charger and Flashlight

ltrlip

Back in November of last year I reviewed the Ravpower Lipstick charger and I am here to give you my longterm update on this awesome yet inexpensive portable charger!

003I use this everyday for all of my gadgets and the Ravpower is always in my backpack or messenger bag ready to charge my device.  On one occasion, while riding my bike super-fast like Evil Knievel, I pulled the Ravpower out of my pocket to use the flashlight, as the headlight on my bike had run out of juice, and I dropped the Ravpower! NOOOOOO! It went skidding across the street kind of like that flat stone you skipped across the lake in the summer. It missed certain destruction from a car by about a foot or so.  I thought to myself  “Self, I have a feeling it’s done…” Continue reading “Longterm Review: RAVPOWER Lipstick Charger and Flashlight”

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Review: Toast Real Wood Skin for the Pebble Smartwatch

I’m a big fan of the covers made by Toast in Portland! They sent down a real wood skin for the Pebble smartwatch, so let’s take a look at the setup!

More info on Toast Products.
Galaxy S5 Toast Cover Review.
Galaxy Note Toast Cover Review.

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FTC investigating T-Mobile for Bogus Charges on Customer’s Bills

T-Mobile LogoThis one is news to me.

Apparently there’s a practice called “Cramming”. It’s where a carrier will charge customers for premium SMS services, even if the customer never used those services. Getting celebrity gossip, horoscopes, or any other subscription entertainment media via text often comes with additional charges.

640px-US-FederalTradeCommission-Seal.svgWell now the FTC is investigating T-Mobile’s relationship with these kinds of SMS based services, as new evidence might show that T-Mobile continued to bill customers for years after being made aware that some of these charges might be fraud. Why would T-Mobile do this? They get a pretty hefty cut of that Premium SMS fee.

What’s most troubling is these charges are often contested by subscribers who notice, but the maximum refund rate in any given month only approached about 40%. Which means most months, over 60% of these fraudulent charges were uncontested. The FTC is alleging that the UnCarrier’s billing practices made it more difficult for consumers to discover these kinds of charges. Their complaint seeks to permanently ban T-Mo from this kind of practice, and to seek refunds for customers affected.

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