Motorola Confirms Which Devices Will Receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow And What Features Will Be Dropped

With the latest version of Android rolling out in the coming weeks many devices owners are wondering when and if their devices will see the update. Fortunately for Motorola owners, (sorry Samsung, HTC and LG folks no word for you yet!) the company published a list of devices set to get the upgrade on Friday, along with some plans to trim back some its proprietary software.

Here’s the full list of Motorola devices set to get Android 6 Marshmallow:

• 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
• 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
• 2015 Moto X Play
• 2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
• 2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
• 2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia² (2nd gen)
• 2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE² (2nd gen)
• DROID Turbo
• 2014 Moto MAXX
• 2014 Moto Turbo
• Nexus 6

On the Motorola Blog the company notes that things may change and such they are referring users to their software upgrade page for the latest, and specifics by country.

As for exact roll-out times Motorola suggests it could take at least a few weeks before these updates start to deploy (excluding the Nexus 6 which is set to get Marshmallow next week). How soon your own device gets Android 6.0 could also depend on whether it’s an unlocked device or a carrier model. Carrier models are generally dependent on each individual carrier so that may vary widely.

With the newest update Motorola users will receive all of the following Android 6 Marshmallow features:

• Doze Mode -- This new feature monitors your phone and puts it into a deep sleep when it’s not being used, which can extend battery life substantially. 
• Now on Tap -- We love Google Now, and it’s improved in Android M. Simply long press the home button to bring up the Google Now feature and display information based on whatever you’re doing at the time.
• Android Pay -- Android M allows you to bring up Android Pay with a simple tap and easily make purchases without having to open a separate app.
• Direct Share -- Share your photos, news, links, etc. with your favorite contacts easily and quickly.
• Simpler volume controls -- A more intuitive way to control ringtone and media volume.

Changes to Bundled Software and Moto Enhancements

Motorola has also confirmed they will be dropping several of their signature software enhancements and bundled add-ons as part of the plan to update its phones to Android Marshmallow noting that many of these enhancements offer functionality that is already covered in the new OS or Google's own services. That means no more Motorola Assist, Migrate, and Connect.

PlayStation Plus Free Games For October 2015

The rewards for PlayStation Plus members are stacking up, with loads and loads of new free games each month. This month Sony promises the PS Plus lineup will have a great mix of flavors with games from several different genres! Starting on the first Tuesday of the month, a new lineup of free games comes to PlayStation Plus members.

For October 2015 we will see new games released on Tuesday the 6th and those games will including the following:

• Super Meat Boy, PS4, PS Vita
• Broken Age, PS4, PS Vita
• Unmechanical: Extended, PS4, PS3
• Chariot, PS3
• KickBeat, PS3, PS Vita
• Kung Fu Rabbit, PS3, PS Vita

Unfortunately Sony has also announced that Driveclub PlayStation Plus Edition will no longer be available as a free download for Plus members starting on October 6th, 2015. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, be sure to go to PlayStation Store and get it now! For more details or to sign up for a PlayStation Plus membership, check the official page on PlayStation.com (it will update soon).

NVIDIA Introduces GeForce NOW $8 Per Month Game Streaming Service

When most geeks think streaming the first thought that comes to mind is likely video streaming through NetFlix or Hulu or audio streaming through Spotify or Rhapsody. Few if any would think of video game streaming (unless of course you used the now defunct OnLive service) and if they did it would likely be game video streams on sites like Twitch, Ustream or the new YouTube Gaming service. However, today that may change as NVIDIA has just announced GeForce NOW, an on-demand gaming service for the company's SHIELD family of gaming devices.

"GeForce NOW is all about instant gratification. But it took us a decade to invent the technology behind the service that streams GeForce GTX-quality graphics to SHIELD devices," Nvidia stated in a blog post. "GeForce NOW is your game library in the sky. See all the titles we offer from a game series at a glance — like the LEGO collection or the Batman Arkham series — for binge gaming. Use voice search to find your favorite games. Search through games by category. Or quickly browse the latest and most popular games."

NVIDIA has said that GeForce NOW will stream games at 1080p and 60 frames per second (depending on the users connection speeds). This will make it the first non-beta cloud-gaming service capable of such his resolutions and frame-rates. It will launch with over 50 titles included in your $7.99 membership fee. Most of them are slightly older games such as Batman: Arkham Origins, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, to name just a few.

NVIDIA will also offer newer "Buy and Play Instantly" titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ($60) and Saints Row IV ($20). In other words, some games will be available for sale. As a bonus those just wanting to try out the new program will get a free three month trial when it launches next month. You can find more details via NVIDIA's Shield Blog.

