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Showing posts with label 2014 at 03:25PM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 at 03:25PM. Show all posts
A new class action lawsuit was filed against Apple on Tuesday in a U.S. federal court, alleging the company's newest version of iOS doesn't properly inform its users just how much storage space it will occupy once downloaded.



As reported by Siliconbeat, the lawsuit is claiming that iOS 8 can take up as much as 23.1 percent of the overall storage capacity of an iOS device, but that fact isn't actively advertised when customers purchase a new Apple product, or go to download the new software update. The plaintiffs point to personal moments akin to sporting events or weddings where users are desperate for more storage as Apple preying on consumers for more profit.

"Using these sharp business tactics, defendant gives less storage capacity than advertised, only to offer to sell that capacity in a desperate moment, e.g., when a consumer is trying to record or take photos at a child or grandchild’s recital, basketball game or wedding," alleges the plaintiffs in the case.

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William Anderson, the plaintiffs' attorney of Cuneo Gilbert & Laduca, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, seeks both damages and changes to Apple's policies specifically under California state law.

"We feel that there are a substantial number of Apple consumers that have been shortchanged," Anderson said in a statement. "And we’ll be pursuing the claims vigorously."

Anderson continued to sound off support not only for consumers facing storage issue following the download of iOS 8, but those who purchased an iPhone or iPad with iOS 8 already installed.



iOS 8 launched back in September, including a bevy of new features like Continuity and allowing third-parties to access Touch ID and its keyboard functionality. A few days after launch, problems such as battery drain and slow Wi-Fi began cropping up for some iOS 8 users. Apple's further attempts to remedy the rocky launch with steady updates caused even larger problems with cell service outage and spotty Touch ID issues.



A late-October update brought much-anticipated support for Apple Pay, amongst other features, and began putting the service back on track. As of early November the newest operating system was installed on 60 percent of active iOS devices.



Despite the company's continued efforts to address iOS 8 bugs, the plaintiffs of the new class action are attempting to use Apple's own branding of iOS 8 - "The biggest iOS release ever" - as a hidden piece of subtext hinting at the hefty amount of storage the operating system requires.


















Amazon Free Android Apps Download

Earlier this week, we told you about a massive sale Amazon was having that would let you download $220 worth of Android apps for free. Well that sale is now live and you can go right now to Amazon's Appstore to get 40 Android apps that would normally cost a total of $220 for free right now.


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Why Is TouchWiz So Slow

If there's one thing that annoys Android fans more than fragmentation, it's TouchWiz, the UI overlay used in Samsung Android phones that is often blamed for slow, laggy performance on those devices. Now even one writer at Samsung fan site SamMobile has completely had it with TouchWiz and has penned a scathing diatribe against the company's little-loved UI.


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Microsoft today announced the acquisition of Mojang, the company behind the popular crafting game Minecraft. Both Microsoft and Mojang confirmed the Redmond company paid $2.5 billion for the gaming franchise in a deal expected to close in late 2014.



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Microsoft bought Minecraft following the game's success on the Xbox platform and PC, where it has logged over 100 million downloads since its 2009 launch. Though its financial interests are focused on the Xbox and Windows PC, Microsoft confirmed that Minecraft development will continue on all existing gaming platforms, including iOS, where Minecraft Pocket Edition [Direct Link] consistently ranks near the top of the paid app charts.
"Gaming is the top activity across devices and we see great potential to continue to grow the Minecraft community and nurture the franchise. That is why we plan to continue to make Minecraft available across platforms – including iOS, Android and PlayStation, in addition to Xbox and PC."

As part of the deal, Mojang founders Carl Manneh, Markus Persson (Notch) and Jakob Porsér are leaving the company to work on new projects. The remaining team will continue to work at Mojang under the guidance of Microsoft, which expects to recoup its investment by the end of 2015.
























Indiegogo Bleep Charging and Backup Cable

Bleep is a smartphone accessory that has already passed its $20,000 goal on Indiegogo with 51 days left in the campaign, which means it will become an official product ready to fix two particular problems smartphone users have – charging the battery of their device and simultaneously backing up their personal data on it.


