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870 'Android' stories May 2011 - March 2015

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The Atlas Wristband can discern between different fitness activities

Trevor Daugherty Mar 13 2015 - 5:08 pm PT

It’s a crowded world for those in the wearable and fitness tracking industry. Now with Apple breathing down the neck of the competition, it is key for these companies to find a way to stand out. Up and comer Atlas is beginning to detail its new Wristband, which offers a number of interesting features. This uniquely designed fitness tracker has one standout feature, the ability to recognize and track different workout activities using a proprietary algorithm. Not just, swimming versus running, but butterfly versus backstroke. Or push-ups versus triangle push-ups.

The design is fairly unique too, think Pebble Watch meets Nike Fuelband.

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Mood-Light Your Home From Your Phone, Was $50 now $34

Donna Enzmann Mar 3 2015 - 11:30 pm PT

Perfect-pad status is yours–remotely–at the toggle of your smartphone, with the Revogi Smart Color Bluetooth LED Bulb. This smart-bulb app system lets you choose from millions of subtleties of shades and colors, dimming or brightening the bulb remotely, in any room (the app controls up to ten bulbs!) with just a few taps on your phone. Set timers, create presets, allow auto-dimming as you go to sleep, and save serious money on lighting costs: this special color-changing bulb use 90% less energy than traditional ones and offers about 25,000 hours of lighting. (By contrast, your average CFL lasts about 8000 hours with NONE of the fun.)

For $34 (30% 0ff), grab it before it’s gone, and get going on the perfect lighting for gaming, binge-watching, or…um…anything else.

Android

ADATA found an ingenious home for a microSD card on its new microReader

Mar 3 2015 - 4:30 pm PT

MicroSD cards pack gigabytes of storage into a space about the size of your fingernail. That’s why it has become the go-to storage choice for most mobile devices. If your phone or computer doesn’t natively support microSD then you’ll need an adapter or USB reader.

ADATA’s microReader may be your new top choice when looking to access data on a microSD card, especially while on-the-go.
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Pansonic’s Nubo weatherproof, 4G-equipped monitoring camera is poised to slay Dropcam

Trevor Daugherty Mar 2 2015 - 5:32 pm PT

We haven’t seen much in the way of major innovation when it comes to surveillance cameras, with Dropcam and Foscam pretty well dominating the space in recent years. Today, we’re seeing something new from Panasonic with its Nubo monitoring camera, which features 4G connectivity and a waterproof design. They proudly proclaim that this is the “world’s first” camera design to lean on a cellular connection instead of WiFi.

It’s chock full of features, head below for full details, pricing and availability.

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Google Play’s Birthday Sale includes $0.99 albums from Beck and Drake, $3 movies, discounted apps, more

Mar 2 2015 - 5:07 pm PT

Google Play is celebrating its 3rd Birthday with 33 deals on music, movies, apps and more.

There are several standout deals but the ones you should make a bee line for include $0.99 albums from Drake, Daft Punk and Beck’s Grammy-winning album, Morning Phase. On the film side you can choose from movies starting at just $2.99 including The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, and Hurt Locker. As for apps, Facetune and Runtastic Running Pro are on sale for $0.10.

Head over the the main promo page to discover all of the deals Google is offering up.

NeatherRealm announces Mortal Kombat X hybrid card-battler for iOS and Android

Justin Kahn Mar 2 2015 - 2:11 pm PT

Just in time for the highly anticipated main console/PC release, today Warner Bros. and developer NeatherRealm have also announced a brand new Mortal Kombat X title coming to mobile platforms. While described as a “free-to-play fighting/card-battler hybrid”, the new iOS/Android title looks to bring the same “iconic visceral combat” and “vicious graphics” MK fans are used to.

Head below for a closer look in the announcement trailer, plus more details on which characters and gameplay features will be crossing over from the main console title:
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Mad Catz brings console style gaming to Android devices with the L.Y.N.X.3

Trevor Daugherty Feb 27 2015 - 5:56 pm PT

Mad Catz is adding to its line of popular gaming controllers, but this time its put a focus on Android devices. The L.Y.N.X.3 Mobile Wireless Controller is a “highly-compact mobile game controller” that can collapse for travel and has a full-range of controls that you’d expect from a full-sized console.

Head below for full details, pricing and availability.

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Buy a new smartphone (including iPhone 6/Plus) at Best Buy and get a free $150 or $200 gift card

Feb 27 2015 - 5:20 pm PT

(Update 2/27 6:36pm): Our apologies, this promo is only for new activations, not upgrades. The original draft of this post was incorrect.

Best Buy will give you a free $150 or $200 gift card when you activate a line with any new smartphone on Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint. You’ll need to do so using carrier installment plans: Verizon Edge, AT&T Next, or Sprint Easy Pay/Leasing — upgrades of any kind and of course, full-priced no-commitment smartphone purchases are not eligible for the gift card bonus.

AT&T and Verizon new line activations will yield a free $150 gift card, while Sprint will get you $200 (in-store only).

The promo covers a range of smartphones including iPhone 6/Plus (in-store pickup only), iPhone 5s/c, LG G2, HTC One M8, Nokia Lumia 1520, and several others.

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Control Siri, iTunes and your iPhone’s camera from afar w/ Satechi’s Bluetooth buttons

Trevor Daugherty Feb 25 2015 - 5:38 pm PT

Technology has created a much more accessible world, with nearly everything right at our fingertips. The thing is, sometimes we still just want easier access to a button, switch or that USB port in the back of your computer. Satechi has set out to solve this problem with three Bluetooth-enabled buttons meant to interact with a myriad of devices.