Google Unveils New Chromecast and Chromecast Audio Devices

Two years ago when Google first announced the Chromecast streaming was still relatively new to most would be users and while most of us geeks had been using the few options that were available it was until the Chromecast and its super affordable price tag that we started seeing more mainstream adoption.

While the Chromecast has been a major hit (along with several of the newer streaming devices) we have always begged for more and while over the past couple years Google has been awesome enough to offer some updates with some cool new features we’ve been waiting for a true upgrade. The wait is over: At today’s Google Nexus event, Google debuted two new Chromecasts for television and audio as well as a much needed update to the Chromecast App.

New Faster Chromecast For Video Streaming

The new Chromecast features more power, better antennas, and all new fresh design, and is easier to plug into TVs with crowded ports thanks to an integrated HDMI cable. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards and adapts more easily to changing Wi-Fi conditions in your home, so you get higher quality video with less buffering.

In addition to a new faster device Google updated the Chromecast app to make it easier for you to find the content you want to watch or to play. They have also added several new content partners including Showtime and support for Sling TV and apps from the NBA, NHL, and other partners. The update also adds support for Google Photos and the creation of slideshows so you can show of your favorite photos!

Chromecast Audio For Wireless Audio Streaming

Chromecast Audio is a new audio streaming device that turns any speaker set into a set of Wi-Fi speakers. Users can plug Chromecast Audio into existing devices using a 1/8-inch headphone jack (AUX), RCA cables or optical input. Once it's plugged in, users can control the speaker using the Chromecast App. That means that any existing Bluetooth speakers, surround sound speakers, bookshelf speaker, or regular desktop speakers can be turned into smart home speakers.

It works with tons of apps, including Spotify, Pandora and Google Play Music. Just like Chromecast, it works from anywhere in your home with your favorite devices, including Android, iOS, and laptops.

Both devices are available starting today on the Google Store and other online retailers for just $35 each. For more details on either device, or more about today's other announcements (there are a few great ones we didn't cover), checkout the Official Google Blog.

Security Company Offers $1 Million Bounty For iOS 9 Bugs and Exploits

Security is big business these days and bug bounty programs are becoming more and more lucrative with a large number of companies out there now offering some sort of reward to researchers and would be hackers for finding and disclosing exploits. One company however that has been late to the foray has notably been Apple.

While Apple has elected to keep themselves out of the 'pay for vulnerabilities' business, that hasn't sopped others from doling out loads of cash for exploits that impact Apple's software. Zerodium, an exploit acquisition company, stepped up where Apple has not with an impressive promise to pay up to $3 million to security researchers who can provide them with an “exclusive, browser-based, and untethered jailbreak for the latest Apple iOS 9 operating system and devices.”

"Apple iOS, like all operating system[s], is often affected by critical security vulnerabilities," Zerodium said in an announcement. "However due to the increasing number of security improvements and the effectiveness of exploit mitigations in place, Apple's iOS is currently the most secure mobile OS.

"But don't be fooled, secure does not mean unbreakable, it just means that iOS has currently the highest cost and complexity of vulnerability exploitation," the company continued. "And here's where the Million Dollar iOS 9 Bug Bounty comes into play."

The Million Dollar iOS 9 Bug Bounty is tailored for experienced security researchers, reverse engineers, and jailbreak developers, and is an offer made by Zerodium to pay out a total of three million U.S. dollars ($3,000,000.00) in rewards for iOS exploits/jailbreaks.

The initial attack vector must be a Web page targeting the mobile browser or any application reachable through the browser, or a text message delivered via a SMS OR MMS. Plus, the exploitation process should be achievable "remotely, reliably, silently, and without requiring any user interaction" except visiting a website or reading a message, Zerodium said. The jailbreak must also work reliably on the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6, 6 Plus, 5, 5c, and 5s, as well as iPad Air 2, iPad Air, fourth-gen iPad, third-gen iPad, iPad mini 4, and iPad mini 2.

Zerodium will pay out one million U.S. dollars ($1,000,000.00) to each individual or team who creates and submits to Zerodium an exclusive, browser-based, and untethered jailbreak for the latest Apple iOS 9 operating system and devices. The program is open until Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. Eastern. But keep an eye on Zerodium's website, as the bug bounty may end early, once the $3 million payout is depleted.

For those interested in taking a chance at the reward you can view the full details and terms of the program here.

We feel we should also mention there are at least a few concerns over what Zerodium's intentions with the vulnerability are.! Our brethren of geeks over at Engadget, have warned hackers to beware of Zerodium as founder Chaouki Bekrar has a history of selling exploits to the highest bidder, rather than disclosing issues to the manufacturer. In fact, Zerodium does not want these vulnerabilities patched—at least not until it can resell them for a profit, Engadget said.

