Nokia Lumia 2520: Release date-Dec 4

Nokia has announced its first Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520. So here are the confirmed and official Nokia Lumia 2520 release date, price and specifications. Updated on 28/11/13.
In what is something of a rival to the Surface 2, Nokia has unveiled its Lumia 2520 Windows RT 8.1 tablet. Ironic considering Microsoft is buying out Nokia's devices business.
“The Lumia 2520 also comes with a number of unique software experiences that are exclusive to the Lumia family, including the exclusive "Dragons Adventure" interactive game developed in partnership with DreamWorks Animation. Additionally, the Lumia 2520 includes Nokia Storyteller, a Nokia developed application that introduces a new way to curate and relive images and videos as a story on a map, as well as Nokia Video Director, which offers the ability to edit and get even more creative with videos shot on the Lumia 2520 - as well as content from Lumia smartphones.” said Nokia.

The Nokia Power Keybaord has also been announced alongside the Lumia 2520 (see above). It's similar to the Type Cover which Microsoft offers for the Surface tablets. The Power Keyboard adds five hours of battery and two full-size USB ports.

Nokia Lumia 2520: Release date

Nokia has confirmed that the Lumia 2520 will launch on 4 December, a couple of days before the Lumia 1520 smartphone.

Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/tablets/3474766/nokia-lumia-2520-release-date-price-specs-uk/#ixzz2lyesAzOq

Best Deals Ever: on Gadgets, Phones, Tablets.

BEST DEALS FROM http://www.konga.com/?k_id=club55

Get An iPad For $40

Amazing Auctions Let You Buy iPads and Other Electronics for Under $40

Few things match the thrill of getting an incredible deal on an item we really crave. It’s a basic human response that we all can relate to.
That’s why auctions are so much fun – they present the titillating chance of scoring something for a lot less than we would expect. And that leaves us feeling great, because we now have the object of our desire and we have money left in our pocket.

Marketers know this and exploit it all the time –hence the profusion of sales, discounts, coupons, and the like… so much so, in fact, that we become numb to the tactic. People just don’t believe they’re really getting a bargain.
But now there’s a new online company that has actually figured out a way to sell new must-have consumer products for jaw-dropping prices.

It’s called QuiBids – and it turns out that they are selling everything from the latest new Apple iPads and iPods, to MAC and PC notebooks, to HDTV’s and gift cards from the top retailers at prices as low as 5% of regular retail prices.
Now, of course, anyone in their right mind would be skeptical of such a claim – so we looked into it to learn just how they do it.

It turns out that both the prices and the products are real. QuiBids runs a unique version of the traditional auction - when you bid on an item you actually get charged a small fee of about 60 cents. Collectively, the amount collected for all of the bids on an item allows the company to sell the item at a price far below actual retail and even below the wholesale price they paid the manufacturer for it.
Figuring out how many bids to place and when to place them involves a little strategy but on QuiBids it’s actually a lot of fun. Each auction has a strict time limit and when you place your bid, the system adds a little time to the auction to see if any other bids come in. If you have the winning bid when the clock runs out – you win the item for that price. According to QuiBids CEO Matt Beckham, “Thousands of people are trying QuiBids every day – and then coming back again and again - so we must be doing something right.”

For the auction winner, the true cost of the item is slightly higher than their winning bid price because they have also spent a little for their bids, but this amount is usually modest, and the savings still work out to be spectacular in most cases.
And then there’s the “Buy Now” feature. This allows bidders who did not win an auction to still buy the product they want and apply the cost of the bids they placed as a discount on the regular product price. So, you still get the item and the bids you placed previously in the auction don’t cost you anything.

So, if you want real deals - like a new iPad for under $34, a new Nikon Digital SLR Camera for less than $24 or a new 46” LED HDTV for under $25 – check out the action at QuiBids.
http://www.forbes.com/real-time/

How Would You Like To Own A Smartphone?

How would you like to own a smartphone that gives you free Internet for 1 year and the lowest voice plan to any network in Nigeria? 

It’s a one in a million opportunity that one just can’t miss out on.Get the Glo Genius Android Smartphone from Gloworld Outlets and for every N500 monthly recharge done.

Airtel's Offer: Trade In Your Old Phone.

This offer gives you N10,000 for any old phone when you buy a Nokia Lumia from an Airtel shop.

How to benefit:

1. Take any old phone from any network to a designated Airtel Showroom.
2. Buy a new Nokia Lumia 520.
3. Get N4,000 discount on the new Nokia Lumia 520.
4. Get N3,000 free airtime for 6 months.
5. Get N3,000 free data for 6 months.

How to activate:

  Visit a designated Airtel shop today!