The BT Button Series is a trilogy of stick-on thin circles that pair with a device via Bluetooth and enables the user to complete certain tasks. They come in a slim circle design with an aluminum metal outer edge and are compatible with iOS devices and Android OS 4.4.4 or later. From selfies to Siri, these products have an eye for making digital life just a touch more accessible – head below to find out how.

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Microsoft announces free Office 365 for students and teachers worldwide, includes at home downloads of software

Trevor Daugherty Feb 25 2015 - 4:10 pm PT

Good news coming down the pipeline for students and teachers this week: Microsoft has announced that they will be offering a free Office 365 subscription to anyone, worldwide, with an eligible email address. This includes a 1TB OneDrive allotment and free download of Microsoft Office software on up to five PCs or Macs and five mobile devices (iOS, Android and Windows). Previously, this was offered in the United States but has since expanded to the rest of the world.

A personal subscription typically retails for $9.99/month or $99/year, so this has some nice savings potential. This is big news on the iOS side of things, previously a subscription was required to get the full benefits of the app, something that has been much discussed since its initial release.

To check your eligibility (or your child’s), head over to the student account page, likewise for teachers. After entering your school provided email address, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on finalizing your subscription and download links to grab the software. The main requirement is for your educational institution to have previously purchased Microsoft Office, if you are a user at school then you’ll likely be eligible for this deal.

Not eligible for free Office 365? Qualifying tablets from Best Buy now include a Office 365 subscription or you can grab via this HP Stream deal from Microsoft. Dropbox users still have the opportunity to add quite a bit of OneDrive storage for free.

We’ve also rounded up the best student discounts on electronics, food, games and more.

Students worldwide can now check eligibility for free Office from their school

by Office 365 Team, on February 23, 2015 | 11 Comments | 194

Last week, at a public event held by the New York City Department of Education, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced free Office for all of their 1.1M students plus teachers. The room—filled with students and teachers—erupted with cheers.

But New York is not alone.

Millions of students around the world are eligible for free Office from their school and today we are announcing that we’ve made it easy for all eligible students globally to sign up themselves to get Office 365 and install free Office.*

That includes the 5.5 million eligible students in Australia, the nearly 5 million eligible students in Germany, 7 million more in Brazil, 1.3 million at Anadolu University in Turkey, every student in Hong Kong and millions more.

This service was previously available only in the U.S., but beginning today it can be accessed by any eligible student or teacher where Office 365 is available. You’ll need a valid school email address to complete the sign up.

To check if you’re eligible for free Office from your school:

Students—Go to office.com/getoffice365 and enter a school-provided email address.
Teachers—Go to office.com/teachers and enter your school-provided email address.

Students getting Office at no additional cost to schools is a benefit Microsoft provides to education institutions that buy Office for faculty and staff. That means teachers can also sign up and enjoy all the benefits of Office connected to a cloud service, like using the OneNote Class Notebook.

Once signed up for Office 365 you get:

The latest version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher installed on up to five PCs or Macs and up to five mobile devices like iPad, Android and Windows tablets.
1TB of storage on OneDrive you can use to store and share all your documents across all your devices.
Office Online for in-browser editing, collaboration and co-authoring

Feel free to cheer.

Rovio releases new matching puzzle game ‘Jolly Jam’ for iOS and Android

Trevor Daugherty Feb 19 2015 - 6:02 pm PT

Rovio, creators of the hit game Angry Birds, has announced its latest iOS and Android offering ‘Jolly Jam’. Playing off the popular connect-three matching style of gaming, Jolly Jam has visual cues that will remind gamers of Candy Crush.

This puzzle based game focuses on matching like colors from corner to corner using a drag and highlight style of play. The idea is for users to draw boxes around matching jellies to complete levels with combo attacks and special jellies releasing colorful explosions. With ‘endless’ levels of play, Jolly Jam is highlighted by bright colors and sounds through gameplay.

Jolly Jam is available now for free on iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

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Motorola Moto 360 Smart Watch w/ free $50 best Buy gift card for $300 shipped ($350 value)

Feb 13 2015 - 7:30 am PT

As part of its President’s Day Sale, Best Buy offers a Motorola Moto 360 Smart Watch with a free $50 best Buy gift card for $299.99 shipped. That’s the same as its typical selling price, but with this deal you’re getting a free $50 credit to Best Buy. The bonus gift card will be automatically added to your shopping cart during checkout.

We were absolutely blown away by it during our testing:

The Moto 360 is the best smartwatch you can currently buy. If you’re thinking about buying one, go do it. Don’t look at the other Android Wear devices because they are inferior, at least for the time being.

… It’s a sleek and well-designed smartwatch that brings all the golden features we’ve seen with other solutions in the same space. I’ll continue to wear my Moto 360 until something better comes along, but even then, a smartwatch that looks this slick will be hard to ditch.

It doubles as an activity tracker and features Bluetooth 4.0, a built-in microphone, various sensors, and a stainless-steel case. Hundreds of Amazon reviewers rate it 4.1 out of 5 stars.

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HP 14-Inch Slatebook Touchscreen Laptop w/ Android 1.8GHz/2GB/16GB $299 shipped (Reg. $430)

Justin Kahn Feb 11 2015 - 8:24 am PT

Amazon has the HP Slatebook 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop w/ Android for $298.87 shipped right now. That’s $131 under Dell’s listing (the average selling price) and the lowest we can find from a trusted retailer.

It features a 14-inch touchscreen, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, a 9-hour battery life, 2GB of SDRAM and a 16GB SSD all running on a 1.8GHz NVIDIA Tegra 4.0 processor. You also get “free 25GB lifetime cloud storage from Box”. It has received a 3.6/5 star rating from 36 Amazon customers.