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Moto X+1 Photos

Motorola is set to announce a handful of new products later this week during a media gathering that BGR will be attending, but it looks like the star of the show has made an early appearance. TK Tech News on Monday posted photos it claims show the upcoming Motorola Moto X+1, and the images appear to be authentic.


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Repair experts at uBreakiFix have examined the impact resistance, scratch resistance and strength of sapphire glass in a series of tests that were published today. The tests were designed to determine whether sapphire is suitable for use as a smartphone display.



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The repair technicians conducted three different tests -- a scratch resistance comparison using a tungsten carbide drill bit, a drop test with the sapphire display of the newly released Kyocera Brigadier, and a a four-point bend test to compare the failure stress and strain of sapphire glass with that of Gorilla Glass.






The results of uBreakiFix's tests show that sapphire is significantly more scratch resistant and 25 percent stronger than Gorilla Glass, but it is much more susceptible to impacts due to its brittleness. The glass is so brittle that it shattered the first time it was dropped face down from a height of only three feet.






The technicians conclude that sapphire does not necessarily offer any advantage over Gorilla Glass, as the material's superior scratch resistance and strength is offset by its low impact resistance. Phone manufacturers that include a sapphire display may choose to employ other protective measures such as a raised bezel to help protect the phone during impact with other surfaces.



Apple is partnering with GT Advanced Technologies to produce sapphire for use in future products. The exact details on how Apple will use the material is not known, but the company is rumored to be using sapphire as a display cover in future iPhone models and possibly its iWatch wearable product.


















iPhone 6 vs Metal Samsung Galaxy

Samsung has already started making fun in a TV commercial of the unreleased iPhone 6, telling potential buyers that its Android handsets had bigger displays for quite a while in an obvious attempt to kill the iPhone 6 buzz and divert attention to its own 2014 flagship handset. But the company appears to actually have a real iPhone 6-related problem, Digitimes reports, which may affect its own smartphone launch plans. Apple’s massive metal chassis orders with suppliers are apparently preventing Samsung from placing its own metal chassis orders for a future iPhone 6 killer that would ditch plastic in favor of metal.


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12 nifty Google tricks you should know about

Google Search, Gmail and Maps Tricks

Google is the preferred search engine for millions of people, with the giant company having many other web-related products available for users, all built around, or in relationship with search and ads. While most users know how to perform a search, use Gmail or navigate with Maps, they may not be aware of some of the nifty hidden tricks Google has included in its online services.


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Analysts were sour on Apple last year, believing the company's stock would not climb over the $700 mark it crossed briefly in September 2012. Now with a 7-for-1 stock split and a continuing stock repurchase plan, this negative sentiment is changing with analysts revising their price targets for the again-hot stock, reports Fortune .



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Table compiled by Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt.



In recent weeks, analysts have adjusted their price targets by as much as 30 percent, with prices now ranging from a low of $87 from Morningstar's Brian Collelo up to a high of $124 from Stephen Turner of Hilliard Lyons. With the recent upgrades, the analysts' average price targets are now above Apple's all-time high once the stock split is accounted for.



As noted by BTIG's Walter Piecyk, some of this optimism stems from new U.S. carrier plans that will expand the number of customers eligible to upgrade to Apple's next generation iPhone and new leasing options that offer upgrades with a minimal upfront cost.
“Historically we estimate that ~20% of AT&T’s subscriber base was eligible for an upgrade during an iPhone launch quarter. That eligibility dropped to a low of the mid-teens in the second half of 2013 due to the stricter upgrade policies. We expect AT&T's new Mobile Share Value plan to increase the percentage of AT&T post-paid subscriber base eligible to upgrade to over 65% by the time the next iPhone launches. In absolute terms that is the difference between 10 or 11 million eligible for upgrades and 45-50 million.”

Wireless carriers in the U.S. have been modifying their consumer cellular and data plans, introducing no-contract options and new incentives that make it easier for customers to upgrade to new phones. Much of this change has been initiated by T-Mobile, which started its Uncarrier promotion in early 2013 with a no-contract Simple Choice plan that lets you pay for a phone in installments with a low upfront cost and early upgrades. Other carriers, such as AT&T, have followed suits with similar plans.


















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