Amazon's New $50 7" Fire Tablet, What You Need to Know

Amazon today introduced a new extremely budget friendly 7" Fire tablet that will offer you plenty of features as well as some of your favorite Amazon exclusives all for under $50. The new Fire tablet includes a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 7” IPS display featuring 171 ppi and 1024 x 600 resolution, which Amazon is calling the "best display on any tablet under $50", VGA front camera and 2MP rear-facing camera, 8GBs of internal storage and up to 128GB of expandable storage.

“Today, we’re taking another step in our mission to deliver premium products at non-premium prices,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. “The all-new Fire features a quad-core processor, is incredibly durable, and is backed by the Amazon content ecosystem, the new Amazon Underground, and Amazon customer service with Mayday Screen Sharing. Fire sets a new bar for what customers should expect from a low cost tablet.”

In today's market it isn't impossible to find a decent working tablet for around $50. Unfortunately though you are generally talking about an off-brand tablet that may or may not have a functional app store present and will have limited to no support from the company that produces it. Amazon, on the other hand, is a big company with a pretty solid reputation and offers plenty of backing for its products.

While the $50 price tag give some users concerns that they are getting something under-whelming or under performing the 7" tablet actually packs some pretty decent specs and of course it is hard to beat the load of freebies you get from Amazon, especially if you load on an Amazon Prime membership.

Fire - Decent Features In A Quality Tablet At An Affordable Price

For just $49.99, the new Fire tablet includes some pretty decent specs:

• 7” IPS display offers 1024 x 600 resolution at 171 ppi, providing SD video playback, sorry no HD here. However, unlike other low-cost tablets that use TN displays your viewing experience should be fairly reasonable with vivid and accurate color reproduction that can be seen at all angles.
• Quad-core 1.3 GHz processor and 1GB of RAM: Amazon states the Fire's processor offers 2x more processing power than Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite at less than half the price. We'd really like to have seen more RAM to be honest, but the CPU performance sounds impressive!
• VGA Front- and 2MP rear-facing camera capable of 720p video. While these do seem underwhelming they do allow you to complete the basics like video chatting with friends and family or taking photos and videos.
• 8GBs of storage and up to 128GB of expandable storage via microSD
• All-day battery life—Delivers up to 7 hours of reading, browsing the web, listening to music, and watching video. 
• Fire OS 5 “Bellini”—Includes an updated user interface that replicates the look and feel of a magazine, making browsing and searching for your content easier than ever—what you want is just one tap away; plus, Fire OS 5 includes hundreds of new and upgraded features and platform updates, plus Amazon-exclusive services. 
• 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated speaker, Micro USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security
• Size & Weight: 7.5" x 4.5" x 0.4" (191 x 115 x 10.6 mm) at just 11.0 ounces (313 grams)

Don't Forget The Amazon Exclusive Features

The Fire Tablet will also come packed with plenty of Amazon exclusive features and is packed with plenty of freebies!

• Amazon Underground—A new one-of-a-kind app store experience where over $10,000 in apps, games and even in-app items are actually free—including extra lives, unlocked levels, unlimited add-on packs, and more. 
• Free, unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content including unlimited storage on photos you've taken with your Fire tablet
• Activity Center—For parents whose kids have outgrown Amazon FreeTime, Activity Center provides an easy way for them to see how their kids are spending time on their Fire tablet—from how much time they spend playing games, to which websites they visit. Activity Center will be available via a free, over-the-air Fire OS update in the coming months.
• Mayday Screen Sharing lets an Amazon expert guide you remotely through any feature on your screen, available 24x7, 365 days a year—for free.
• Amazon-exclusive features—ASAP, X-Ray, Second Screen, Amazon FreeTime, Family Library, Word Runner, and more.
• Access to over 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, magazines, apps, and games

We have yet to see any real world reviews of the new Fire Tablet, we expect those to come in soon, but with all these features and the great price tag we wouldn’t be surprised if the new Fire becomes a favorite among parents or students looking for a cheap alternative tablet or a gift their children. For families looking to give a Fire to everyone, Amazon is even selling a six-pack for the price of 5 tablets. At $250 for six, that’s still cheaper than many people pay for just one tablet from most other companies!

Fire will start shipping on September 30—those interested can order at www.amazon.com/fire and for those looking for a bit more real estate and want a little more screen space Amazon has also released two new 8" and 10.1" Fire tablets that will offer even more performance and still won't break the budget!

Apple's First True Android App Is Used For Switching to iOS

It may seem a bit ironic that after years of avoid anything Android related Apple has finally released the company's very first Android app and of all things it is aimed at stealing the hearts and souls of Android users and converting them to iOS!