More on the HP Slatebook 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop:

Intuitively interactive 14-inch diagonal 1080p HD 10-point capacitive touchscreen with extended battery life of up to 9 hours delivers an engaging multimedia experience. (Battery life tested using 720p (1280×720) resolution, H.264 mp4 video format, 200 nits brightness, audio level at 50% system, 100% media player from local storage, headphone attached, wireless off, and disabled display power saving feature. Actual battery life will vary depending on configuration and maximum capacity will naturally decrease with time and usage. High-definition (HD) content is required to view high definition images.)

The Android apps you already know and love—supported by the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS. All of this powered by a speedy NVIDIA Tegra 4 mobile processor to run high-end graphics and optimize performance. (Wireless access point and Internet service required and not included.)

Get 67% Off The Productivity Pack (Updated to include 3 Months of Dropbox Pro FREE)

Donna Enzmann Feb 5 2015 - 12:00 pm PT

Some of you may have heard about the Productivity Pack that launched last week – it’s a bundle on the Pro or Premium versions of some of the top web services around – Evernote, Pocket, Wunderlist & LastPass. Now, we’re excited to announce that you can buy the Productivity Pack for the same price – $59.99 (67% off) – through 9to5specials. Here’s the best part – we’ve just added a 3-month subscription to Dropbox Pro to the bundle, without increasing the price. You also get a bonus 8 week subscription to NYTimes Digital. Enjoy =)

Here’s what’s included:

1 Year of Pocket Premium
1 Year of Wunderlist Pro
1 Year of Evernote Premium
1 Year of LastPass Premium
Dropbox Pro: 3-Month Trial
Bonus: 8 Week Subscription to NYTimes Digital

If you already have a premium or pro subscription for an of these services, you can still take advantage of this bundle! Your additional year will take effect once your current paid period has ended. Also, you will be able to re-subscribe for each service separately, as you wish.

Click Here To Get 67% Off The Productivity Pack – $59.99

LG G2 w/ 32 GB flash storage, 4G LTE, GSM (factory unlocked) $190 shipped (Reg. $299)

Stephen Hall Feb 4 2015 - 3:44 pm PT

An LG G2 has popped up on eBay via qualitycellz at a super-low price, shipped for $190. These usually retail around $300 or more, so this deal knocks a a bit more than $100 off the standard price. The LG G2 comes with a 5.2-inch display, a 13MP camera that also captures full 1080p video, a Snapdragon 800 processor, and a 4G cellular radio.

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Motorola $100 off $500 or $35 off $250: two-pack Moto 360 $450, Moto X (2nd gen) off-contract $400, more

Stephen Hall Feb 3 2015 - 4:20 pm PT

Yesterday Motorola was offering up codes to make this an even sweeter deal, but the Lenovo-owned company is today giving some nice cash back to those who spend more than $249.99 on their website. Spending between $249.99 and $499.99 will score you $35 off your entire purchase, while spending more than $499.99 will get you a whopping $100 off.
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Luna smart mattress cover turns up the heat in bed and even triggers your morning coffee

Trevor Daugherty Jan 27 2015 - 4:31 pm PT

If you are interested in a better sleep experience, but find the Sleep Cycle app or an expensive mattress aren’t the answer, you may want to check out the Luna smart mattress cover. What was born out of an Indiegogo campaign is set to become a reality later this year. Instead of re-making an entire mattress, that would ultimately prove to be very costly, Luna is a mattress cover that fits many beds. It is covered in sensors, which helps track your movement, sleeping habits and interacts with your data to monitor your overall health.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlS5SMVeKn0&w=704&h=396]
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LG G2 w/ 32 GB flash storage, 4G LTE, GSM (factory unlocked) $210 shipped (Reg. $299)

Stephen Hall Jan 26 2015 - 3:08 pm PT

An LG G2 has popped up on eBay via qualitycellz at a super-low price, shipped for $210. These usually retail around $300 or more, so this deal knocks about $100 off the standard price. The LG G2 comes with a 5.2-inch display, a 13MP camera that also captures full 1080p video, a Snapdragon 800 processor, and a 4G cellular radio.
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Klipsch STATUS Over-Ear Headphones (white) $85 shipped (orig. $250)

Trevor Daugherty Jan 22 2015 - 5:05 pm PT

Newegg offers the Klipsch STATUS Over-Ear Headphones in white for $84.99 shipped. This is $165 off the original price, $35 better than Amazon’s current listing and the lowest that we’ve ever seen this set go for by $15. These headphones are rated 4.5/5 stars by 60 Amazon customers.

These STATUS headphones are made of a Grilamid TR frame which provides a “nearly indestructible construction.” They also feature ear cup rotation, full range 40mm dynamic drivers and have in-line mic controls for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, they come with a 2-year limited warranty.

For more headphones, check out our roundup from earlier this week.

IK Multimedia unveils the iRig Mic Studio and PowerBridge adapter for iOS/Mac + the new UA Android guitar interface

Justin Kahn Jan 22 2015 - 3:23 pm PT

IK Multimedia, one of the leading iOS (and more recently Android) audio production device makers, has announced a series of new products at NAMM 2015. On top of a new power adapter that keeps your iDevice charging while your recording or performing on-the-go and a new Android interface/audio effects processing unit, the company has revealed its new digital mobile/desktop condenser mic…

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Blumoo RF Remote Control adapter w/ wireless music streaming for iOS/Android $85 shipped (orig. $130), more

Justin Kahn Jan 21 2015 - 8:05 am PT

9to5Toys Specials via Stack Social is offering the Blumoo Home Theater Universal RF Remote Control with Bluetooth Music Streaming and Smart TV Guide for iOS and Android for $84.99 shipped. That’s $45 under the original $130 price tag, $15 below Amazon/other average selling prices and the lowest we’ve seen.