Etisalat Device Financing Scheme: Get Your Dream Smartphone OR Tablet

Etisalat Device Financing Scheme.

Spread payments for up to 6 Months
Now you can get your dream Smartphone or Tablet with ease under the new Etisalat Device Financing Scheme. Simply follow the steps below.
To apply
With the new Etisalat and Uno Credit partnership, you can now pay for your smart devices in three or six installments!

• fill the finance scheme subscription form
• choose your device
• walk into an Etisalat Experience center and pick your device

Download the Application Forms (http://www.etisalat.com.ng/devices/devicefinancing.php) or pick up the forms at any Etisalat Experience Centers in Lagos

• Etisalat Experience Center, The Palms, Lekki
• Etisalat Experience Center, Awolwo Road, Ikoyi
• Etisalat Experience Center, Saka Tinubu, Victoria Island
• Etisalat Experience Center, Ikeja Mall, Ikeja
• Etisalat Experience Center, Allen Avenue, Ikeja
• Etisalat Experience Center, Mushin

Pickup and Submit forms at any TrippMart Convenience Stores at Oando filling stations

• TrippMart Fola Agoro  -  31, Fola Agoro, Shomolu, Lagos
• Cafe Neo  -  2nd floor, Dream Plaza, Bishop Aboyade Cole street, Victoria Island
• TrippMart Fadeyi   –   Igbobi, Fadeyi, Ikorodu Road, Lagos
• TrippMart Isheri   –   Isheri Road, Ojodu Berger, Lagos
• TrippMart Cityway   –   Oando Cityway station, Murtala Muhammed Way, Yaba, Lagos

 
You will be contacted within 48 hours

Thereafter, you pick up your new Smartphone or Tablet from your pre-selected Etisalat Store

Trade In Your Old Phones.

Now you have the chance to upgrade your old phone to the new state of the art Nokia Lumia 625 Windows 8 Smartphone.
Steps to Upgrade:

• Simply walk into MTN Stores for oyur phone upgrade
• Present your old phone with charger in good condition
• Enjoy an instant discount of N6,000 on the new Nokia Lumia 625 smartphone
• Get the Nokia DC-16 Universal Portable Charger valued at N4000
• Get free data up to N8,000 monthly for 12 months

What is the Nokia / MTN Phone Upgrade Program?
Ans: The Nokia/ MTN Phone Upgrade Program is a unique and amazing offer from MTN that offers any MTN Consumer the opportunity to trade select devices (their old phone) for  new Nokia Lumia 625 smartphone. Customer will simply visit selected MTN Stores and swap existing device in good working condition in exchange for a discount of up to N18,000 on the new Nokia Lumia 625.
What `selected devices are acceptable for this program?
Ans:  Blackberry Any modern Blackberry

• HTC Any  Device
• Samsung Qwerty and Touch devices only
• Nokia Asha devices (200, 201, 202, 203, 205, 210, 300, 302, 303, 305, 308, 501), C-series Nokia (e.g. C3), Nokia 20x series e.g. (Nokia 206, 207, 208) and 30x series (e.g. Nokia 301), Lumia WP7.5
• Chinese Phone Not acceptable.
• All devices must come with charger

How much in cash would I be refunded by MTN, since discount is offered?
Ans; You get a discount of N6, 000 off the cost of the Nokia Lumia 625, you also get free Nokia DC-16 Power bank valued at N4,000. Finally you get FREE data up to N8,000 monthly in form of 100% Data bonus monthly on any plan you activate from 250MB and above for 12 months.
How does a Customer enjoy this offer?
Ans: Customer visits MTN Stores with old device that falls within the categories of eligible devices above

• The MTN Personnel checks that the device and charger are in good condition
• Customer fills out the Phone Upgrade application form and ensure all mandatory fields are completed
• Customer presents valid means of identification and attaches to the form.
• Customer pays for the new Lumia 625 smartphone at N6,000 discount
• Customer activates 250MB data or above, and gets 100% bonus
• Customer is given free Nokia DC-16 power bank

How about my personal details? How do I transfer them to the new phone?
Ans; You are advised to back up the data on your old device before submitting the device for upgrade. You can also contact the MTN Tech Squad personnel in the store for help on moving your data. Terms and Conditions apply. www.mtnonline.com

Samsung to pay Apple $290 million dollars

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A California jury has ordered Samsung to pay Apple $290 million dollars more for infringing on its patents.

Thursday's ruling is the latest judgment in a serpentine case that has been ongoing for more than two years. In August 2012, the Korean smartphone maker was found to have violated several of Apple's patents, and a jury ruled that Samsung owed Apple more than $1 billion in damages. U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh later said the jury had miscalculated the award, and about $450 million worth of those damages were reconsidered in a new trial.

