Instagram adds account switching for multiple accounts

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

If you manage social media for a business or organization, then you know that it can sometimes be tricky to keep all of your accounts in order. Some social networks are better than others when it comes to managing multiple accounts. In the past, Instagram hasn’t done much to aid this issue, but beginning this week, the company is making it a lot easier for those who manage multiple Instagram accounts.

With version 7.15 of Instagram, the company is adding support for account switching for those with multiple accounts. Users can go to their profile settings to add an additional account. Once the new account is added, switching between them is as easy as tapping your username in your profile and selecting the account that you’d like to use. The profile picture of the account that you’re using will appear throughout the app, so you’ll easily be able to tell which account you’re using.

It’s great to see Instagram making it easier for those who manage multiple accounts. It’s not quite clear how many accounts you can add into the app, but we’re crossing our fingers that it’s more than just two. The update will be rolling out to Android and iOS users throughout the week.

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Google is reportedly prepping a new VR headset

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

Virtual reality is quickly becoming one of the most competitive realms of technology. The long-awaited Oculus Rift is finally coming to market and other competitors such as Samsung, HTC and Valve are entering the scene to get in on the action. Google was one of the first companies to release a VR headset with Google Cardboard, its low-cost alternative to other more expensive devices. Cardboard took off in a much bigger way than Google expected, leading the company to do some reorganizing in order to place a larger focus on virtual reality.

According to a report from the Financial Times, Google is in the midst of developing a more advance VR headset. This new VR headset will be far more sophisticated than Google Cardboard and will compete directly with Samsung’s Gear VR, and also with higher-priced devices like the Oculus Rift.

Much like the Gear VR, Google’s headset will be smartphone-based, allowing users to insert a smartphone to act as the display and processor. The new VR headset will be a successor to Cardboard, but will be more practically-oriented and advanced. It will feature improved lenses, a stronger plastic casing and more advanced motion sensors.

In addition to the new motion sensors, Google will be integrating VR software directly into Android rather than relying on an app, as Google Cardboard does. Together, these two things will reportedly reduce latency, lowering the likelihood of users becoming dizzy or nauseous due to lag between the headset and the user’s movements.

The primary selling point of Google’s new VR headset will be its wide range of compatibility. Samsung has only opened the Gear VR up to a small amount of users by offering compatibility only with a select few of its smartphones. Google will extend compatibility to a range of Android devices from all different manufacturers.

Google hasn’t commented directly on this report, but the company has given some indicators that it’s working on new VR technology. Google recently did some restructuring and created a new virtual reality department led up by Clay Bavor. This new department encompasses Google Cardboard and related technology. In addition to creating a VR department, Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently stated that Google Cardboard was “just the first step”. Pichai also had this to say, “Beyond these early efforts, you’ll see a lot more from us and our partners in 2016.”

2016 looks to be a big year for VR. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you informed on Google’s moves for virtual reality.

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Sprint offers $200 trade-in when purchasing Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

In the market for a new phone? You may want to take a look at Sprint’s offerings, as the carrier has some pretty great promotions running at the moment. The latest deal to join the pack is a trade-in offer on a couple of popular devices. Customers interested in purchasing a Samsung Galaxy S6 or Galaxy Note 5 can trade in their current smartphone for a guaranteed $200 trade-in credit. This would bring the price of the Galaxy S6 (32GB) down to just $9.67/month for well-qualified customers using Sprint Lease. The Galaxy Note 5 (32GB) is also very affordable at $16.67/month for 24 months when using Sprint Lease.

The only caveat is that customers must own the device that they’re trading in (it can’t be in a lease). That’s a bit of a given, but it’s still worth pointing out.

In addition to receiving a $200 trade-in credit, you can also combine this offer with Sprint’s other promos. The carrier is still offering its “Cut Your Bill in Half” offer for customers who switch from Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile. The carrier has other offers depending on what you’re looking for, so be sure to head into a Sprint store or give them a call to see just how much you can save.

Sprint has done a lot of work over the past year to remain competitive. The carrier is continuing to improve and expand its network while also working to undercut the other carriers in its pricing and offerings. Even though the carrier has had a varied history, now is an excellent time to take a look at switching to Sprint and scoring some serious value.

Show Press Release

$200 Trade-in Guarantee on Galaxy S6 and Note 5 from Sprint

For a limited time, Sprint is offering customers who select a new Samsung Galaxy S6 or Samsung Galaxy Note 5 a guaranteed $200 savings when they trade in their current working smartphone:

The $200 trade-in brings the monthly cost of a Sprint Lease on Galaxy S6 (32 GB) down to less than $10 per month for well-qualified customers ($9.67 for 24 months). That’s less than 35 cents per day.
The $200 trade-in brings the monthly cost of a Sprint Lease on Galaxy Note 5 (32 GB) to less than $17 per month for well-qualified customers ($16.67 for 24 months). That is just about 56 cents per day.

