Category: News

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#ATTDevSummit: AT&T to ease the burden of data caps with Sponsored Data

2014-01-06 09.48.57Data mobility often comes with limitations, caps or throttling. This can have a chilling effect on customer use and innovation. Developers might shy away from data driven services if their target audience can only use those apps on WiFi.

AT&T took the wraps off their Sponsored Data program today at the AT&T Developer Summit. Essentially Sponsored Data is a “toll free” data service similar to how a 1-800 telephone number works. Companies sponsor a site or service, and customers wont get hit with data usage on their bill.

It’s a novel model at working around some of the existing business models which often place more burden on consumers’ pocket books. Now various 3rd party companies can provide additional value to their users, while encouraging more data mobility services.

More info at http://www.att.com/att/sponsoreddata/

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Blue Microphones bringing higher fidelity to Mobile Audio with Mo-Fi

blue microphones mo-fi headphones teaseBlue Microphones is enjoying something of a tech re-branding. From traditional recording solutions, to USB mic powerhouse. Now they’re tackling mobility.

Details are slim, and this video is barely a tease, but the word at Blue is headphones. Mo-Fi is a move towards higher fidelity mobile audio, and if anyone can shake up a market, Blue can. Considering the EQ tweaks and color Blue uses on their recording kit, their headphones could provide some interesting competition to the current crop of designer ‘phones like Beats By Dre, or the Nokia Purity.

Can we at least give Blue a thumbs up for using the accurate term to describe high quality audio? I’m so happy to see them not fall prey to calling their product “High Definition”. Long live “Fidelity”!

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Lenovo CES Assault: Wrapping up with the Thinkpad 8, ThinkVision, and Thinkpad X1 Carbon

Thinkpad 8_Wifi_Win 8_04Ok sure. Lenovo is ramping up their consumer offerings, but I know them as the “Think” company, and they’re always going to get my attention with new pro gear.

Starting small, the Thinkpad 8 is an eight inch 1080p mini-tab powered by an Intel BayTrail Quad Core. Performance should slot in well between ARM powered tablets and low powered Core processors while still offering a full Windows 8 experience. None of the limitations of Windows RT, you get all the new apps and full support for legacy software. As it’s focused towards the business pro on the go, you’ll also be able to sign up LTE and 3G data service (carrier support to be announced. Add in up to 128GB of storage and a max price of $429, and Lenovo will have a handy competitor in the mini-tab arena.

Moving up the food chain, the new X1 Carbon is one of the slimmest ultra-portable on the market. Continue reading “Lenovo CES Assault: Wrapping up with the Thinkpad 8, ThinkVision, and Thinkpad X1 Carbon”

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Lenovo CES Assault: C560 All in One Desktop, Y40/50 Workstation Laptop, and Z40/50 Portable

C560 Touch_Black_Standard_07Continuing the Lenovo onslaught, a couple of standard computing solutions.

The C560 is a very clean 1080p 23” all in one powered by a Core i7 and up to 8GB of RAM. It packs a few optional tricks like a multi-touch screen and a TV tuner.

The Z40/50 laptops are powerful, well balanced machines with full HD displays and up to Core i7 processors. NVIDIA graphics should keep you cranking, and you pack the sucker with up to 16GB of RAM. No touchscreen options here, but Lenovo is still including some of their more novel tech like voice commands and facial recognition.

The Y40/50 series lappies takes those same specs from the Z40 and drops in a 4K display for an incredibly high resolution experience. It’s a Retina busting pixel pitch . Pun intended. Combined with a new, edgier looking build (pic below), and it looks like it could be a really solid buy for a power user.

Full PR and more pics after the jump. Continue reading “Lenovo CES Assault: C560 All in One Desktop, Y40/50 Workstation Laptop, and Z40/50 Portable”

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Lenovo CES Assault: Desktops – Windows A740 & Horizon 2, Android N308, and Beacon Home Cloud Storage

A740_01Lenovo is leading the charge on redefining the home computing experience with a trio of large touchscreened solutions.

