Amazon Writes Off $170 Million During Earnings Call Following Weak Fire Phone Sales

I’m not sure what Amazon could have done to be honest. Even if they had been substantially more proactive, putting people on the ground, building a grass roots fan base, courting influencers and creating evangelists, instead of the top-down marketing and outreach they decided on, it still might not have meant success for their first phone outing.

Launching a new phone in this market is a near guaranteed failure. While Amazon has found quite a bit of success with their Kindle series, tablets are companion devices. Second screens. Phones are mission critical communication devices for most folks. That makes consumers far more conservative. We’re a lot less likely to take a risk with a phone.  Continue reading “Amazon Writes Off $170 Million During Earnings Call Following Weak Fire Phone Sales”

Microsoft Doubles Quarterly Surface Sales, Moves 9.3 Million Lumias

Microsoft CEO Satya NadellaDuring their earnings call, Microsoft had some good news for their hardware divisions.

Redmond managed to more than double their revenue on the Surface line up of tablets, reaching $908 million over last quarter’s $400 million. Lumias also had their best quarter yet moving 9.3 million phones, built largely on the popularity of low cost handsets. In all the Devices and Consumer Hardware division revenue grew 47% over last quarter to $10.96 billion.

However, following restructuring costs and Nokia’s hardware integration, Microsoft’s stock is down $0.11 a share.

While it’s not earth shaking news, it is positive growth, and any positive traction in this market means we’ll be seeing more competition moving forward. Fingers crossed this means we’ll see new Microsoft Branded Lumia phones sooner rather than later.

Microsoft Earnings Report

microsoft earnings

LG Confirms G Watch R European Release In November – Still No Pricing Info

GWatchR1The G Watch R is drawing eyes as another fashionable option designed to compete against watches like the Moto 360 and the Apple Watch. It’s pricing and release date have been shrouded in mystery. Tonight we at least have half of that mystery answered.

The G Watch R will hit select European and UK markets the beginning of November, with the United States and Asian markets to follow “soon after”. When it does drop we can expect to see it for sale on Google Play, but we still don’t have any official word on pricing. As it’s the more fashionable option opposite the terrifically inexpensive G Watch, I would expect pricing to be comparable (if not higher than) the Moto 360.

(Via LG UK Blog)

Long-term Review: Kyocera Brigadier – The Best Android Phone of the Year?

Kyocera went BEAST MODE in building the Brigadier, and they’re only the second company to use Sapphire Crystal for their display. After using the Brigadier for a couple months, let’s chat about the experience of using this rugged little brick…

Shop the Kyocera Brigadier on Amazon.

Review: GGMM M-Show Bluetooth Speaker and Tablet Dock

Trying to combine several desktop items, GGMM’s M-Show is a handy little BT speaker, which can also act as a desktop lamp, and an elevated tablet stand. Let’s see (and hear) how it performs!

Shop the M-Show on Amazon.
More info on GGMM products: http://www.ggmm.com/en/

AT&T offers up iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 for $0 Down

ns_ipad_tablet_oct_silver_gold_2If you’re looking to score one of Apple’s new iPads with LTE and WiFi connectivity, Big Blue will be offering up these new tablets for $0 for those customers using a Mobile Share Plan.

The tablet installment plan runs twenty months with the iPad Air 2 divided up into twenty payments of $31.50 and the Mini 3 costing $26.50 per month.

You can get the full scoop from AT&T’s press release below.

Continue reading “AT&T offers up iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 for $0 Down”

Samsung Donates $50,000 to LA Habitat for Humanity at #DITCHtheDSLR Event in Hollywood

I finally said goodbye to my old Canon Rebel. Samsung made the pain of giving it away easier by allowing me to trade it in for a new NX30 mirrorless camera. The event in Hollywood also featured a Guinness World Record selfie chain, and showcased Samsung’s charitable side with a $50,000 donation to the LA chapter of Habitat for Humanity!

Shop the Samsung NX30 on Amazon.
Shop the Samsung NX Mini on Amazon.

Gear Review: IntoCircuit PC11200 Power Bank

WP_20141007_015Today we are taking a look at IntoCircuit’s 11200 mAh portable power bank! As you may or may not know, we here at Some Gadget Guy are not into unboxings, however I really do like the packaging and colors that this battery is packed in. With that being said, let’s jump right into the review!

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Upon opening the box and pulling out the power bank, you will immediately notice that this power bank has a hefty feel (278G), and it has a very nice brushed aluminum case. The design is simple yet rugged looking and measures 4.3” X 2.8” X 0.9” . There is a nice bright LCD screen that will light up for 30 seconds so you can see the progress of your devices being charged. The display will also show you which port is being used. The IntoCircut PC11200 has one button to turn the power bank on and off. When you double press the button, you will activate the flashlight. Yes, the IntoCircuit PC11200 has a bright flashlight which would come in very handy for multiple situations. I really like the flashlight option on this power bank because you never know when you will need a flashlight in case something goes awry. (power outages, zombie apocalypse  or when you go camping.)

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Continue reading “Gear Review: IntoCircuit PC11200 Power Bank”