After Thursday's ruling, Samsung now owes Apple another $290 million in damages on top of the $640 million in damages that Judge Koh upheld in the original damages trial.
Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) argued it deserved another $379 million, while Samsung said it owed only about $52 million.

The damages total is now $935 million -- close to the original $1.05 billion figure.
But to further complicate the issue, both companies have appealed the original August 2012 ruling ... so Thursday's decision could mean little or nothing.

Apple and Samsung are embroiled in dozens of patent disputes in courts around the world, but Thursday's ruling involves the biggest case. Apple accused Samsung of "slavishly" copying both the iPhone and iPad for its own devices, including the hardware design as well as software features like double-tap zooming. Samsung countersued, accusing Apple of infringing on its own software patents.
It could take years for the lawsuits to be resolved. And so it goes in the litigious world of smartphone patents.

Porsche Design and BlackBerry combine to make a Z10 for the rich.

After teaming up to sell the ostentatious P'9981 smartphone last year, Porsche Design and BlackBerry have announced a modified version of the troubled Canadian smartphone maker's Z10 smartphone. Called the P'9982, Porsche Design's take on the Z10 is crafted from stainless steel and Italian leather, and comes with a "unique" BBM PIN that makes users of the smartphone "instantly recognizable."

If that wasn't exciting enough, BlackBerry has upped the internal storage of the Z10 to 64GB for the Porsche Design edition, and will also sell you additional Italian leather backs in a number of colors to customize your device.

Apart from the cosmetic differences and the storage bump, the P'9882 appears identical to the poor-selling BlackBerry Z10. It has the same 1280 x 768 display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and BlackBerry's BB10 operating system.
It's based on the GSM variant of the phone, meaning that it won't work on some US networks like Verizon. The P'9982 will debut in a pair of London's upmarket department stores, including Carphone Warehouse stands in Selfridges, for £1,400 ($2,250) on November 25th.
 http://news.yahoo.com/porsche-design-blackberry-combine-z10-rich-clueless-133126820.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons

Watchout For Acer, Google Chrome-powered Laptop!

Acer is launching a Chromebook that takes the price of owning a Google Chrome-powered computer.

The Acer C270 Chromebook is almost exactly like the previous model the company unveiled in October, which costs $249.99. The new, cheaper model still packs an Intel Celeron processor for 8.5 hours of battery life, an 11.6-inch screen with 1,366 x 768 resolution and 16GB of storage. The only difference is the $199.99 version has 2GB of RAM instead of 4GB.

Entry for ASUS Transformer Book T300 Giveaway

Could you use a new laptop to help you enter sweepstakes and stay in touch while you're on the road or as you move through your home? 
Enter Southwest's ASUS Transformer Book T300 Giveaway and you could be one of three people to win a free laptop computer.
Each of the winners will receive an ASUS Transformer Book T300 laptop worth right about $1,000.
Entry into Southwest's ASUS Transformer Book T300 Giveaway is open to all aged 21 and up. Enter once before November 30, 2013. Get more details and enter...

6 Amazing Apps to Cut Down on Your Kid-Related Costs.

No matter how budget-savvy you are, there's no avoiding the fact that having children is expensive. But with the help of your smartphone, you can cut your kid-related costs down considerably. Here are 6 apps that will help.
1. Grocery iQ (free; iOS, Android): After housing and transportation, food is often the biggest chunk of a family's budget. Keep your grocery bill in check with this free app. Grocery iQ works with many major grocery chains, allowing you to organize your list around your favorite store's specific layout.
Once you input your list, the app will calculate your total, so you can adjust it before you hit the checkout counter. Best of all, the app includes coupons (which can be linked with the store's loyalty card) to help you cut down your bill even more.
2. Out To Eat With Kids (free; iOS, Android): Don't feel like cooking tonight? Search this new app, which uses your location to find kid-friendly restaurant deals like "kids eat free" nights and seasonal promotions. It's also searchable by the day of the week.
Most of the offers are for popular chain restaurants, but you can request that they add your family's favorite dinner spot.

3. Chore Bank ($1.99; iOS): Why hire someone to rake the leaves or clean the house when you have free labor available right at home? Inspire your kids to pick up extra chores with Data Jedi's Chore Bank app, which allows parents to set a price for various tasks, then add that amount to the child's virtual account.

The app can also track allowance and other money -- say, earnings from babysitting jobs or monetary gifts from relatives -- and deposits and withdrawals so your offspring can see where their money goes. You can even set an interest rate on savings to help kids learn the power of savings.