Features:

Universal remote control supporting over 200,000 unique devices
Compatible with iPhone 4S & newer, iPad 3rd Gen & newer, iPod 5th Gen & newer, Android 4.0 & newer
Free iOS and Android companion apps (more details)
Stream music from your mobile device to your existing stereo
Customizable remote configurations with macro capabilities
One-button macro support
Detailed channel guides specific to your TV subscription
Show reminders
More details below

This unit has received a 4.1/5 star rating from 36 Amazon customers. For those who may only be looking to add audio steaming to their home set-up without all the RF controller support etc, Logitech’s $24.99 Bluetooth Adapter is a highly rated option currently available at its lowest price ever (matching):

Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter $25 Prime shipped – lowest price ever (Reg. $40). http://t.co/PAxljaJsmE pic.twitter.com/JK6ph0x4kk

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) January 19, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck1i68gn7dQ

More on the Blumoo Home Theater Universal RF Remote Control:

The 2-in-1 Ultimate Universal Remote

Blumoo gives you all the amazing functionality of a universal remote combined with a streaming audio player. Even the new “connected” or “smart” home receivers on the market limit you to the basics-only Blumoo controls over 2000,000 AV components AND streams music over Bluetooth Smart Ready technology. There’s nothing else like it on the market today.

Stop fumbling for the remotes. Use your phone or tablet

Blumoo simplifies your home entertainment by allowing you to access all your existing audio/visual equipment through your iPhone or Android mobile device. Blumoo recognizes over 200,000 receivers, amplifiers, televisions, and other devices to let you eliminate the remote pile and easily control your entertainment from the mobile device you already own. Works with: Apple (iOS): iPhone4S or newer, iPod Touch 5th gen or newer, iPad 3rd gen or newer Android: version 4.0 or newer.

Music in the power of your hand

Put the power of home audio in the palm of your hand – stream your favorite music from iTunes, Pandora, Spotify, Google Music, or others right from your mobile device to your existing wired system. You don’t need overpriced wireless speakers, special components on each speaker, or a new amplifier. Blumoo makes it easy to enjoy the music you love

Save Time and Money

Upgrade, don’t replace. Blumoo is the easy choice to upgrade your A/V equipment. Since you can use your existing Apple or Android device to control all of it, Blumoo is the only hardware you need to purchase. Even better, the Blumoo Mobile App is totally free

Control Your Entertainment

With over 200,000 devices in it’s library, Blumoo can easily recognize your existing equipment and control it from up to 150 feet away. Turn it on, turn it up, change inputs – you name it. Use the Blumoo Mobile app on your Apple or Andriod device to easily manage all your entertainment equipment. For more advanced users, create custom remotes and macros that automatically execute the actions you select with one button press.

Easy Installation

Setup so easy it must be magic. Easily connects using the included RCA cables to an open port on your amplifier or receiver in minutes. Download the Blumoo Mobile App to your mobile device and follow the easy on-screen wizard and you’ll be up and running in no time.

Universal Entertainment Remote

Blumoo gives you all the amazing functionality of a universal entertainment remote combined with a streaming audio player. Even the new ‘connected’ or ‘smart’ home stereo receivers on the market limit you to the basics – only Blumoo controls over 200,000 A/V components and streams music over Bluetooth Smart Ready technology.

Amazing Technology

Future-proof your technology. Your Blumoo automatically updates itself over the air and new features, device libraries, and functionality are automatically added for your convenience.

The new Avatar: Warrior’s Journey game is coming to iOS and Android this spring

Justin Kahn Jan 20 2015 - 2:55 pm PT

It looks as though a brand new mobile Avatar game is coming to iOS and Android, according to a recent announcement from the official Facebook page. While director James Cameron has already publicly delayed the next Avatar films until what appears to be late 2017, gamers should be getting the new Avatar: Warrior’s Journey by spring of this year.

At this point there aren’t many details available on what to expect from the upcoming “return to Pandora,” but the brief description given sounds as though we are getting an endless runner that may have a few tricks up its sleeves. Players will be taking on the role of a young Na’vi to “run, dodge, and ride…through the stunning world of James Cameron’s AVATAR.”

We can also expect some kind of light upgrade system. “As your skill grows, you will earn abilities, outfits, and ultimately your own place amongst the clans.”

There are no pricing details just yet, but the previous Avatar game that came out alongside its record breaking Hollywood counterpart film was available for $4.99 when it released.

Head over to our daily roundup for all the best game deals across every platform.

Expedia coupon code: save $25 on hotel stays of $100 or more

Justin Kahn Jan 19 2015 - 10:47 am PT

Expedia is offering $25 off your first 3 hotel stays ($100 or more) via its iOS and Android apps. There are three $25 off codes available, head below for instructions on how to get them:

Simply head over to this page, and enter your mobile device number to receive the first coupon code. And then repeat the process to receive the other two. Note: “Limit one (1) coupon per user account, per qualifying hotel booking every 24 hours.” The coupon codes can then be used on any hotel stay over $100 from within the free Expedia iOS and Android apps.

More details below:

Save $25 on Your First 3 Trips

Get 3 unique coupon codes for the first 3 hotels you book on the Expedia App.*

Send us your number below, and we will text your first code directly to your mobile device.

Enter your coupon code at checkout on the Expedia App.

Send us your number again when you’re ready for your next coupon.

*$100 minimum stay. New code required for each purchase. Limit one (1) coupon per user account, per qualifying hotel booking every 24 hours.

Earn TRIPLE Points on the Expedia App

Earn triple Expedia+ points on your mobile app bookings and redeem them for travel—with no blackout dates. Sign up for Expedia+ rewards today to take advantage of this and all mobile app offers. Note: You must sign up through the site.