Originally announced during this year's WWDC event, and currently available on the Google Play store, Apple’s new app which is aptly dubbed 'Move to iOS' makes for an easier transition for Android users who are defecting to iOS. The app utilizes a private Wi-Fi network to connect your old Android device to your new iPhone for a quick and easy transfer of your old phone's contents, including messaging history, camera photos, videos, contacts, mail accounts and more.

Everything about iOS is designed to be easy. That includes switching to it. With just a few steps, you can migrate your content automatically and securely from your Android device with the Move to iOS app. No need to save your stuff elsewhere before switching from Android. The Move to iOS app securely transfers all kinds of content for you:

• Contacts
• Message history
• Camera photos and videos
• Web bookmarks
• Mail accounts
• Calendars

When you choose to migrate your data, your new iPhone or iPad will create a private Wi-Fi network and find your nearby Android device running Move to iOS. After you enter a security code, it will begin transferring your content and put it in the right places. Just like that. Once your content has been transferred, you’re ready to get going. iOS will also set up your default mail account. That’s it — you can start using your new iPhone or iPad and experiencing its endless possibilities. Enjoy.

Move to iOS is supported on all phones and tablets running Android 4.0 and later.

 In conjunction with the app’s release, Apple also has a support document that interested users might want to check out before getting started.

New Crowdfunding Site Fortua May Help Fund Your Next Vacation

Unless you've been hiding in the backwoods for the past few years by now, you've probably heard of and likely shelled out some of your own hard earned cash for at least one crowdfunding campaign. Maybe you helped finance one of the newest geek gadgets out there, or helped your old college roommate fund his latest new folk music album, or maybe it was dishing out cash for someone to make potato salad.

Crowdfunding is catching more and more steam for some of the craziest projects you've likely never herd of. Whether they be worthwhile causes like helping out entrepreneurs with their latest endeavors or donating funds to help victims of disasters or just funding someone's wildest dreams! However, these days it isn't just for underresourced creatives. The newest kid on the block, Fortua, launched just last month as a crowdfunding option for athletes, event organizers, and entrepreneurs in the outdoor adventure space.

Fortua campaigns cover a wide range of concepts—users can raise money for documentaries, books, events, gear startups, or specialty outdoor events (think camp-outs, 4wheeling treks ect). Some conservation groups have even taken to the site and already used it to pay for trail restoration projects.

Luckily for us outdoor adventurous types of geeks the site opens the door to a new creative way to potentially fund our wildest outdoor adventurers. With the right pitch, the site could potentially be used to find other outdoor enthusiasts that might possibly be willing to help fund, or share costs for personal trips. The catch there is that like most crowdfunding sites you'll need some good marketing skills and personality!

Users can use Fortua to run a Keep-it-All campaigns, in which they keep all donations regardless of how much they raise, or a All-or-Nothing campaign, in which backers are only charged if the campaign reaches its target goal. In either case, Fortua takes a 5% cut of the funds raised and charges a 2.9% fee for per contribution. Additionally one percent of Fortua's revenue is donated annually to 1% for the Planet to protect natural places, forests, rivers, lakes, oceans, and wildlife for generations to come.

The service is still pretty new, so most of the campaigns hosted on the site are still "sample campaigns" put up by Fortua itself. But the results of the site's few real campaigns suggest that it really will prove to be a powerful fundraising tool—in just a few weeks, several projects have raised tens of thousands of dollars.

Starting Today You Can Use Android Pay at More Than 1 Million Locations

Starting today Google is rolling out its second attempt at cracking the mobile payments market with Android Pay, their much anticipated follow-up to Google Wallet which looks to take on competitors such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay (currently in beta). The new service will feature similar payment options as Google Wallet and Apple Pay featuring support from many banks and credit card companies and as such is already supported by over 1 million locations in the U.S.

According to Google's official announcement, Android Pay works with all NFC-enabled Android devices (running KitKat 4.4+), on any mobile carrier, at every tap and pay ready location across the US. Android Pay will support credit and debit cards from the four major payment networks: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. These cards are issued by many of the most popular US banks and credit unions, including American Express, Bank of America, Discover, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, Regions Bank, USAA, and U.S. Bank. Wells Fargo will be available in the next few days, Capital One and Citi are coming soon, and we're adding new banks all the time.

Android Pay boast several new security features that pick up where Google Wallet left off, most notably  the use of industry standard tokenization. Through tokenization your real credit or debit card number isn't sent with your payment. Instead, a temporary virtual account number is used that prevents retailers from ever seeing or storing your actual account information poviding an extra layer of security.

As soon as you make a purchase, you’ll see a payment confirmation that shows where a given transaction happened, so it’s easy to catch any suspicious activity. And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password, or even wipe it clean of your personal information.