4. Gas Buddy (free; iOS, Android, Windows phone, Blackberry): If, like many parents, your car is essentially a taxi service for your offspring, you're throwing money down the drain if you're not using this popular app. Gas Buddy easily finds the cheapest gas based on your location, so you'll never pay more at the pump than you have to.

The prices are reported and confirmed by local drivers -- Gas Buddy reports it has more than 32 million users -- if you participate, you can earn points toward free gas.


5. The Find (free; iOS, Android): Chances are, this time of year, your shopping list gets even longer than usual. Comparing prices from store to store, and asking for price matches, can save you a lot when holiday shopping. But who has time? This free app does it all for you: Just scan the barcode and watch as both online and local store prices pop up. Best Buy (BBY) and Target (TGT) are even working with the app's publisher to integrate their price-match guarantees with the iOS version.

The app also includes coupons, deals (such as free shipping offers), and allows you to set price alerts when your wishlist items go on sale.


6. Best Baby Monitor ($3.99; iOS): A good-quality video monitor can do a lot to ease new parents' anxiety over their baby's sleep, but peace of mind doesn't come cheap. Enter Best Baby Monitor, truly a godsend app for new parents, and a real bargain if you already own a few iDevices. (It works on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. You'll need two devices to use this -- one to serve as the "parent" unit and the other to monitor the baby.)

Parents can stream audio and video of their child (complete with night vision), play lullabies to soothe reluctant sleepers, talk to their babies, and get an alert when the little one wakes.

Add it up and you could save more than $130 -- enough for a dinner out and a full tank of gas -- all thanks to a few apps.

Motley Fool contributing writer Robyn Gearey owns shares of Amazon.com. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Amazon.com. http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/11/19/6-apps-save-child-related-expenses/

Great Apps, Children Can Use To Learn Maths.

(By Kit Eaton from Newyork times)

1. DragonBox Algebra 5+

$6 on iOS and Android

The most impressive math education app I’ve seen has to be DragonBox Algebra 5+. Its clever design can teach all sorts of complex algebra concepts without making children feel as if they are learning mathematics.
The app is like a game, and it starts at an abstract level: The player has to match small cartoon icons with their matching “dark” alternatives, eventually arranging the pieces on the playing board so that only the magical “box” of the game’s title is left on the board. As the child plays through the levels, the abstract cartoon icons are eventually replaced with numbers and proper mathematical symbols, but with the same gameplay and sound effects.
It’s fun, and the graphics and sound effects are attractive enough to keep children playing. Meanwhile, they are learning some of the same math principles that you need when you’re doing algebra: addition, subtraction, balancing an equation, even concepts like parentheses. 

2. YodelOh Math Mountain
$3 on iOS and $2 on Android
The adorable YodelOh Math Mountain app also stays within the learning-through-games genre, but for a more introductory level of math.
This app involves a cartoon yodeler who ascends a graphical mountain over time — if he gets to the top, he yodels his way to his doom over the edge.
To keep the yodeler from climbing the peak, the player has to answer math questions against the clock.
For example, the question may be “10 x 15 = ?” and the five options are “0, 1, 50, 150, 200.” Tapping the right answer saves the yodeler, whereas taking too long or tapping the wrong answer makes him take a step up the mountain or get butted uphill by a cartoon ram.
The idea is that by keeping the entire app lighthearted and full of amusing sounds and images, children do not notice that they’re being tested on their arithmetic skills.
The app offers a less extensive learning experience than DragonBox, but it still has the ability to hone specific math skills because you can choose whether to test just basic subtraction, addition, and so on. It’s $3 on iOS and $2 on Android. 

3. MathBoard
$5 on iOS and Android
It has game-like elements, but it’s based on a simulated old-fashioned school chalkboard. The app’s screen is split into a quiz area and a work area. In the quiz area, a math puzzle is posed using traditional notation, perhaps something like 47 - 5 = ? Players choose the answer from a list of numbers to solve the puzzle, and they can use the faux chalkboard on the other side of the screen to work out the solution. If they get stuck, a “problem solver” window that shows each stage required to correctly work out the answer can be brought up. It’s like help from a private math tutor.
There are other game options available in this app, like choosing which number is greater than another. Because you can adjust the difficulty of the puzzles, and the problem-solver teaches the player about math, this app is a great way for children to practice their math skills. My chief complaints are that MathBoard could be more fun without distracting from the learning aspects, and that it has a $5 price tag on iOS and Android.

Countdown To Christmas: Best Deals Ever!!!

