Google Officially Extends Refund Window for Android Apps to 2 Hours

There is nothing worse than paying to download what you think is going to be the best game or greatest app of all time only to find out you absolutely can't stand it. In the past with apps from Google Play you've had to make your decisions and uninstall that app quickly so you'd receive your refund. Thankfully Google has now decided to allow you to take your time in deciding if you like an Android app or not.

Google generally allows users a short 15 minute testing window to decide if that impulse buy, or random recommendation from a friend, was worthy of being added to your app collection or not. However, over the past month or two Google has slowly been extending that testing period. Now Google has officially updated its Google Play support page to fully extend that time to a two-hour refund window.

To get a refund for an app you don't like, open the Google Play Store app on your mobile device, touch the Play Store icon and select My Apps, then select the app or game you want to return and look for the Refund option. If the two-hour refund window has not yet passed, Open and Refund buttons will be displayed. If a Refund button is not displayed, your purchase is not eligible for return.

The one caveat is: this only works once per app. So, if you previously paid for and downloaded an app you didn't like and already received a refund, and choose to re-download it at a later date, you won't be able to return it.

Great news for those pesky geeks like us that like to test out a lot of different apps but also have impeccable taste. Also good news for you gamers out there that like to test out some of the latest games before making the full purchase.
 

Google Adds Free Voice Calling to Hangouts

Google Voice may officially be dead but that doesn't mean the service is gone for good. Google has just given the free VoIP service a bit of a reprieve as the company has announced the addition of free voice calls to Google Hangouts. The new service will offer free calling to other Hangouts users and phone numbers in the U.S. and Canada,. There will also be an option for international calling with what Google is stating are low international rates.

To get started on Android, just grab the new version of Hangouts (v2.3, rolling out over the next few days), then install the accompanying dialer to turn on voice calls. On iOS and the web, voice calls will be available the next time you open the app.

For all you current Google Voice and Google Voice app users, you will soon see a pop-up prompting you to migrate to the new Hangouts app. Once your migration is completed messages sent will show as "via GV" to let you know it was sent to your Google Voice number. It's also worth noting that if you turn on Google Voice integration, the Voice app will stop receiving messages—everything will go straight to Hangouts.

There is no need to worry though. The new update brings almost all of the current features of the Google Voice service to Hangouts. This means your new Hangouts calls will be fully integrated and will allow you to use your current Google Voice number. All your voice-mail transcriptions appear in the regular Hangouts chat interface, as do text messages to your Google Voice number.

For outgoing text messages, Google will give users a couple of options. There is a smart reply feature that will automatically send your replies from the number that received it (Google Voice or your regular phone number), or you can choose to always use Google Voice or your phone to respond.

For the time being, iPhone users will only get support for Google Voice calling. SMS and voice-mail support is coming “soon,” according to Google.

Google has been rapidly integrating all of its communications services such as Google Talk, Google+ Messenger and regular SMS functionality into the Hangouts application on Android, and with the integration of Google Voice it will finally be able to provide a unified communication tool to its users.

Amazon Prime Instant Video Now Available On Android Smartphones, Tablets Still Unsupported

Amazon Prime Instant video has finally made its long overdue debut on Android smartphone thanks to the most recent updates to the popular app. The service which has long been available on Amazon’s own mobile hardware and even Apple’s iPhones and iPads has until now inexplicably bypassed support for Android. Forcing Prime owners to browse selections through other means.

Today, however, Amazon is finally showing Android devices the love they deserve when Amazon announced that Prime members in the US, UK and Germany will now have the ability to enjoy Prime Instant Video on their Android phones. The latest update of the Amazon App for Android combines the fast and easy mobile shopping experience customers have come to know and love with access to unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes from Prime Instant Video.
 