Later this year, Android Pay will be updated to allow you to do mobile checkout when buying items in shopping apps, and some merchants will even let you transmit your loyalty cards electronically. So you can pay and get your points or discounts all with one tap of your phone.

Microsoft Downloads Windows 10 to All PCs With Automatic Updates

We may think Windows 10 is a hit but that doesn't mean that everyone is ready for the upgrade, nor does that mean that everyone really wants to make the leap just yet. Unfortunately it sounds as though Microsoft might be making a stronger push than you'd expect for user to update.

According to reports from an Inquirer reader, which were later confirmed by Microsoft, Windows 10 is being pushed out to users 'just in case' they decide to upgrade, even if they have previously declined the reservation offer or have yet to reserve their free upgrade.

In their confirmation to the Inquirer a Microsoft spokesperson explained the reasoning behind the move: “For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they’ll need if they decide to upgrade. When the upgrade is ready, the customer will be prompted to install Windows 10 on the device.”

In other words for users that have automatic updates enabled on their Windows 7 or Windows 8 PCs, Microsoft is pushing the download of Windows 10 upgrade files in order to expedite the upgrade process should the user later decide to upgrade.

At the face of it this may not seem like a big deal, some conspiracy theories aside for most it wouldn't be, however if you are on a limited connection or are using a machine with limited space the download will eat up a big chunk of data. The Inquirer reader noted his PC showed a few odd symptoms as well as major chunk of data being used. He stated : The symptoms are repeated failed 'Upgrade to Windows 10' in the WU update history and a huge 3.5GB to 6GB hidden folder labelled '$Windows.~BT'.

Amazon Offers Free 5600 mAh Battery Pack For New Amazon Prime Trial

For a limited time Amazon is offering up a free Amazon Basics 5600 mAh battery pack, valued at $20, just for signing up for a 30 day trial of Amazon Prime. The free deal is of course in addition to all the great perks you get from having Amazon Prime, like free streaming of all of the movies and videos available to Prime users and of course free two day shipping as well as any other Prime perks.

To cash in on the deal you need to sign up for a 30-day trial with an account that has never been associated with Prime!. To get started, you’ll need to visit Amazon’s promotion page (link via Android Authority) and begin the free trial. Within 72 hours, you’ll get a special email code and the directions needed to get your new battery for free. After that, you can cancel Prime at any time and it won’t affect your eligibility for the free battery, though Amazon is banking on the idea that most of trial users will end up letting their subscription renew at $99 (for an entire year’s service) after the 30-day trial ends.

Again this offer is for a limited time and Amazon has not offered details of how long that will last. So you may want to act fast.

As for the battery pack it may not sound like anything special but the reviews on the units are fairly fvorable. It is one of Amazon's specially branded items dubbed AmazonBasics. It features a 5600 mAh Portable Power Bank capable of charging smartphones, tablets and other portable devices on-the-go through a USB port. Amazon says you can use the power bank to charge popular devices like an iPhone 5 (2.6 times), Nexus (2.2 times), Galaxy S5 (1.4 times), or the Galaxy Note III (1.2 times).

Samsung Now Accepting Beta Testers For Samsung Pay

Samsung made major waves in the mobile payments arena this past month when they officially unveiled their new rival to both Apple and Android Pay, the new Samsung Pay application. Samsung Pay goes above and beyond just traditional NFC payments and tokenization, adding in an option to also use traditional magnetic strip readers as well as loyalty cards.

The new app is slated to be released to the public Sept 28th, however for those Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, or Note 5 owners living in the US you may get a chance to test drive the new service a bit early.

Samsung has opened up beta testing to select users in the US. At this time, Samsung is only taking beta testers with a qualifying devices and cards from Bank of America, Mastercard, US Bank, or Visa. As for carriers, you will need to be on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or US Cellular. Additionally, you will need an active Samsung account to sign up to be a tester.

If you are interested in testing out Samsung Pay, registration for beta testers is now open and you can sign-up via Samsung's invitation page. Note that you must meet all the requirements and be accepted to be eligible.

Apple Announces Sept 9th Event New iPhone 6S Versions Expected

In its traditional flare Apple has announced the dates for the company's next major event which is expected to see the announcement of the newest versions of the iPhone, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.

Invitations went out today featuring Apple's tradition of adding a bit of suspense via a cryptic message which reads only —"Siri, give us a hint". Other than the short message the innovation only held the details of the event stating it will take place on September 9th at 10AM PT, live at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Since Apple in general holds true to form, and it is widely expected they will, the timing would suggest the event will be the unveiling of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. It is also expected we'll see the arrival of and discussion about iOS 9, which is usually released to existing iDevices a couple of days before the new phones are available.