Konga has struck the best deal ever with Samsung to make shopping for home appliances easier for Nigerians in a promo called  “Creating Happier Homes Promo” which is targeted at making home appliances like washing machines available to families at Mega discounts with a lot of attached freebies and shopping vouchers. Buy a washing machine and get a free N10,000 Voucher .

Buy yours now through this link http://www.konga.com/?k_id=club55 

  

Microsoft's Office Launches Remote Control.

Microsoft has just unveiled Office Remote, a new app that lets users control Word, Excel, and PowerPoint presentations with any Windows Phone 8 device.

It's basically SmartGlass for the company's productivity suite, and is a joint effort between Microsoft Research and the Office team. “We want to make sure that we continue to create tools that deliver the best possible experiences to presenters and audiences,” says Darren Edge of Microsoft Research. “The world is constantly evolving, though, and presentations need to evolve with it."

Using Office Remote, you can jump between PowerPoint slides and control an on-screen "laser pointer" with your finger. The app also lets users scroll through Word documents or quickly pull up a specific section, and you're able to navigate Excel spreadsheets in much the same way. The app is available beginning today and works with all versions of Office 2013 except for Office 2013 RT. You'll need to install a small software "add-in" on your computer before getting started, and a Bluetooth-compatible PC is also required since that's how the two devices communicate.

Microsoft says Office Remote represents only the first step in reaching a "diverse society of devices." This, the company says, occurs when "you use not only the right device for the task at hand, but, potentially, also use multiple devices together to make it easier to achieve your goals." We'll have to see where the collaborative effort goes, but at least today, achieving a flawless presentation with Office just got a bit easier for Windows Phone users.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/18/5118458/office-remote-lets-you-control-word-excel-powerpoint-with-windows-phone 

Google To Pay $17 Million Fine For Secretly Following You Online

Google has agreed to pay $17 million to settle charges that it secretly tracked some consumers' activities on the Web, even after promising such tracking had been blocked, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Monday.

Attorneys general in 28 states had alleged that Google violated state consumer protection laws and computer privacy laws by not telling users of Apple's Safari browser that it was bypassing privacy settings in order to show them targeted advertisements.

"Consumers should be able to know whether there are other eyes surfing the web with them,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “By tracking millions of people without their knowledge, Google violated not only their privacy, but also their trust.”

The case stems from Google’s method of displaying targeted ads by using "cookies," or small files installed on web browsers that create invisible records of online browsing habits. Google had said on its website that Safari's privacy settings could prevent Google from tracking these cookies. But a story in the Wall Street Journal last year revealed that Google was able to go around those settings by exploiting a loophole in Safari's browser, and then track users across websites in the company's DoubleClick ad network. For example, a Safari user who visited websites on how to get out of debt could then be served Google ads on other sites offering them debt relief services.

"We work hard to get privacy right at Google and have taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple’s browsers," the company said in a statement. "We're pleased to have worked with the state attorneys general to reach this agreement."

In a separate case brought last year by the Federal Trade Commission, Google agreed to pay a $22.5 million fine over similar charges that it bypassed privacy settings in the Safari browser. That fine was the largest settlement ever obtained by the commission.

Google did not admit to wrongdoing in the FTC case, and said the tracking was accidental.
The $40 million in fines that Google has agreed to pay to settle charges in both cases is but a small fraction of the search giant's total revenue, which was $50 billion last year.
Meanwhile, Google is still fighting other charges of privacy violations. In September, a federal appeals court ruled that a suit accusing Google of illegal wiretapping could proceed. The suit involves the company's controversial Street View vehicles, which secretly gathered data from private computers via Wi-Fi as they created detailed maps of the world.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/google-safari-privacy_n_4296867.html?utm_hp_ref=technology

Google, Microsoft move to block child porn

Google and Microsoft are teaming up to try to rid the internet of child pornography. www.cnn.com

More than 200 employees at Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) have spent the past three months working on preventing child sexual abuse content from appearing in the firm's search results.

"While society will never wholly eliminate such depravity, we should do everything in our power to protect children from harm," Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, wrote in an article published by The Daily Mail.
Schmidt detailed how the two tech giants were using new technology to take down many images and videos of child porn from the web.
Using Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) picture detection technology, a unique identification mark is applied to such content, and then all copies are immediately removed from the web.
Google has also cleaned up the search results for over 100,000 web queries that were known to lead to child porn-related results.
"We will soon roll out these changes in more than 150 languages, so the impact will be truly global," said Schmidt.
Another 13,000 search queries that are related to child porn will lead web users to online warnings saying that child sexual abuse is illegal, while offering advice on where to get help.