The new Amazon App for Android includes:

• Hundreds of millions of items for purchase, along with Customer Reviews, 1-Click purchase and access to account and delivery information
• Tens of thousands of movies and TV shows available for unlimited streaming for Prime members, including favorite HBO shows such as The Sopranos, True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Six Feet Under and The Wire, and Amazon Original series like Alpha House, Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy and Annedroids
• More than 200,000 movies and TV episodes to rent or buy
• Over 30 million songs
• More than two million Kindle books, along with over 150,000 audiobooks and more than 600,000 exclusive books that customers won’t find anywhere else
• 5GB of free photo back-up with Amazon Cloud Drive

“Tens of millions of our customers have installed the Amazon app on their Android phones in order to enjoy the ease and convenience of shopping Amazon on the go,” said Paul Cousineau, Director of Mobile Shopping. “Now, the latest Amazon App for Android combines that award-winning mobile shopping experience with access to Amazon’s digital products and services, including unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes at no additional cost for Prime members. At Amazon, we are always innovating on behalf of our customers and we look forward to receiving their feedback on this enhanced shopping experience.”

Android smartphone users can visit amazon.com/androidapp or the Google Play Store for more information about the new Amazon App for Android.

Twitter's New “Buy” Button Offers In Tweet Purchasing

Some Twitter users will begin seeing a new option tacked on to some of their Tweets in the form of a 'Buy Button' that will allow you to make purchases directly from several select sources. For the test market the social media site has partnered with several major musicians (Brad Paisley, Eminem and Soundgarden just to name a few), retailers such as The Home Depot and Burberry, and nonprofits (The Nature Conservancy) to let you buy merchandise share from their Tweet.

“Users will get access to offers and merchandise they can’t get anywhere else and can act on them right in the Twitter apps for Android and iOS; sellers will gain a new way to turn the direct relationship they build with their followers into sales,” Twitter group product manager Tarun Jain said in a Monday blog post.

Twitter says an entire purchase can be completed in just a few taps. After tapping the “Buy” button, you will get additional product details and be prompted to enter your shipping and payment information. Once that’s entered and confirmed, your order information is sent to the merchant for delivery and all your payment will be secured and processed via Stripe's payment system.

Here are just a few of the current groups and artists listed: 

• Dan+Shay (@DanAndShay)
• Death From Above 1979 (@dfa1979)
• Demi Lovato (@ddlovato)
• DonorsChoose (@DonorsChoose)
• GLAAD (@glaad)
• GLIDE (@GlideSF)
• Global Citizen (@GlblCtzn)
• Hunter Hayes (@HunterHayes)
• Kiesza (@kiesza)
• Keith Urban (@keithurban)
• The Nature Conservancy (@nature_org)
• Megadeth (@Megadeth)
• Mike Stud (@mike_stud)
• Panic! At The Disco (@panicatthedisco)
• Pharrell (@pharrell)
• Paramore (@paramore)
• (RED) (@RED)
• Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams)
• Soundgarden (@soundgarden)
• 9/11 Day (@911Day)

According to Twitter the 'Buy Button' will initially be rolling out to a small percentage of U.S. based users with more availability coming soon

Logitech's New Keyboard Works With Multiple Cross-platform Devices At The Same Time

Are you using the same Bluetooth keyboard across more than one device and getting tired of having to un-pair and re-pair it with each device every time you need to swap platforms? Well Logitech now has the answer!

The Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is designed to be used with up to three devices, regardless of computing platform, at the same time. Now, you can work on your Windows, Mac or Chrome OS based computer, switch the Easy-Switch dial, and instantly be able to respond to a message on your smartphone or tablet.

The full size keyboard measures 20 mm (0.79 inches) x 299 mm (11.77 inches) x 195 mm (7.68 inches) and weigh just 820 g (1.81 pounds). Offering you a full keyboard experience in a small portable package. For tablet and phone users there is also a docking cradle which can be used to hold your phone or tablet at a comfortable angle. For you fashionista geeks out there the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 comes in two colors, black with yellow highlights and white with grey highlights.

Logitech has priced the K480 Bluetooth keyboard at $49.99 which considering it an replace multiple keyboards at once seems pretty reasonable. The keyboard is expected to be made available in both US and Europe markets later this month September.

Have An App Rejected By Apple? Here Are The Most Common Reasons Why

Since the inception and launch of the Apple App Store Apple has amassed billions of downloads across the hundreds of thousands of apps. While most developers haven't had issues getting their apps approved some notably have and typically those rejections come with little to know explanation as to why.

