April, 2014

• 4 April

  Sprint dangles a familiar carrot with Framily Switching Bonus

  

  Sprint offers up to $650 in credits for each line Framily Switching Bonus. CNET If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then T-Mobile should feel fawned over by Sprint’s latest move. Related Links How will Sprint’s Framily fare against T-Mobile’s ETF buyout? Sprint CFO says early reaction to Framily better than expected Who saves …

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• 4 April

  Samsung Galaxy S5 comes preloaded with antitheft features for Verizon, US Cellular

  

  Andrew Hoyle/CNET Smartphone theft, in the words of lawmakers grappling with the crime, has reached “epidemic” levels. In the last few years, the oftentimes violent act has been quickly eclipsing all other forms of robbery in the US thanks to the lucrative secondhand market for stolen smartphones. That’s precisely why carriers Verizon and US Cellular have teamed up with Samsung …

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• 4 April

  Microsoft woos gamers with Surface Pro 2 bundle

  

  Surface Pro 2 Sarah Tew/CNET Microsoft is using a Geek & Sundry bundle to entice gamers to snag a Surface Pro 2 tablet. The bundle, which starts at $899, offers gamers the Surface Pro 2 with 64GB of storage, as well as an Xbox Wireless controller for Windows. Microsoft also includes two downloadable PC games: War Thunder Mustang Advanced Pack …

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• 4 April

  Get these great Bose headphones at a huge discount before they’re gone forever

  

  The $179.95 OE2i on-ear model can be found for as low as $100 online. Sarah Tew/CNET Yesterday, Bose refreshed its line of on-ear and around-the-ear headphones with new branding and new colors. However, according to what we’re hearing from Bose reps, aside from the cosmetic changes, the new SoundTrue headphones look and sound the same as the OE2 and AE2 …

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• 4 April

  Google gives peek at its Ara modular phone project

  

  Project Ara’s team uses electro-permanent magnets to keep phone modules in place. Google/Screenshot by CNET Google is offering a quick glimpse into a future in which you’ll be able to build your own phone. The software giant released a short video to introduce some of the members of its Advanced Technology and Projects group, the folks behind Project Ara. The …

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• 4 April

  Windows Phone’s goal: Be the go

  

  Stephen Elop, head of Nokia’s devices and services business, unveiled one flagship phone and two budget phones at Microsoft’s Build conference this week. James Martin/CNET SAN FRANCISCO — A Windows Phone device isn’t going to topple Apple’s iPhone 5 or Samsung’s Galaxy S5 anytime soon, and that’s just fine for Microsoft. While Microsoft believes in a full range of devices, …

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• 4 April

  Judge denies Apple’s request to talk about how it uses patents

  

  Apple and Samsung are battling over patents. CNET SAN JOSE, Calif.–Judge Lucy Koh late Thursday denied Apple’s request to talk about how it uses several of the patents at issue in an infringement suit against Samsung. Apple filed a motion Thursday asking a court here to let it present previously banned evidence and testimony. At issue is whether Apple itself …

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• 4 April

  Samsung Galaxy S5 now up for preorder via Verizon

  

  Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET Verizon subscribers can now preorder Samsung’s Galaxy S5 smartphone. Available at Verizon’s Web site, the S5 actually retails for $250 with the standard two-year agreement. But Verizon is sweetening the deal with a $50 mail-in rebate debit card. Verizon subscribers who don’t want to be locked into a contract can instead pay the full $600 for …

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• 4 April

  Apple buys Novauris to fine

  

  Apple Apple may have bought a company that spent more than a decade improving speech-recognition technologies. Apple last year quietly acquired Novauris Technologies, a UK-based firm that was founded in 2002 and worked on speech-recognition that was both server-based and device-based, TechCrunch reported on Thursday. Neither Apple nor Novauris announced the deal, but TechCrunch said it called the Novauris offices …

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• 4 April

  Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit up for pre

  

  Andrew Hoyle/CNET The Samsung Gear 2 , Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit are up for pre-order on Amazon, giving fans of Samsung’s wrist-centric gadgets the chance to splash the cash ahead of the new devices’ debut. Tech site Androidcentral spied the listings, which include a range of colour choices. The South Korean tech giant’s latest wearable tech isn’t exactly …

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