These prices will be available in all Sprint retail stores beginning today. It will extend to our web and telesales channels by the end of the week. It’s a great deal for anyone looking to get the latest Galaxy phones but also go easy on their wallet. (Trade-in device cannot be leased and current customers must be upgrade-eligible)

And yes, this guaranteed trade-in offer can easily be combined with the biggest wireless offer in U.S. history – Sprint is offering 50 percent off most AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon standard rate plans when they switch to Sprint. Get all the details at http://www.sprint.com. There has never been a better time to switch to Sprint!

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Amazon discounts Fire tablets and more, Fire starts at $39.99

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

If you missed the Amazon sales before the holidays last year, then your wait for the next round of deals is finally over. Whether it is to celebrate the Amazon Super Bowl ad or Valentine’s Day, there are deals on a number of products in the Amazon lineup, and most are good through February 13th.

Android Deals

While the Fire tablets aren’t running Android proper, they are still excellent content consumption, reading and simple gaming devices. Amazon has dropped the price on a few of the most popular Fire tablets.

Fire – ~~$49.99~~ $39.99

Fire HD Kids Edition – ~~$99.99~~ $79.99

Fire HD 10 – ~~$229.99~~ $179.99

E-Reader Deals

If you made reading more in the new year a resolution for 2016, then you might want to consider a traditional Kindle. Despite always having a couple Android tablets around, I actually picked up a Kindle e-reader myself as the weight, size and screen, combined with the lack of temptation to jump out to an app or game, make for a considerably better reading device.

Kindle – ~~$79.99~~ $59.99

Kindle Paperwhite – ~~$119.99~~ $99.99

You can take a look at the full deals page by hitting the source link below. If you are interested in previous generation hardware or an Amazon-assembled bundle with one of the tablets or e-readers above, there are a couple other options that might catch your eye. Unfortunately, there are no deals on the Echo or on the Fire TV lineup, which are some of the more interesting products in Amazon’s portfolio at the moment. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for those deals in the future.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 leak shows off a slimmer camera bump

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

One of the common rumors swirling around Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S7 focuses on the camera and the belief that Samsung managed to slim down the rear camera’s bump. Turns out that may actually be the case.

In a new leak that reportedly shows off the Galaxy S7 out in the real world, the one major takeaway is that Samsung has indeed slimmed down the camera bump quite a bit, especially compared to the Galaxy S6′s protrusion. There appears to still be a slight bump, but it looks practically negligible.

The source of the leaked image also confirms the Galaxy S7 will boast a 12-megapixel camera and that the device does indeed feature a water resistant design. The report also points to a March 18th release date for the Galaxy S7 in the Vietnamese market.

Samsung will be hosting its Unpacked event on Sunday, February 21, where it is expected to unveil the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge.

Based on all the rumors and this latest leaked image, are you looking forward to Samsung’s newest flagship?

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OnePlus 2 gets price cut down to $349

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Frank Cisco

The OnePlus 2 has only been available without an invitation for a short stretch, but now OnePlus has gone ahead and lowered the price of entry for anyone who hasn’t already taken the plunge.

OnePlus has confirmed that it has cut the price of the OnePlus 2 by $40, which means you can pick up a new model for only $349. What’s more, the permanent change in price isn’t just for those in the U.S., as it applies to those in the UK, too, with the OnePlus 2 priced at £249. Buyers in other European parts will pay €345.

OnePlus is making good on the price cut for anyone that has bought a OnePlus 2 in the last 15 days, too. If you’ve purchased one in that time frame, you’ll be seeing a refund of $40 show up soon.

If you waited to pick up a OnePlus 2, will the price cut sway your decision?

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Verizon’s go90 app will let you watch video over LTE without impacting your data allowance

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Frank Cisco

Once upon a time, unlimited data was a thing that was offered by all the carriers. Now that’s all changed, and many carriers offer either data allowances every month or “unlimited data” that’ll slow you down after you consume a certain amount of data. While it still exists at some carriers, the biggest wireless operators seemed all too willing to ditch the unlimited schtick as soon as they could.

Even T-Mobile, which offers unlimited data, only some which is at its highest speeds, has found a way to make sure that its subscribers don’t eat away at that monthly allowance without actually changing its plans. The first was Music Freedom, which allows subscribers to stream music from some streaming services without counting against their data. And most recently, Binge On, which lets subscribers stream “optimized” video from participating platforms without impacting their high-speed data allowance.

And here’s Verizon Wireless to jump on the bandwagon. The Big Red carrier has updated its go90 video apps for both Android and iOS, bumping the version up to 1.4.0. The update’s biggest takeaway: It will allow subscribers to stream go90 video over an LTE connection without impacting their monthly data allowance. (The update includes other additions, like free NBA game previews, a faster streaming experience, and more.)

There are caveats, though. Verizon has said that while streaming video content through the app won’t impact your data allotment, doing just about anything else in the app still will. That includes leaving comments, clipping, or even just browsing through the app.

So, what do you think of Verizon’s latest move?

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Top 10 Android app updates this week: Hopper, Bing Search

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Frank Cisco

Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most frequently upgraded apps for the week. We’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to find the ones that are actually being updated by the developers rather than selecting the apps with the most installs. As in the past, we’re going to filter out minor updates for the super-popular apps that have over 10 million installs, but we’ll make exceptions for apps that have had significant updates. We hope you enjoy this weekly feature and that you discover some apps that end up being useful.