Thankfully, Apple is a bit sympathetic to the plight of its developers and as such has published a list of the most common reasons their hard work seemingly went in vain and was dumped to the cutting room floor!

Luckily for most developers the main reasons for rejections are simple and can easily be remedied. The top reason stems from administrative issues. If devs fail to provide enough information or a valid demonstration account, then their work will simply be ignored. Buggy code and none compliance with the developers agreement also top the list.

The rest are seemingly ordinary rejections such as Apple wanting only polished submissions that aren't in beta or demo testing, or app that contain false, fraudulent or misleading representations. Ironically the one rejection we don't see listed here, and one Apple has come under fire for in the past, is the duplicate content requirement. Apple has often come under fire for removing apps it feels duplicate any service or app that the company itself already provides.


For those looking for more resources and a list of guidelines used to review apps submitted to the App Store and Mac App Store, Apple offer this App Review page.

10 Teams Show Off Their Final Tricorder XPrize Prototypes

Every geek in the known universe knows what a 'tricorder' is, but for you uninitiated it is that nifty gadget you've seen used at some point almost every episode of Star Trek. It was capable of scanning for just about anything from minerals on planets to health issues in patients. Unfortunately that is where real world science and Sci-Fi have yet to meet...for now that is!

A competition with a $10 million purse was launched back in 2012 to spark interest in creating such a device. Dubbed the competition, dubbed the Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize, tasked teams with the challenge of creating a device that can quickly and accurately diagnose 16 health conditions. The devices had to work in a non-invasive way, be portable, re-usable, and easy enough to operate that a medical professional need not stand by (essentially easy enough for anyone to use).

In total Twenty-one proposals were received, and from those the XPrize judging panel chose 10 finalists for 7 different countries.Now comes the hard part as the finalists must deliver prototype Tricorders by May. They will be tested and evaluated for several months, in part by real patients.

The winner, slated to be announced in January 2016, will get $10 million in prize money put up by the Qualcomm Foundation. The San Diego wireless giant hopes the competition jump-starts the mobile health industry.

The finalists are:

• Aezon of Rockville, Md., student engineers from Johns Hopkins University partnering with the Center for Bioengineering Innovation &Design. (Team Aezon YouTube Video)
• DMI of Cambridge, Mass., led by Dr. Eugene Chan of the DNA Medicine Institute, partnering with NASA, the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. (Team DMI YouTube Video)
• Final Frontier Medical Devices of Paoli, Pa., led by the founders of Basil Leaf Technologies. (Team Final Frontier Medical Devices YouTube Video)
• SCANADU of Moffett Field, a Silicon Valley startup led by technology entrepreneur Walter De Brouwer. (Team SCANADU YouTube Video)
• CloudDX, a Canadian team from medical device manufacturer Biosign.(Team CloudDX YouTube Video)
• Danvantri, a team from technology manufacturer American Megatrends India.(Team Danvantri YouTube Video)
• Dynamical Biomarkers Group, a Taiwan-based team of physicians, scientists and engineers led by Harvard Medical School professor Chung-Kang Peng. (Team Dynamical Biomarkers YouTube Video)
• MESI Simplifying Diagnostics, a Slovenia-based team from medical device maker MESI. (Team MESI Simplifying Diagnostics YouTube Video)
• SCANurse, a London-based group from diagnostic medical manufacturer SCANurse. (Team SCANurse YouTube Video)
• Zensor, a Northern Ireland-based team from clinical sensor and electrode company Intelesens. (Team Zensor YouTube Video)

For further details on each of the teams can be found here and to view the mock-ups of their entries checkout the full slideshow via InformationWeek.com.

Twitter Recaps Their Night With The Emmys

During the 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, fans and stars a like took to social media in droves to share their excitement and join in on all the red carpet action with everything from behind the scenes photos and videos to fan reactions to their favorite stars winning or loosing. Today Twitter gives us a closer look at the #Emmys in 140 words or less.