Bang & Olufsen uses intelligent music curation and a wooden design in the new BeoSound Moment

Trevor Daugherty Jan 8 2015 - 3:59 pm PT

Over at CES in Las Vegas, high-end audio maker Bang & Olufsen is taking personal home audio to a whole new level of design this year and that’s saying a lot based on what we’ve seen before. In fact, B&O is setting the stage for a showdown later this summer with the whole-home audio king, SONOS. For the time being, the focus is on a whole new way to interact with your personal music and B&O is bringing the wood with its new Beosound Moment.

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Samsung preparing to offer Galaxy S5, Note 4, and Tab S buyers a free year of Netflix ($107 value)

Chance Miller Jan 2 2015 - 8:07 pm PT

According to an image obtained by Android Central, Samsung is soon planning to offer all Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, and Galaxy Tab S buyers one free year of Netflix ($107 value). The promotion will apply to U.S. customers only, however, and will only be available for the first 115,000 people to take advantage of the deal.

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Gaming For Couples: The Room, The Room Pocket, and The Room 2

Jeremy Horwitz Dec 29 2014 - 11:39 am PT

Welcome to our second edition of Gaming For Couples! There are many couples with a gaming imbalance — one person loves games, but the other (often a girlfriend or wife) doesn’t. So we’ve created this column to focus on games that two people can enjoy together, fostering a shared sense of interaction and fun. Gaming For Couples picks need to be reasonably priced, made for both girls and guys, and widely available.

Today, we’re looking at three games from the same series: Fireproof Games’ The Room, The Room Pocket, and The Room Two, recipients of numerous best of the year awards. The first two games are actually the same title, formatted for the iPad and iPhone respectively, while The Room Two is a true sequel. It’s a perfect time to play through these games, as they’re currently being discounted below their original $5 asking prices, and The Room Three is expected to be released in Spring 2015.

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Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic now available on Android: $5 (Reg. $10)

Justin Kahn Dec 29 2014 - 11:14 am PT

Android gamers got the gift of Star Wars this Christmas with Knights of the Old Republic. Apsyr has now brought BioWare’s classic RPG over to Google’s mobile OS and is currently offering it for 50% off. Already available to iOS users for over a year, you can now grab the game on Android for $4.99 (Reg. $10) for a limited time.

As mentioned in the release notes, this is the full KOTOR experience. It has not been slimmed down in anyway for Android and weighs in at around 2.4GB. Along with a list of brand new achievements, there is full HID controller support and everything you might remember from the original.

Head below for more details:

It is four thousand years before the Galactic Empire and hundreds of Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith. You are the last hope of the Jedi Order. Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror… you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy!

Android: Knights of the Old Republic $5 (Reg. $10)

Game Features:

• An epic Star Wars™ role-playing experience with unique characters, creatures, vehicles and planets.
• Learn to use the Force with over 40 different powers, plus build your own Lightsaber.
• Adventure through iconic Star Wars locations, including Tatooine and the Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk.
• Choose your party from nine customizable characters, including Twi’leks, Droids and Wookiees.
• Travel to eight enormous worlds in your own starship, the Ebon Hawk.
• A streamlined user interface custom-made for the touch screen helps immerse you in the action.
• Full HID controller support for those gamers that prefer the original control scheme.
• For the first time, KOTOR has achievements!

$30 Streamers: Roku LT/Stick+3 Months of Hulu Plus or Chromecast +$20 Google Play, 2 months Hulu Plus, more

Seth Weintraub Dec 27 2014 - 10:03 am PT

If you haven’t yet put a streaming dongle on all of your HDTVs, $30 buys you a lot of great options currently out there.

Amazon and Best Buy continue to offer the Chromecast Dongle for $29.99 with free shipping. What makes this deal special is what Google adds on afterwards (ending January 31st): After setting up your Chromecast and visiting this page, you’ll receive $20 Google Play credit, X-Men original movie, 3 months of Drama Fever, 2 months of Hulu Plus and 90 days free Google Play music.

Stream online video, music, photos and more to your TV using your smartphone, tablet, or laptop
Supports a growing number of apps including Netflix, YouTube, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, ESPN, MLB.TV, Google Play Movies and Music, Plex, MLS, crackle, Vevo, Rdio. Allows to cast a Chrome browser tab.
Box includes Chromecast, HDMI extender, USB power cable, and power adapter. No remote needed.
Easy setup: Plug into any HDTV and connect to your home WiFi network
Works with Android phones and tablets, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and Chromebooks

Next, Groupon offers either the Roku LT HD Streaming Player or Roku Streaming Stick with 2 Months of Free Rdio and 3 Months Free of Hulu Plus for $29.99 shipped. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for these popular streaming options that come with Remote and the most streaming options available which can be operated without a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack for iOS, Android & Kindle $10 Prime shipped (orig. $75)

Justin Kahn Dec 23 2014 - 10:55 pm PT

Update (12/24 8:15am): It has now jumped back to $30 minus the $10 coupon ($20 Prime shipped), still a great deal and beating Black Friday pricing.

Amazon is now offering the Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack for iOS, Android, & Fire OS for $19.99, but using code TRAPTEAM10 will drop the total down to ~~$9.99~~ with free Prime shipping (free trial) or with orders of $35 or more. That’s $65 under the original price, $20 below the best price we’ve ever seen (including Black Friday pricing).