The move comes a week after the arrest of 348 people around the world who were connected to an international child sex abuse investigation. Of the people arrested, there were 40 teachers, six law enforcement personnel, nine pastors or priests and some doctors and nurses.
Microsoft said the companies were working with experts in the field to track the latest terms that pedophiles may be using online, and then cutting off access to any sort of child pornography.
The initiative was completed in cooperation with various industry and government organizations, including the Internet Watch Foundation and the U.K. government.
Last week, Microsoft also opened a new cybercrime center at its campus in Redmond, Washington.

Phones Celebrities Use.

Genevieve's phone

http://www.thebluedot.net/

  

Celebrities That Use The iPhone:

Halle Berry (former Blackberry user); Justin Bieber; Kim Kardashian (former Blackberry user) Kanye West; Pink; Vanessa Hudgens; Super Model Oksana Lysenko; Jessica Alba (former Blackberry user); Kate Hudson; Sarah Michelle Gellar; Selena Gomez; Victoria Beckham; Lenny Kravitz; Denise Richards; Ashley Tisdale; Sharon Stone; Miley Cyrus; Olivia Wilde; George Clooney; LeAnn Rimes; Tyrese; Megan Fox; Pamela Anderson; Mischa Barton; Demi Moore; Mary-Kate Olsen; Genevieve Nnaji.

Celebrities That Use The Blackberry:

Eva Longoria; Leonardo DiCaprio; Courtney Cox; Reese Witherspoon; Serena Williams; Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor (also a spokesman for BlackBerry India); Ben Affleck; Gisele Bundchen; Lucy Liu; Shenae Grimes; Lindsay Lohan; Donnie Wahlberg; Eva Mendes; Rihanna; Kim Kardashian; Paris Hilton; Lady Gaga; Kirsten Dunst; Nicki Minaj; Jennifer Hudson.

Celebrities That Use The Samsung Galaxy Note II: 

LeBron James; tennis player David Ferrer.
So there you have it…it seems that the iPhone is a more popular choice among the stars, with many iPhone users being former Blackberry users! http://www.thebluedot.net/

1 million PlayStation 4's sold in first 24 hours.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) ---Over 1 million PlayStation 4's were sold in the first 24 hours after the game console went on sale early Friday, Sony said.

 

 

The game system is Sony's first in seven years and includes new social features, streaming video apps and a touch pad on the controller. It is compatible with about 20 games, but the catalog is expected to expand by the end of the year. 

It's one of two hot game systems going head-to-head this holiday season. Microsoft's Xbox One goes on sale this coming Friday.
Sony says it expects to sell 5 million PlayStation 4's by the end of March and analysts expect demand will outpace the supply through Christmas.

Nokia to hear start-up pitches in San Diego

Start-up entrepreneurs who want do business with Nokia could get a chance to pitch their technology to the smartphone giant early next month. (http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013)

Executives from Nokia will come to San Diego Dec. 17-18 to hear presentations es from young companies that apply for the MarketLink program run by local technology industry trade group CommNexus. The deadline for applying to be part of the Nokia MarketLink event is Nov. 22. CommNexus is looking for a few more firms to apply before the deadline passes.

“This MarketLink follows in the footsteps of a very successful MarketLink program that we had with Microsoft and Nokia about a year and half ago,” said Rory Moore, head of CommNexus. “I would project about 100 total applicants for this event from around the region and in some cases from around North America.”

Nokia is interested in next generation technologies including 4G and Wi-Fi offloading to ease network congestion. It also is looking for social networking, gaming and entertainment apps, power management technologies, breakthrough connected device services, waterproofing technologies, mobile commerce and mobile health applications.

Nokia is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft. The two companies have been close partners in developing a third alternative smartphone operating system, Windows Phone, to challenge Google’s Android and Apple iOS platforms.

Nokia, which has a research and testing center in Rancho Bernardo, will choose which applicants it wants to hear from. Typically, 12 to 16 companies are picked from the pool of applicants. Those firms will meet face to face with Nokia executives in a one hour meeting.

For information or to apply, contact the CommNexus MarketLink program manager, Carolyn Liikala, 858-768-5054 or cliikala@commnexus.org.

Watch-Out for Nokia’s Tablet Gambit 2520.

Nokia’s Lumia 2520 tablet will set you back $500 if you want to buy it flat out. AT&T is more than happy to sell you one at that price. Pick it up with a wireless contract, and AT&T will knock $100 off that sticker.

But pick up a Lumia 925, 1020, or 1520 at the same time, and the price of the Lumia 2520 drops to $200. That’s an incredible decline in cost. It was confirmed by AT&T that the phone itself would be subsidized, but subject “to a second agreement,” or contract, so the deal only works if you are ready to pony up for two devices and requisite plans.