According to Twitter and Nielsen Ratings there were over 1.1 million Tweets about the show (+-3 hours) during the live telecast (8-11 p.m. ET). The most mentioned stars included Emmys host Seth Meyers, and Breaking Bad co-stars Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston.

Here’s an embeddable graphic that includes the most shared Twitter photos from the evening:

Aside from being a great night for Twitter and the television industry, it was also a fashion extravaganza as the “Twitter Zip Line Camera,” the @TodayShow’s Vine 360 Booth, and @Yahoo’s Twitter Mirror took the red carpet pre-show to the next level. The zip-line video footage was featured on NBC’s Twitter account and the syndicated “Access Hollywood” program. In addition, part of E!’s “Live From the Red Carpet” coverage will be viewable online at Eonline.com and on air, and NBC’s Today show with the Vine 360 booth were published to the “Today” social accounts.

Is Your iPhone 5 Having Battery Issues? Apple May Replace It For Free

Apple has discovered a flaw on the batteries of what they are saying is “very small percentage” of iPhone 5's can led to the phone “suddenly experiencing shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently.” The affected iPhone 5 units were originally sold between September 2012 and January 2013.

For those impacted by the flaw the replacement program will be available at Apple Retail Stores, Authorized Apple Service Providers, and via AppleCare. To find out if you're eligible, Apple has a serial number checker here.

Apple recommends that all iPhone 5 owners backup their data, turn off Find My iPhone, and erase all content and settings before visiting their Apple Store or returning the phone to have the battery system replaced. Apple says it won’t repair phones with other problems like cracked screens. If you’ve already paid to get your battery fixed (and you’re eligible for this replacement), Apple is offering refunds.

This iPhone 5 battery replacement program is the second time Apple has had to use the replacement program to fix the iPhone 5 this year. Previously Apple offered to fix units affected by sleep/wake button issues.

You Can Now Inherit Digital Data And Accounts In Delaware

In the sad event of a loved one's passing their physical possessions typically go to their family members. Sadly however, the same inheritance laws generally do not apply to digital accounts, such as email or social media accounts like Twitter and Facebook. Which unfortunately, due to policies prohibit the sharing of passwords and generally deny access to anyone other than the original owner. Delaware is looking to change that in a major way. They just became the first state to pass a "Digital Inheritance" law.

Last week, according to Arstechnica, Gov. Jack Markell signed the Fiduciary Access to Digital Access and Digital Accounts Act. This law gives heirs and executors of wills the legal authority to take control of a digital asset or devices, just like any other physical document or item.

With the passage of the law, family members of the deceased or those that have been incapacitated will now have full legal access to any and all digital assets. Allowing them to either continue the usage of say their social media account (perhaps as a tribute page) or granting them access to important things like contact lists for email accounts.

According to Ars some states, including Idaho and Nevada, have few existing provisions pertaining to limited digital assets for heirs. These existing laws however are not nearly as broad as the new Delaware law and do not grant access to nearly as much data or accounts.

For now, the state's version of UFADAA only applies to residents of Delaware, however it is noted that people creating family trusts could conceivably use this Delaware law to their advantage, even without residing in Delaware. They could setup the trust to be governed by Delaware law

“If a California resident dies and his will is governed by California law, the representative of his estate would not have access to his Twitter account under HB 345,” Kelly Bachman, a spokeswoman for the Delaware governor’s office, said by e-mail. “But if a person dies and his will is governed by Delaware law, the representative of that person’s estate would have access to the decedent’s Twitter account under HB 345. So the main question in determining whether HB 345 applies is not where the company having the digital account (i.e., Twitter) is incorporated or even where the person holding the digital account resides.”

While this is seen as an important first step, Suzanne Walsh, an attorney with Cummings and Lockwood in Connecticut and chair of the UFADAA committee, told Ars that she is hoping more states will eventually adopt their own versions of the law further guaranteeing access to digital accounts..

Why Facebook Messenger Privacy IS An Issue And Why You Should Be Concerned

Over the past week you've likely read several reports raising concerns over Facebook's new messenger app and the alarming number of permissions the app requests access to. While many sites, including Facebook themselves, have tried to detract from the original reports, stating that those articles are from alarmists that don't really understand the app permissions. That doesn't mean that you should trust buy into those reports any further than you should the original flag raisers.