Features:

Place the Skylanders on the new Traptanium Portal and bring the Skylanders to Life
Trap Master Skylanders are the ultimate trappers with powerful Traptanium Weapons – Defeat and Capture Villains in the Traps and then use the Villains on the side of good
Includes: 1-Video Game, 1-Wireless Traptanium Portal, 1- Wireless Game Controller, 2-Skylanders Figures, 2-Traps, 1-Trap Collection Tray, 1-Character Collector Poster, 2-Sticker Sheets with Secret Codes, 2-Trading Cards, and 5 AAA Batteries

Lionsgate offering The Hunger Games and Catching Fire movies for free to select Samsung users

Chance Miller Dec 21 2014 - 1:27 pm PT

To celebrate the holiday season, Lionsgate is offering users of select Samsung devices free downloads of two popular movies. Users of the Galaxy Tab S, Galaxy Note Pro, Galaxy Tab Pro, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, and Galaxy Note 3 can download The Hunger Games movie (regularly $12.99) and its sequel Catching Fire (regularly $14.99) for totally free via the Lionsgate Android app.

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The ODROID-C1 is a quad-core hobbyist computer priced at just $35

Trevor Daugherty Dec 16 2014 - 5:47 pm PT

We all know Raspberry Pi – the little computer spawning mini-Nintendos and kid style desktops – but you probably haven’t seen the ODROID-C1, a mini computer that’s twice as fast as Pi. Just because there is a significant bump in speed don’t expect a huge bump in price.

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Gaming For Couples: The Peggle Family + The Beatles: Rock Band

Jeremy Horwitz Dec 15 2014 - 5:10 pm PT

You love games, but your girlfriend or wife doesn’t. My goal is to change that. This week, 9to5Toys is debuting Gaming For Couples, a new weekly column looking at great games for couples to play together. We’re not necessarily going to pick the newest or hottest games for this column — instead, we’re going to suggest titles that are reasonably priced, made for both girls and guys, and widely available.

Our first edition looks at two picks just in time for the holidays: the Peggle franchise and The Beatles: Rock Band, both from Electronic Arts.

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Giveaway: iDevices iGrill Mini Bluetooth Grilling Thermometer for iOS/Android ($40 value)

Dec 9 2014 - 8:43 pm PT

(12/17 5:00pm): Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! The winner is @RDustinB.

Since we’ve been so busy with Black Friday and Cyber Monday it hardly feels like the holidays around here, so we’re going to get in the Christmas spirit by giving away an iDevices iGrill Mini.

Use this Bluetooth grilling thermometer to check on your barbecue up to 150 feet away on your iPhone, or up close via the magnetic mountable base. A smart LED ring on the face of the iGrill Mini changes color as the temperature rises serving as a temperature progression gauge. The probe attached to the iGrill Mini continually monitors the internal temperature of your meat of choice. The iOS/Android app includes custom and preset temperature alarms, min/max temperature range, graphing, social sharing, recipes, and more.

Continue on to learn how you can win an iGrill Mini:
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Google doles out free $20 Play credits to Chromecast owners

Dec 8 2014 - 12:24 pm PT

Update (12/8 1:00pm): Target has Chromecast for $22.99. Redeem Google’s latest promo (below) to drop its effective price down to $2.99.

Google has just launched a new offer that extends a free $20 Google Play credit to anyone who purchases a Chromecast by December 21. According to the offer details, only Chromecasts purchased between December 7 and December 21 will be eligible for the free credit, but we were able to take advantage of it on our previously purchased Chromecasts.

You can check if you’re eligible for this promo by pointing your Chrome browser to chromecast.com/offers. The credit expires on January 31, 2016 and can be used on movies, music, apps, and other media. However, it can’t be used towards the purchase of any hardware. Only open to US residents.

Google Play, Amazon, and Best Buy are all promoting this offer for new Chromecast buyers.

At this point Google is pretty much paying you to own a Chromecast. Just recently, we’ve seen Google hand out free movies, Hulu Plus and Play subscriptions.

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The new TRENDnet THA-101 combines a network extender and an iOS/Android controlled smart plug

Justin Kahn Dec 5 2014 - 4:27 pm PT

Known for its consumer networking gear, TRENDnet is announcing the latest addition to its lineup of home WiFi devices. The new THA-101 Home Smart Switch is a hybrid network extender and basic smart electrical outlet that looks to offer the best of both worlds in one small package…

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WeMo and Holmes team up to take the worry out of small room heaters

Trevor Daugherty Dec 4 2014 - 2:51 pm PT

We’ve all done it, found ourselves in a panic about 10 miles down the road, wondering if we have left that little space heater on in our bedroom. Today, WeMo is teaming up with Holmes to bring its own solution to this moment of fear. The Holmes WiFi-enabled Smart Heater connects the popular home company with Belkin’s WeMo ecosystem. This adds another piece to the puzzle of WeMo’s expansive line of home automation products.

Holmes is also introducing a new Smart WiFi-enabled air purifier, which puts the focus on consistantly monitoring the air quality in your home and adjusting as needed.

We’ve got full details below on pricing and Holmes new Frost Protect feature on these heaters.
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Get three months of Spotify Premium for $0.99 ($30 value)

Trevor Daugherty Dec 3 2014 - 4:40 pm PT

Spotify is offering three months of its Premium service for $.99, which will last you well through the holiday season and most of winter! This is deal is specifically for United States users that have not subscribed to the Premium service in the past, at any point. Premium service would usually run $30 for three months, to redeem simply visit Spotify’s homepage and follow the instructions to pick up this deal.

Despite its recent struggles with some artists, Spotify is still at the top when it comes to streaming the largest library of music across multiple devices and platforms. Students can still pick up a pretty nice deal on Spotify, as well.

