LightFreq is the name of a new product seeking funding on Kickstarter that describes itself as a “genius multi-functioning HD audio light bulb that offers an audio system, wake-up mode, phone alerts, intercom,” and other features. The light bulb is supposed to fit any regular light fitting and lamp and wirelessly connect with a smartphone in order for users to customize their LightFreq experience via a special app.
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Things have been getting better for BlackBerry over the past year mainly because, as Lennon-McCartney might have sung about the company’s fortunes last year, “they can’t get no worse.” However, Reuters reports that leaked internal company memos show that BlackBerry says it’s finished its painful restructuring process and is ready to start hiring new personnel and acquiring new companies.
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Depending on whom you ask, Apple will launch the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 either in September or October, with the 5.5-inch version expected to arrive a few months later, although most reports seem to favor September as the most likely launch month for the handset. KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo has learned more details about Apple’s iPhone 6 production, Liberty Times reports, revealing the company is facing yield issues with certain components, including in-cell touch panels and metal chassis.
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Marques Brownlee (a.k.a., MKBHD), whose terrific work we’ve highlighted multiple times in the past, has just put up another great video that shows us all of the tips and tricks we’ll need to get the most out of Android Wear.
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If you’re a casual Android user, you may see Google Now pop up on your phone without knowing how you can get the most out of it. Re/code’s Lauren Goode has put together a list of 10 essential tips for Google Now users who may not realize just how much Google’s personal voice assistant can do for them.
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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Alpha smartphone, a device that makes limited use of metal and is expected to be the company’s response to the upcoming iPhone 6, has appeared in plenty of leaks so far, which have revealed not only its main specs and features, but also its design. Following a set of Galaxy Alpha images from earlier this week that showed the white version of the handset, a Twitter leaker @culeaks posted hands-on images showing the same handset, including a comparison with the existing iPhone 5s model.
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Apple on Monday released iOS 8 beta 5, which can be installed right away on any supported iOS device that’s also registered with a developer account. However, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users who want to experience the latest iOS 8 beta don’t need to have access to a developer account to do so, BestTechInfo reveals, as a way to unofficially install the beta on an iOS device still exists – similarly, all previous iOS 8 beta versions had this particular “feature.”
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Samsung has been the vendor to beat in China for quite some time, but according to the latest figures from research firm Canalys, Xiaomi has taken the top spot in the second quarter of 2014. Xiaomi managed to capture 14% of the market with nearly 15 million units sales while Samsung took second place with 13.2 million, Lenovo took third with 13 million and Yulong and Huawei rounded out the top 5.
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Although T-Mobile’s assorted “Uncarrier” moves have done a lot to undermine the wireless industry’s traditional two-year contract business model, Verizon still thinks two-year contracts are a wonderful thing, mostly because they’re guaranteed revenue for a fixed period of time. Because of this, it’s not surprising to see Verizon is doing its best to keep the two-year contract model alive by shamelessly trying to convince users that signing a two-year deal is in their best interests. However, Droid Life points us to a new Verizon promotion that really takes things to a whole new level of stupid.
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Samsung is expected to soon unveil the Galaxy Alpha, a 4.7-inch Android smartphone that’s supposed to take on the upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone 6. While the smartphone is not official, it’s specs have already been leaked and have shown that the Galaxy Alpha won’t be a Galaxy S5 version hidden in a smaller body. We’ve also seen a couple of image leaks that have shown us what the device will have to offer in terms of design. Furthermore, Phone Arena has uncovered more model numbers for the Galaxy Alpha, which suggest at least two U.S. versions of the handset are inbound.
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