There are many rumors floating around the webosphere in regards to the latest iPhones. Many have them pegged as having animated wallpapers similar to the Apple Watch, 4K video capabilities, upgraded 12-megapixel cameras and front-facing flash. We may even see something about force-touch iPhones, though this is one of the more highly speculative rumors. Other even shakier rumors suggest we may see a new Apple TV or even the new iPad Pro though no one really puts much stock into those.

[Update:] For those that haven't been invited to the event, as per usual Apple will be living streaming the event via their own website via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), which generally requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 7.0 or later and Mac computers with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X version 10.8.5 or later. However, in a major change of the norm, Apple plans to offer the stream to Windows 10 users running Windows EDGE.

Amazon's New Underground App Serves You $10,000 of Truly Free to Use Apps

Amazon has created a new none traditional way of offering customers completely free to use and play apps by doing away with all in-app purchases instead opting to pay developers directly via per-minute payments in exchange for developers nixing any fees, which means for the customer the software is entirely free to download and use.

The new service, dubbed Underground, is only accessible to Android users via an Android app that must be downloaded directly from Amazon due to Google App Store restrictions. However, according to Amazon once the app is loaded users will have direct access to more than $10,000 in free apps. Some of the titles on offer include OfficeSuite Professional 8, Goat Simulator, Frozen Free Fall, and Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions.

To checkout the app you will need to visit amazon.com/underground from your Android Phone and enter your email or mobile number to receive a link to download it. You'll also need to adjust your phones settings to allow for installation from 'unknown sources'.

To do this go to your phone settings menu, tap security or application, check the 'unknown sources' box and confirm (you may want to do the reverse once the app has installed but you'll need to allow this for each app downloaded through Amazon). Now head over to your downloads folder, by going to My Files or Files, tap on the Amazon App file (Amazon_App.apk) tap Install when prompted and you should be set!

What's the catch? You will need an Amazon account to use the app, even though they are free! Other than that so far there doesn't seem to be much of a catch here. Amazon has for years offered up free app through their “Free App of the Day” promotion, which is now gone btw.

I will say I'm not a big fan of having to use Amazon's Underground App to install all my 'freebies' as it seems like nothing more than a rebrand of Amazon's traditional appstore app. Meaning not only will you see your Underground app selections but loads of listings for physical items from Amazon’s online store, along with plenty of ads for Amazon Prime.

Due to security concerns I'm also not a major fan of having to allow installations from 'Unknown Sources' every time I want to load an app from Amazon. On my Galaxy S5 this isn't a major issue since it will ask me each time and I don't have to leave the setting open, but it still might be an issue for some!

On the plus side of things though, if you buy qualify apps even those that are free, you may be eligible for Amazon promotional credits for $1 towards MP3 purchases.

YouTube Gaming Now Available Via Android, iOS Apps and the Web

As expected YouTube has just launched their new dedicated gaming site,  YouTube Gaming which is now live on the web and available for download for Android and iOS devices.

The new site already features more than 25,000 dedicated game pages with content ranging from live streams to cheats, tips and tricks. It will also support a DVR feature, and automatic conversion of streams into YouTube videos.

"YouTube Gaming is built to be all about your favorite games and gamers, with more videos than anywhere else. From 'Asteroids' to 'Zelda,' more than 25,000 games will each have their own page, a single place for all the best videos and live streams about that title. You'll also find channels from a wide array of game publishers and YouTube creators," reads YouTube's June blog post.

The aim of the new site is to create a direct head-to-head competition against Amazon's popular gaming site Twitch, mirroring many of the sites popular features. Google hopes that by adding in a standalone gaming channel users will now find it easier to follow their favorite games as search results will be more gaming oriented and not feature tradition YouTube results. As YouTube notes, "typing 'call' will show you 'Call of Duty' and not 'Call Me Maybe.'"

Keeping up with these games and channels is now super easy, too. Add a game to your collection for quick access whenever you want to check up on the latest videos. Subscribe to a channel, and you'll get a notification as soon as they start a live stream. Uncover new favorites with recommendations based on the games and channels you like the most.

Apple to Stream the 2015 Apple Music Festival For Free Via Apple Music

Apple has announced today that they will offer free live streaming of their 2015 Apple Music Festival set to take place this September at London’s Roundhouse. The festival will feature performances by Pharrell Williams, One Direction, Florence + The Machine and Disclosure and several other headliners.

Formerly known as the iTunes Festival, the Apple Music Festival takes place over the course of 10 nights and features some of the top artists from around the world. This year's event will run from September 19 to September 28. Apple has hosted the iTunes Festival in London for eight years, and now in honor of the launch of Apple Music, has renamed the event the Apple Music Festival. Apple customers can enjoy the Apple Music Festival via Apple Music or iTunes on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC or in stunning HD with Apple TV.