Big USB Batteries, lowest ever prices: Anker 13,000mAh: $24, Aduro 10,800 mAh: $18, Limefuel 20,000mAh: $35 shipped

Seth Weintraub Dec 1 2014 - 4:49 pm PT

A lot of batteries are hitting lowest ever prices today including one of our favorites, the 13,00mAh Anker Astro 4E External Battery Pack w/ PowerIQ for $29.99 with free Prime shipping. Promocode ANKERCM1 drops it another $6 to all time low of $23.99 shipped. Standout features here:

The Anker Advantage: Join the 6 million+ powered by Amazon’s #1 charging brand.
Exclusive PowerIQ™ Technology: Detects your device to deliver its fastest possible charge speed up to 3 amps.
Huge Capacity: Charges the iPad Air once, the Galaxy S5 over three times, the iPhone 5s almost six times and other smartphones multiple times. Recharges in 6.5 hours with a 2 amp adapter (not included) and the included Micro USB cable.
Superior Quality: Premium LG cells, cutting-edge circuitry and a sturdy gloss exterior ensure reliability and safety. To activate the LED flashlight, hold or double click the power meter button.
What You Get: Anker 2nd Generation Astro E4 External Battery, Micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide, our fan-favorite 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.

Anker isn’t the only awesome battery option today. Groupon has a nice-looking Aduro PowerUp 10,800mAh Leather Backup Portable Battery for just $17.99 shipped at Groupon. This one has a Flashlight and comes in a variety of colors.

If size matters in a big way, check out the Limefuel 20,000mAh battery from 9to5toys Specials at $34.99 shipped. This one also includes a flashlight and adds a status indicator.

Some other great options:

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Google Play Store celebrates Cyber Monday with up to 50% off apps, movies, music, more

9to5 Staff Dec 1 2014 - 12:30 pm PT

Google is starting out Cyber Monday with up to 50% off “top titles” including apps, games, music, movies, books, and more on the Play Store. Deals include a wide range of content like movies including The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in HD for $9.99 down from the regular $17.99 price and Fight Club for $4.99 down from $9.99.
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Android

Moto X 2013 Developer Edition for $220 shipped (orig. $500)

Mark Hearn Nov 26 2014 - 1:45 pm PT

The original Moto X is a great smartphone that’s already destined to receive Google’s latest mobile operating system. So, what makes a great phone better? How about an awesome price tag? Right now eBay seller mobilepros1 is selling brand new a 32GB first-generation Developer Edition Moto X (Verizon GSM unlocked) for $219.99 with free shipping.

If you’re not familiar with the Moto X’s hardware, this handset features a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 display, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 10-megapixel rear-facing camera. Although it’s not Motorola’s newest smartphone, the Moto X is a great device and is worth a look if you’re on a strict budget.

Livescribe smartpens for iOS/Mac/PC with WiFi & Evernote access from $80 shipped (orig. up to $250)

Justin Kahn Nov 26 2014 - 11:06 am PT

Amazon has the Livescribe smartpens on sale today for as much as 53% off the original listings. You’ll find the 2GB WiFi model for $79.99 shipped (orig. $170), the 4GB WiFi model for $99.99 shipped (orig. $200) and the 8GB WiFi Propack for $119.99 shipped (orig. $250). All of which are the lowest prices we can find (model options found on the listing pages above).

Livescribe pens offer up hundreds of hours of audio recording and note taking capabilities as well as deep integration with Evernote and iOS:

Now, all your important notes, graphs and diagrams are at the tip of your fingers, so you can review, search and organize your notes from Evernote on any of the devices you use including PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices…It syncs all your handwritten notes and any recorded audio to your free Evernote account, allowing you to have quick and easy access to the information that matters to you…

The Livescribe smartpens have received a 3.4/5 star rating from over 840 Amazon customers. Head below for more details on each model:

Livescribe 2GB Sky Wi-Fi Smartpen:

Over 200 hours of audio
Capture thousands of pages of notes
Wireless transmission of notes and audio
Livescribe edition of Evernote

What’s in the Box

2GB Sky wifi smartpen, free Livescribe plan for Evernote, Sky wifi smartpen Basics guide, starter dot paper notebook (50 sheets), micro-USB cable, 2 ink cartridges, 2 smartpen caps.

Livescribe 4GB Sky Wi-Fi Smartpen:

Over 400 hours of audio
Capture thousands of pages of notes
Wireless transmission of notes and audio
Livescribe edition of Evernote

What’s in the Box

4GB Sky wifi smartpen, free Livescribe plan for Evernote, Sky wifi smartpen Basics guide, starter dot paper notebook (50 sheets), micro-USB cable, 2 ink cartridges, 2 smartpen caps.

Livescribe 8GB Sky Wi-Fi Propack:

Sky wifi smartpen with 8GB of memory (actual user-available memory will be less)
Smartpen Portfolio
One-Year Subscription to Evernote Premium
Exclusive Livescribe plan for Evernote includes 500MB of additional monthly upload capacity for smartpen notes and audio
Sky wifi smartpen Basics Guide
2 ink cartridges (including one pre-installed in the Sky smartpen)
2 smartpen caps
Micro-USB cable

What’s in the Box:

8GB Sky wifi smartpen, Smartpen Portfolio, one-year subscription to Evernote Premium, free Livescribe plan for Evernote, Sky wifi smartpen Basics guide, starter dot paper notebook (50 sheets), micro-USB cable, 2 ink cartridges, 2 smartpen caps.

Amazon’s Fire Phone is now available for $199 unlocked, includes a free ($99 value) year of Prime

Dom Esposito Nov 26 2014 - 6:45 am PT

It seems that Amazon is finally throwing in the towel with its Fire Phone. After the hype leading up to its launch, Fire Phone has been struggling to stay afloat. It’s best to think of the Fire Phone as a smaller version of a Kindle Fire tablet, but with a few extra gimmicks and features thrown in along with a free year of Amazon Prime.