On the Windows front, the A740 Touh All in One features a 27” screen with up to 2560×1600 resolution powered by an Intel Core i7, up to 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA graphics, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 AC, NFC, and Dolby Home Theater certified JBL speakers. The Stand features the handy trick of swiveling to lay the computer completely flat, allowing it to act as a table top computer.

The Horizon 2 matches all of the specs of the A740, but includes the handy trick of being battery powered. Continue reading “Lenovo CES Assault: Desktops – Windows A740 & Horizon 2, Android N308, and Beacon Home Cloud Storage”

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Lenovo CES Assault: Miix 2 10 tablet, Yoga 2, and Flex Laptops

YOGA 2 (13'')_Orange_Standard_04

Windows 8 really comes alive with hardware built for its unique UI. After scoring some early success with the original Yoga, Lenovo is pushing farther into new form factors for Microsoft’s OS.

A new consumer variant of the Yoga 2 will feature 11 and 13 inch displays. The 11 will be powered by a lower power Intel Pentium processor, while the 13 steps up to a Core i5. Both rock the same swivel hinge which can flip the laptop screens around into full tablet PC’s. I’m really stoked to see the orange lid return from the Yoga 2 Pro. A nice touch of branding for a company mostly known for Thinkpads.

The Miix 2 is one of the more sought after mini-tablets for Windows 8 users. Now the Miix line is expanding with 10” and 11”  slates. The 10 has an Intel Atom quad core and 2GB of RAM. The 11 will step up to a Core i5 with up to 8GB of RAM, and both are sporting 1080p LCDs. Continue reading “Lenovo CES Assault: Miix 2 10 tablet, Yoga 2, and Flex Laptops”

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Have you heard of the Typo iPhone Keyboard Case? Because Blackberry is suing them…

typo iphone keyboard case ryan seacrest blackberryMaybe one of the dumbest things BB could do right about now…

I’m tied into tech and the Typo iPhone case barely made a blip on my radar. It’s a case with a hardware QWERTY keyboard designed for iPhone 5/5S. There’s nothing particularly special about that. There have been a number of keyboard solutions for the iPhone over the years, some portrait, some landscape sliders.

It’s sort of an “old fashioned” idea that many people will poo-poo anyway as there seems to be a collective hatred of hardware keyboards from the self-proclaimed “Tech Elite” on the intarwebs.

Here’s a video showing the Typo off:

About the only novel aspect of Typo was the fact that it was backed by Ryan Seacrest of all people. No. Big. Whoop.

That is until Blackberry went and stepped their foot in it.

Delivered via press release, BB Chief Legal Counsel Steve Zipperstein had this to say:

“This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design. From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations,”

Would the Typo have been a success on its own? Backed by Seacrest, probably yes, but I still have significant doubts that it would have been high mind share. Regardless of the legal outcome, Blackberry just guaranteed that it’s going to show up in a lot more headlines now. You just can’t buy that kind of publicity…

typo iphone keyboard case profile ryan seacrest blackberry

Full BB PR after the jump.

Continue reading “Have you heard of the Typo iPhone Keyboard Case? Because Blackberry is suing them…”

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AT&T Offers $450 to T-Mobile Customers Looking to Switch

ATT logoThe carrier wars are already heating up for 2014. After failing to acquire T-Mobile, and being forced to dump cash into their coffers, looks like AT&T is getting a little tired of competing against their own money.

Taking a direct shot at Lil’ Magenta, AT&T announced today that T-Mo customers switching to AT&T, and trading in their old phones, would receive up to a $450 credit per line on their accounts. The credit is designed to ease the sting of paying a termination fee for those increasingly few on contract, or to offset the cost of a new phone or tablet.

This looks like an early warning shot from AT&T, as we’ve been hearing rumors of T-Mobile offering a similar “Switch to us” credit. Maybe AT&T got tired of T-Mo beating them to the punch on things like faster phone upgrades, and “zero down” phone subsidies.

It’s fun when companies get frisky. Full PR after the jump.

Continue reading “AT&T Offers $450 to T-Mobile Customers Looking to Switch”

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