So, for the sum of $300 ($100 for the Lumia 925, $200 for the Lumia 2520), you can buy into the larger Windows ecosystem of Windows 8.x and Windows Phone. Why would Nokia do this? You can’t really view Nokia’s hardware choices as independent anymore, but for kicks, the reasons would be simple: Device volume is key to the health of the Windows (et al. form factors) platform. This means that Nokia does more than help its short-term revenue when it moves devices, it sets up its future by supporting the platform that it needs to stand upon.

But Nokia’s hardware division is now all but part of Microsoft’s hardware business, making the above all the more muddled in the best possible way. Let’s do this in pieces:

1. Nokia lashes its tablet and smartphone hardware together, using carrier subsidies for consumers to bear the brunt of its margin pressure, to sell more units and help launch it into new hardware categories.
2. Windows and Windows Phone benefit from larger unit volume, which brings more users, more downloads, and thus more developer satisfaction.
3. Developers then in theory build more applications, which leads to happier customers, and therefore more customers, creating a virtuous loop.
4. Microsoft buys Nokia’s hardware business, which it wants in order to sell more smartphones.
5. Its new smartphone business is being used to sell tablets that compete with its own Surface line of devices.

So that’s fun, but the real issue here is that Microsoft (Nokia) has compiled a hardware package that it can presumably vend not at a loss that brings consumers onto its platforms (platform, depending on how precise you want to be), in twos instead of ones.

This is only a good for Microsoft if the Lumia 2520 is worth a damn. Early prognostications appear to be in its favor, though I can’t see why I’d prefer one to a Surface 2. But that doesn’t matter; Microsoft merely wants more RT devices sold, period. And that’s why the later points I think don’t matter to Microsoft: In the Game of Platforms, you either win or you become BlackBerry.

So to Microsoft, shaving Surface revenue in the short-term to bolster the somewhat tenuous Windows RT piece of the Windows empire probably makes sense.
Stepping back, moving units is Microsoft’s current problem, which is of course part of the same app problem that we endlessly discuss. The two are directly entertained. And Windows is bigger than Surface, meaning that it takes precedence.

Can Nokia (Microsoft) keep the deal up and not end up in a cold bath whilst ripping up hundred-dollar bills? (Margin pressure is a bitch). I don’t know, but I bet that Microsoft does. We’ll see if it keeps the gambit alive once the deal closes. http://techcrunch.com

Class Comes With Price...checkout the most expensive phones in the world.

iPhone 3G Kings Button

This phone is designed by famous Peter Aloisson. It is coated with white and yellow gold . The main eye catching thing is that the home buttone is made up of 6.6 carat gold which is very expensive. The price is $2.4 million i.e Rs. 133728000.

iPhone 3GS Supreme Goldstriker

It is 3rd most expensive phone. It was designed by Goldstriker International. It is made up of gold and diamonds. The logo of apple is made up of diamond. Many diamonds and gems are used. The price is 3.2 millions i.e Rs. 17,84,32,000.

iPhone 4 Diamond Rose Edition

It is the 2nd most expensive phones in the world. It is owned by Stuart Hughes. It is made up of rose, gold, diamond and platinum. The fine pieces of diamond used to make it beautiful. It’s price is $8  i.e Rs. 44,66,80,000.

iPhone 5 Black Diamond

 It is manufactured and designed by Stuart Hughes a British designer. The home button is made up of 26 carat black diamond. The logo of appleis  made by using 45 beautiful diamond. It is coated with gold and it is very beautiful. The price of this phone is $15.3 Million i.e 864756000.00 Indian Rupee.

 http://www.all10list.com/top-10-list-of-most-expensive-mobile-phones-in-world-2013/

4 Most Expensive Laptops In The World.

DELL M6400 @$3,000

ACER-FERRARI 1100 @ $3,000

TOSHIBA-QOSMIA-G35 @ $3,500LUVAGLIO @ $10,000

www.clicktop10.com

5 suspects arrested after theft of Apple laptops.

Virginia Beach, Va. – Virginia Beach Police have arrested five suspects in a theft case where 80 Apple laptops were stolen from the FedEx Freight Service Center. (www.wtkr.com)

Police say the crime happened Tuesday night, shortly after midnight. The security officer at the facility discovered three men wearing ski masks and dark clothing fleeing from the compound.
It was later discovered that a pallet containing the 80 laptops was removed from a locked holding trailer.