“We wanted to do something really special for music fans this year,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “The Apple Music Festival is a greatest hits set of ten unbelievable nights featuring some of the best performers on the planet appearing live and interacting directly with their fans on Connect and Beats 1.”

The great news is that unlike many live streaming events Apple holds this one will actually be available to everyone, at least everyone currently using Apple Music, even PC owners. The streams will feature live and on-demand content as well as coverage on Beats 1 and social media snippets on Apple Music Connect.

For updates, tickets and additional information visit: www.applemusicfestival.com or join the conversation on Apple Music Connect. To learn more about Apple Music Connect and Beats 1 visit: www.apple.com/music/connect and www.apple.com/music/radio.

PlayStation Plus Members Vote For Your Next Free to Play Game

A newly announced program by Sony offers PlayStation Plus members the chance to vote on which games they want as a 'Free to Play' for the coming month. This new program, dubbed Vote to Play, offers gamers the chance to chose between a few different options, with the game receiving the most votes being added to the monthly line-up of free downloadable titles that PlayStation Plus members already receive as a perk for membership.

Sony will officially be kicking off the new program this week and accordingly has has announced the three titles that will be released, which include Armello, Zombie Vikings, or Grow Home as well as brief introduction trailers for each one with their respective developers explaining what their games are all about; you can watch those below.

Armello

A grim fairy-tale board game come to life, combining deep, tactical card play, rich tabletop strategy, and RPG elements. Set in a vibrant magical world with a tinge of darkness, Armello thrusts players into an epic struggle for power as they quest, scheme, explore, vanquish monsters, perform the mad king’s royal edicts, and face off against other players, with one ultimate end goal in mind — storming the palace and becoming King or Queen of Armello.

Grow Home

You play BUD (Botanical. Utility. Droid), a robot on a mission to find the Star Plant and save his planet. Discover a strange open-world: a planet of floating islands, with precipitous drops, caves and waterfalls to navigate, all rendered in a minimalist but beautiful art style. Grow the giant Star Plant and use your unique climbing abilities to reach ever higher ground, but be careful as you ascend because one wrong move and it’s a long way down!

Zombie Vikings

From the creators of last year’s indie hit Stick It to The Man! comes a new co-op, four-player stab-you-in-the-gut-a-thon with a dead-funny adventure. Hack through the boiling gingerbread swamps of Molgaga, take a cruise through the intestines of the Midgaard Serpent, fight giant troll poultry, and find out how Söccer was really invented.

Voting begins at 8:30 AM PDT on Thursday, August 13. If you're a Plus subscriber, you can cast your vote by accessing Vote to Play from the PlayStation Store's Plus section on PS4, or through the What's New or Notifications areas of the PS4 dashboard. Voting will continue until August 24 at 8:30 AM, with a winner being announced sometime after that. Whichever game wins will be free for Plus members throughout September, who will also be able to get the other two games at a discount.

If you don’t already have a PlayStation Plus account and would like to learn more on the benefits of PlayStation Plus, such as the Instant Game Collection, access to online multiplayer on PS4, exclusive member discounts, cloud game saves and more, click here.

Facebook Security Setting Exposes Personal Information

Security researchers have discovered a new loophole in Facebook's default security settings that would allow searchers to access areas of your profile, even when set to private, through a search of your phone number.

British software engineer Reza Moaiandin, of Salt Agency, recently posted the details of his discovery stating that he could harvest Facebook users' data on a mass scale by exploiting a little-known privacy setting that allows anyone to find a Facebook user by typing their mobile phone number into the social network's search box. The default setting on its "Who can find me?" function is turned to "Everyone/public" - meaning anyone can find another user by their mobile number, even if it is not visible on their public profile.

According to the findings even those that had set their phone number as private were now searchable as the default setting only stops those numbers from appearing in your personal profile when non-friends are viewing it. However, without making changes to your security settings anyone can create a script with possible number combinations which can be run through these URLs, and if a number is associated with a Facebook account, it can then be associated with a name and further details (images, and so on).

"This could be a huge phishing problem if no limit is created, and the loophole is discovered by the wrong person," he wrote in a blog post. "Unfortunately, for the 1.44 billion people currently using Facebook, this means that sophisticated hackers and black market sellers can access names and mobile phone numbers in as little as an hour through reverse engineering."

Mr Moaiandin told The Guardian the loophole was akin to "walking into a bank, asking for a few thousand customers' personal information based on their account number, and the bank telling you: 'Here are their customer details.' "

How to up date your Facebook security for better privacy!

Facebook users can and should change their privacy settings manually to avoid this potential invasion of privacy and it doesn't take much time. In fact it only takes a few seconds and really doesn't hurt anything in the long run!

