Jordan Kahn

• Android
• Samsung
• T-Mobile
• specs
• purchase

T-Mobile launches Samsung Galaxy Avant for $9/month or $216

Jordan Kahn Jul 30 2014 - 7:04 am PT

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As it announced previously, T-Mobile is today launching the new affordable Samsung Galaxy Avant. We previously detailed how the device could have remote unlocking capabilities providing users with the ability to temporarily or permanently lock the device to a carrier through a dedicated app. The app, which was said to be in testing, wasn’t mentioned in T-Mobile’s press release today.

The Samsung Galaxy Avant boasts a stylish, slim design housing a powerful Quad-Core 1.2 GHz processor, 1.5GB RAM, and a brilliant 4.5” qHD screen. Unique Samsung features further simplify the user experience, including Easy Mode to make the phone easier to navigate for first-time smartphone users, S Voice™ for convenient assistance in your daily life, and Samsung Smart Switch™ to make it even easier to transfer your content to your new device.

The Samsung Galaxy Avant is available at T-Mobile starting today for $0 down and $9/month on T-Mobile’s usual installment plan. That brings the full total price to $216.

• Android

Instagram soft launches previously rumored ‘Bolt’ one-tap photo messaging app

Jordan Kahn Jul 29 2014 - 1:51 pm PT

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Following a leak earlier this week that appeared to show an upcoming photo messaging app from Instagram, today the app officially launches in a short list of countries abroad (via TechCrunch). The app, which is reportedly a Snapchat competitor of sorts with one-tap photo messaging, is rolling out today for users in Singapore, South Africa, and New Zealand on both iOS and Android.
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• Android
• Samsung
• smartphones
• Galaxy
• sales

Samsung begins selling smartphones directly through website in EU

Jordan Kahn Jul 29 2014 - 6:36 am PT

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Samsung has launched a redesign of its website in Europe and with it has started selling its Android devices directly from the site. The company previously linked to other retailers and carriers, as it continues to do in the US, but now most EU countries also have the ability to add products to a cart and purchase directly from the website.

In the US, samsung.com continues to link to AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and websites of smaller carriers for its smartphones, but it does provide the ability to buy other devices direct from the website such as tablets.

The ability to purchase appears to be available in most EU countries, but you can visit samsung.com to check availability and prices in your country.

(via SamMobile)

• Apps & Updates
• Android
• app
• Beats Music
• recommendations
• profiles

Beats Music Android app updated w/ customizable recommendations, Sentence history, verified badges, more

Jordan Kahn Jul 28 2014 - 11:58 am PT

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Just as news hit this morning that the European Commission approved Apple’s acquisition of Beats, the Beats Music mobile apps, Android included,  just received an update with a number of notable new features.

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• Android
• Samsung
• Samsung Galaxy S5
• IPhone
• Video

Samsung shows off camera quality with short film shot entirely on the Galaxy S5 (Video)

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2014 - 11:48 am PT

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[youtube=youtube.com/watch?v=_b6iApsCyOI&feature=youtube_gdata]

Samsung uploaded a new video showing off the Galaxy S5 today and this time, instead of going after the iPhone, it’s decided to instead show off the device’s camera quality with a short film shot in Trieste, Italy.

Samsung notes the ad, titled “Sunrise to Sunset”, is made with HDR Video and FHD 1080p footage straight from the Galaxy S5, but we imagine some post-production was done elsewhere as the fine print warns, “Certain images and videos may be enhanced.”

Samsung’s latest ad for the S5 is a cinematic spot that features famous surfers through a tie-in through its partnership with the Association of Surfing Professionals. It has, however, continued going directly after Apple and the iPhone in many of its recent commercials and online ads Galaxy devices. Most recently it posted a new ad mocking the upcoming iPhone that is expected to have a display size similar to the current S5.

• Apps and Updates

Instagram’s plan for new ‘Bolt’ one-tap photo messaging app leaks?

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2014 - 9:51 am PT

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Instagram is reportedly working on a new photo sharing app called “Bolt,” according to screenshots that surfaced online today (via The Verge). The leak comes from an advertisement for the app that appeared inside of the Instagram for Android app (pictured above). The notification, which some users noticed and posted screenshots of online, appears to be visible for some users in the app accidentally ahead of an official launch by Instagram.