The Fire Phone may have been a disappointment to the market, but Amazon isn’t giving up on its attempt to push it into the hands of consumers this holiday season. The Fire Phone can now be purchased unlocked and off-contract for only $199 (32GB Version)…

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Caseology iPhone 6/Plus and 5/5s cases starting at $4 (up to 50% off)

Trevor Daugherty Nov 24 2014 - 8:21 pm PT

MODN Mall via eBay is offering a variety of iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5, 5S and Android cases starting at $3.99 shipped. This represents a savings of up to 50% off the regular price at Amazon for these highly-rated cases.

Each style is available in multiple colors:

Browse MODN Mall’s full eBay store to check out other discounted accessories for iPhone 5s/5c/4, Galaxy S5, Nexus 5, and others.

Android

Samsung Galaxy S5 $1 on contract w/ Verizon, AT&T and Sprint (Reg. $99)

Trevor Daugherty Nov 23 2014 - 8:38 pm PT

Amazon has the Samsung Galaxy S5 for $1 with a two-year contract agreement (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T). Best Buy has also matched this offer for the S5. This ties the lowest price that we’ve seen, Sam’s Club and Target will be offering this deal on Black Friday. Over 300 Amazon users rate this smartphone 4.5/5 stars.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 features 4G LTE connectivity, a 2.5GHz processor, 5.1-inch 1080p display and 16MP camera. Additionally, it is rated for 29 hours of talk time according to Samsung.

We positively reviewed the S5 after a month of use following its release:

…the Galaxy S5 is great device and a worthy upgrade over its predecessor, but as I mentioned, there are definitely a few things that I’d like to see ironed out. This isn’t a reinvention of the smartphone, but a redefining moment for a great flagship device.

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Small States: JDS Labs makes powerful iPhone headphone amps, giveaway worth $279

Trevor Daugherty Nov 22 2014 - 12:40 pm PT

Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.

Update (11/29 11:00am): Adam Scheidegger is our winner – thanks for following along and entering this Small States contest!

There is a lot of pride that comes with manufacturing in the United States, and we’ve enjoyed sharing the stories behind that pride with you. Before we head into the holiday season, there is one more company that we wanted to make sure you knew about.

JDS Labs out of Collinsville, IL is responsible for one of the coolest products that I have ever used. They take very sophisticated technology and squeeze it into everyday products that make your music sound exquisite. We’ve covered the importance of digital-to-analog converters (DAC) and headphone amplifiers before, but never have we seen them in such a cool package like this.

Let’s learn a little more about JDS Labs.

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Hotel Tonight iOS/Android app offers $7 rooms on Black Friday

Trevor Daugherty Nov 20 2014 - 2:03 pm PT

Hotel Tonight, the popular day-of reservation app for iOS and Android will be offering hotel deals in both the US and UK starting at $7 on Black Friday. Hotel Tonight says that these deals will be strategically located next to major shopping centers and outlet malls, so that shoppers can “grab a quick nap” between hitting stores.

They also promise hotel room deals starting at $70 for the rest of the weekend, including Cyber Monday.

If you are interested in checking out these deals, all you’ll have to do is download the Hotel Tonight app (iOS/Android) and open it on Black Friday. These specific deals will be listed under the “Black Friday Blowout” header within the app.

Head over to our daily roundup for more iOS and Android deals.

Full details from Hotel Tonight:

We’ve got a sweet deal for you this Black Friday!

Starting at 7am on Black Friday (November 28), we’ll be featuring $7 rooms in destinations across the US and UK. To score one of these doorbuster deals, just look for hotels in the app marked “Black Friday Blowout.” We’ll also have deals starting at just $70 all weekend long, including Cyber Monday.

Most of these hotel deals will be right near major malls and outlets – perfect for grabbing a quick power nap between marathon shopping sessions.

But act fast! These deals will go faster than that coveted last slice of Mom’s pumpkin pie. If you see one you like, snag it… before someone else does.

Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Bluetooth wireless stereo earbuds $43 shipped (orig. $80)

Trevor Daugherty Nov 19 2014 - 9:04 pm PT

Rakuten.com offers the Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Bluetooth wireless stereo earbuds for $42.99 shipped. That’s a savings of nearly 50% off the original list price, $24 better than Amazon and the lowest that we can currently find.

The Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 features wireless audio via Bluetooth, in-line mic controls, a 4.5 hour battery life and have “military grade moisture resistance”.

Over 750 Amazon customers rate these Bluetooth headphones 3.5/5 stars.

Sling Media SlingBox 350 live TV streamer for iPhone and iPad $82 shipped (orig. $180)

Trevor Daugherty Nov 19 2014 - 8:31 pm PT

Update (11/21 10:45am) Amazon is now offering the Sling Media SlingBox live TV streamer $82.19 shipped.

Digjungle via Amazon offers the Sling Media SlingBox 350 live TV streamer for 84.99 shipped. The 350 is also available direct from Amazon for $89.73. That’s a savings of up to $95 off the original list price and the lowest that we have ever seen. Currently, 410 Amazon users rate this product 4/5 stars.

The SlingBox sends your existing cable TV at your home to your laptop, smartphone (iPhone, iPad or Android), or tablet in full 1080p HD. Any Apple TV, Roku Player or Chromecast can play live video directly from the SlingBox 350. SlingBoxes are a great way to watch your favorite sports or television show while you are out on the road. Wirecutters may find it useful to put in a relative’s home that subscribes to cable as well. It is important to note that this model only supports ethernet connectivity.

The SlingBox M1 has replaced the 350 in Sling Media’s product line-up, although it will run you $142 from Amazon.