Officers and a K-9 unit responded and began searching for the suspects. Two were located in the 1400 block of Baker Road.
The first suspect is identified as Ronell Rashaun Jenkins, 31, of the 4600 block of W. Norfolk Road, Portsmouth, VA. The second suspect is identified as Javon Tirus Ford, 20, of the 2300 block of Meadows Landing, Chesapeake. They both have been charged with Burglary, Grand Larceny, and Conspiracy. Jenkins is currently being held in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center without bond. Ford was released on a $5000 bond.

Officers also found a trail of stolen laptops between the theft location and the suspects’ vehicle and 46 of the 80 laptops were recovered.
Since a key was used to unlock the holding trailer at the facility, two FedEx employees were arrested the following day and charged with Burglary, Grand Larceny, and Conspiracy.
They have been identified as Wesley Ray McDaniel, 22, of the 2600 block of Mayfield Drive, Virginia Beach, and Kendrick William Rodgers, 25, of the 800 block of Drawbridge Drive, Chesapeake. McDaniel is currently being held in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center without bond. Rodgers was released on a $1500 bond.

The fifth suspect was identified as Walter Terence Jenkins, 29, of the 1300 block of Stratford Street, Portsmouth. He was arrested on Thursday night after turning himself in. He is charged with Grand Larceny and Burglary.

Apple launches updated iPad mini

(Photo: Glenn Chapman, AFP/Getty Images)

Apple announced the upgraded iPad mini tablet that boasts the sharper Retina display.

The device features a 7.9-inch screen with 2048 x 1536 resolution. Starts at $399 for the 16 GB model, and available in white or space gray.

The revamped mini is one of 2 iPads launched by Apple this month. Earlier, Apple released the iPad Air with a thinner, lighter body and beefed-up processing chip.

"The response to iPad Air has been incredible, and we're excited for customers to experience the new iPad mini with Retina display," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of marketing, in a statement.

The new tablets arrive as Apple continues to cede market share in the space. Although Apple remains the leader with a nearly 30% share of the global market based on shipments, it's down from the 40% it held during the same time last year, says IDC. Meanwhile, rival Samsung continues to gain ground, with 20% of the market.

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS:Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Dell

Apple

As usual, Apple has so far been silent about its annual in-store and online Black Friday specials. As far as predictions, though, the general consensus is that it's better to buy Apple products from resellers if you want the best deals. The Apple Store usually only offers the following deals.

• 5-10% off anything
• Free shipping on online orders

The discount will more than likely be double that at authorized resellers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. It's predicted that the iPad Air will be one of the hottest products this year, with some stores already offering it for under $500. It is also predicted that carriers will offer the iPhone 5S free with a new 2-year contract.
If you want to get an early start and don't mind refurbished products, the Apple Store is offering $80 to $130 off the original price on refurbished iPad Minis. That's all we know for now, but we'll be updating as more details come out.

Microsoft

As with Apple, Microsoft has yet to officially release any information on Black Friday sales, but it's predicted that the Surface 1 and Surface Pro 1 will be some of the best tablet deals around in 2013.
Earlier this year, the 32GB Surface 1 with Windows RT was temporarily sold for $314 (it's currently $349.00), so a lot of people think that price will probably come back for Black Friday. As for the 64GB Surface Pro 1, it's already been discounted down to $699.00 with the Surface Pro 2 out now, so don't expect much there.
Last year, Microsoft only offered small discounts on the Touch or Type Cover when purchased with a Surface, so expect that deal to pop back up.

Amazon

Amazon started early on November 1st with a different set of deals each week, and with two Deals of the Day every day, until December 22nd. The daily specials are pretty heavily discounted, but you'll have to remember to check the site daily to find out what they are. Here are some of the other deals on electronics:

• 20% off tablets, laptops, streaming media players, and unlocked phones
• 30% off HDTVs, Bluetooth speakers, digital cameras, and portable GPS units
• 40% off Xbox 360 games and home theater systems
• 50% off headphones, flash memory, and car electronics
• $200 off Dell laptops

 Dell

This year, Dell is doing an online door-buster sale that starts at midnight on Black Friday with certain items going live at 8am. Here are some of the more notable deals:

• Dell Inspiron 660s Desktop w/ Celeron Processor 4GB RAM, 500GB HHD - $199.99 (normally $299.99)
• Dell Inspiron 15, 15.6" Laptop w/ Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB HHD - $199.99 (normally $379.99)
• Dell Inspiron 15, 15.6" Laptop w/ 3rd Gen Intel Corre i3, 4GB RAM, 500GB HHD - $299.99 (normally $449.99)
• Dell 23" Widescreen Monitor - $99.99 (normally $199.99)

http://thanksgiving.wonderhowto.com/how-to/all-best-black-friday-gadget-deals-2013-updated-daily-0149277/