We don’t gain much info about the app other than it’s description that it will be a “one tap photo messaging” app, which is leading to speculation it will be a Snapchat competitor of sorts. There is a possibility this could just be a test for new app install ads coming to the Instagram apps.

Instgram hasn’t yet commented and the app isn’t available on the App Store or Google Play yet, but I suspect we’ll be hearing more about the app soon.

[tweet https://twitter.com/yo_areli/status/492170778981318656/]

• Android

Apple maintains lead over Samsung as top tablet vendor in Q2 as both lose share to others

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2014 - 7:45 am PT

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With Apple’s Q3 earnings call this week revealing iPad sales of 13.3 million units for the quarter and Tim Cook making a point of defending the category, today we get a look at how Apple is losing share to smaller Android tablets with IDC’s latest numbers for worldwide tablet shipments.

While noting that tablet shipments worldwide grew 11% year-over-year, IDC’s numbers show that Apple was able to maintain its lead over Samsung with 26.9% of the market (down from 33% last year) compared to Samsung at 17.2% down from 18.8% the year before. Both lose share, however, to other companies as the category reportedly experienced a lot of growth among smaller companies like Lenovo and Acer while the “others” category grew from 37% to 44% marketshare:
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• Google Chrome

Google posts new ‘For Students’ Chromebook ad, ‘Everything a student needs in a laptop’ (Video)

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2014 - 5:47 am PT

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYUw379JJ0&feature=youtube_gdata]

Google today shared its latest ad for Chromebook, this time focusing on students as we enter the all-important back-to-school shopping season. The ad above is titled “For Students” and shows off fast start up speeds, docs in the cloud, hangouts, and a $199 starting price making it, according to Google, “everything a student needs in a laptop.”

Google has two other ads it posted to YouTube today (below) that are shorter versions of the ad above including one titled “Chromebook: For Get up and Go Built-in “ and another called “Chromebook: For Never Losing a Paper.”

Earlier this month Google’s Senior Director of Global Enterprise Marketing, Chris Farinacci, announced that the has made big strides with Chromebooks in education passing 1 million units distributed through its Google for Education program during Q2 of 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GHFYbgbinc&feature=youtube_gdata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAXW3lSMNFU&feature=youtube_gdata

• Google
• Google Chrome
• Apps and Updates
• Google Apps
• Google Hangouts

Hangouts in Chrome without plugin rolling out to Google Apps users today

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2014 - 7:14 am PT

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After announcing late last month that video calls for its Hangouts service in Chrome no longer require a plugin, Google is today rolling out the change to Google Apps users as well.

The change means that users attempting to make a video call from Hangouts using their Google Apps account will no longer be prompted to install a browser plug-in for Chrome. Now, users will only have to grant permission to their computer’s mic and camera to initiate the call (as pictured above).

Following this update, when users try to start a video call for the first time, they’ll see a message underneath the address bar asking for permission to access their computer’s mic and camera. If they want to change their choice later, they can change it from the address bar in Chrome… We recommend users familiarize themselves with this change before seeing the prompt.

The change first launched in the Canary and Developer builds of Chrome and later to all users in the public, stable release of Chrome, but today arrives for Google Apps users.

• Android
• Apps and Updates
• smartphones
• tablets
• mobile

AMC debuts trailer for ‘The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land’ mobile game arriving w/ season 5

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2014 - 10:52 am PT

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aiRboM4fok]

AMC announced today that it will release a new mobile game for The Walking Dead early next year alongside season 5 of the hit TV show. The TV network is teaming up with Next Games to develop the title and today shared the first trailer for the game that it plans to show off at Comic Con International later this month.

The game, titled The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, will allow players to experience the world of the iconic show through gameplay exclusively developed for smartphones and tablet devices. Developed by Next Games in close collaboration with AMC, the game will feature themes familiar to the TV series, where characters fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic, walker-infested world. A recurring theme of choosing the right survival strategy and making the most human choices possible is at the heart of the first-of-its-kind game.

Telltale games already publishes a game for Android based on universe of The Walking Dead comic book series, but this is AMC’s first official game based on its TV show version of the franchise. It isn’t, however, sharing many details on what we can expect from gameplay other than the description above or specifics on platforms.

The Walking Dead Season 5 is coming this October and the game, The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, will hit smartphones and tablets early next year when the mid-season premiere of Season 5 airs.