From a desktop

1. Open Facebook in your browser, click on the upside down triangle at the top right, and select Settings.
2. Select Privacy from the left pane.
3. Find Who Can Look Me Up under Privacy Settings and Tools
4. Select Who can look me up using the phone number you provided? and change it to Friends of Friends or just Friends. Just Friends is likely your best bet.
5. You will also notice an option for Who can look me up using the email address you provided? I suggest doing this as well, just as a matter of extra privacy.

From your smartphone

1. In the Facebook app, tap on the hamburger icon (three lines) at the top right and find Account Settings.
2. Tap on Privacy.
3. Find Who Can Look Me Up under How You Connect.
4. Select Who can look me up using the phone number you provided? and change it to Friends of Friends or just Friends. Here again just Friends would be the setting of choice.
5. You will also notice an option for Who can look me up using the email address you provided? Again changing this is up to you but I always have it limited.

According to the reports we've seen Facebook has denied it had a "security loophole", as the accessed data was designated to be public. The site said it had strict rules on how developers may use its application programming interfaces. "The privacy of people who use Facebook is extremely important to us," a spokeswoman said further stating, "everyone who uses Facebook has control of the information they share, including information on their profile and who can look them up by phone number."

While we agree this may not technically be a 'security issue' since it is designed to be public, the fact that it is public by default certainly can make it a privacy issue for those that aren't aware of the need to change the setting.

Use These Tips For Shooting Photos of The Perseid Meteor Shower

The annual August Perseid meteor shower kicks off this week throughout North America, and like most geeks we will be out there with camera, or smartphone in hand trying to capture that perfect moment. Unfortunately shooting those stars after dark can be a bit on the tricky. Thankfully noted photographer and Olympus Trailblazer Peter Baumgarten has put together a few great tips that should help even the most seasoned photog get some great shots.

Here is just a snippet from Peter's Astrophotography Tips:

1. Plan Ahead: All great photos require a bit of planning, but shooting at night requires considerably more thinking beforehand. 
2.  Stay Away From the Light: To capture a great star field in the night sky you need to be aware of light pollution that could spoil your shot.
3. Include A Point of Interest: Include an interesting subject in the foreground that will set your photo apart.
4. Go Wide and Open It Up: A fast, wide-angle lens is definitely the best choice for astrophotography.
5. Post Processing Is Required: To create nightscapes that pop, some post-processing is required.
6. Star Trails Made Easy: Us Live Composite features to combine several separate photographs in to one.

For more great tips on how to capture that perfect shot of the night sky checkout Sky & Telescope.

You’ll be able to view the shower from Aug. 11-14. If you’re able to stay up late (or wake up early), the best views of Perseids are between midnight and dawn on Aug. 13 – when you may see up to 50 meteors an hour (depending on your time zone).

Don't Pay to Play DVDs In Windows 10 Use VLC Instead

In our opinion Microsoft has done a great job with the recent release of Windows 10. The new UI, return of the start menu and other updates have really impressed us over Windows 8.1 (which unlike some we really didn't mind). One thing that you may have noticed though that is conspicuously absent is the ability to play your favorite DVDs (and Blu-Rays) through any of Windows 10's default applications.

You may think it was just you, don't worry it wasn't, and of course this isn't an error or mistake. Microsoft dropped 'free' DVD support on purpose due to, I believe in part, what was seen as rising costs of continuing support and paying royalties for the rights to use the technology.

While Microsoft now offers the Microsoft DVD for Windows 10 app, which was released this week for $15, we believe there are much better alternatives that can be had for free and we all know how geeks like to save money!

There are plenty of other free options out there, however our go to option for almost all of our video needs (and by all we mean all, like all of those questionable downloaded videos you might not have been able to play with Windows Media Player, or through Windows previously all the way up to our favorite DVDs or DVD/BR rips) has always been VideoLAN's VLC desktop software.

VLC is an open-source, meaning free to use, media player that includes support for DVD media as well as multiple other video and audio file formats. You'll even find a few websites that stream content that use VLC based codecs, or codecs that you won't find WMP support for. The software is super quick and easy to setup, you'll have the option to set it up for the default media player for all your media files if you like, some of you might not want that though.

A quick Note that I DO NOT recommend the VLC app in the Windows Store, which is a separate version that does not support DVD playback. You'll need to head over to the official VLC site and get the full version.

For those of you that really really don't want to try out a third party app you may still have another free option. For some Windows 10 upgraders you can get the Windows 10 DVD Player for free -- under certain circumstances. To do so, you must upgrade to Windows 10 from one of the following previous versions: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 with Windows Media Center or Windows 8.1 with Windows Media Center. If you are eligible for the free offer Microsoft says you will automatically receive the update soon after you upgrade to Windows 10, and that the Windows DVD Player app will be automatically downloaded through Windows Update.