Why is everyone so concerned about the Facebook App?

First let me start by explaining why so many people have raised flags over the new app and why they are voicing concerns. When installed the Facebook Messenger App requests what many see as a rather large number of permissions. Those include the ability to take pictures and videos; record audio; send/receive and edit text messages; and read your calls logs and contacts - all things Facebook says you need in order to contact and interact with your Facebook friends within the app.

The concern here, and in my opinion rightfully so, is that there are no specific details as to how these permission will be used.  In their response, Facebook said "that Android controls the way the permissions are named, and the way they're named doesn't necessarily reflect the way the Messenger app and other apps use them." This doesn't exactly detail what these permissions are doing however. For instance, why does Facebook need to see me phone's contact information given my friends list on FB should already be accessible to the app? Or why does it need direct call or SMS/MMS access if I'm only using the app to send messages?

Sure the Facebook Messenger app does need some of these permission for authentic reasoning, but it hardly needs all of them. So why add them? My guess it is future thinking on Facebook's part. They want the app to become your go to service for all your messaging and calling needs. So they add those permissions now just in case they launch more services down the road.

What about my privacy? Why should I still be concerned?

Let me say first and foremost this boils down to one thing and one thing only! Do you really trust Facebook (or any other site for that matter) with access to your entire device, your location and all these permissions? You are trusting that they won't do anything bad, negligent ect with all that information they are collecting on you. So the question here is should you really trust them, or trust that they won't sale that information?

What they did with that so called 'emotional experiment' should show just how much influence your devices and social media websites can have over your daily life. If they are willing to cross that line the where does it stop? Facebook is already utilizing location information and background noise to start control the ads you see and the info you see in your news feed. Controlling what information a person has access to can be a very powerful tool and a very harmful one if used wrongly.

This is where most of my main concern comes from. The overall scope of data they are accessing and the overall lack of transparency shown when it comes to how they are using that data and these new permissions.

Unified services mean an end-all to privacy!

It wasn't too long ago that we used several services to satisfy all of our communications and web needs. You had separate services providers for search, email, chat and social media. The a few years ago many of those services started to blend into what we have now. Unified service providers with unified log-ins. These days you likely use your Facebook log-in for more than just Facebook and of course your Google log-in now works across all Google services and likely many of your favorite sites.

While this makes things easier for the end user it also makes it easier for these sites and services to closer track their users which in turn quickly erode away at your privacy. When Google unified its privacy policy it quickly came under fire with a lawsuit filed via EPIC. In that case the concern was that the aggregated data would allow for more accurate, targeted advertising.

The problem there lies not with the actual social media services, but Google's back end advertising service that is being tied to all the rest of its sites. This is similarly where we sit today with Facebook and some of the concern over the site's policies. Previously most of our social media sites where just that, websites not actual services. Today those sites looking to diversify want to become our all-in-on location for more services. Facebook, Apple, Google et al. don't just run single side services anymore. They run giant conglomerations all tied together that provide many different services under the guise of one entity.

These giant entities now have cross platform access to higher levels of user data than ever before! They can not only access emails, messages and on-site data. But they are accessing user location information, daily habits, and off site information and details (something Facebook is currently facing lawsuits over).

I for one think it is about time that someone starts to question the validity of these unified services and privacy policies. How about you? Do you think this is 'much ado about nothing'? Or are users concerns really valid?

New Flagship Phones From Samsung & Apple Expected To Be Announced In September [Update]

The two largest players in the smartphone market are reportedly planning major announcements early next month and if the speculation holds true we'll see at least two new flagship phones announced!

Update: In typical Samsung fashion the company all but confirmed earlier reports that they'll be annoucing the new Note 4 at the Sept. 3rd event. A teaser image was released today with 'Note the Date' and the Note 3 style pen window.

Earlier this week we saw several reports that Samsung had sent out invites to a Sept. 3rd press event (another Samsung Unpacked event). The timing for the event falls in line with previous speculation that the tech giant would be announcing their latest smartphone, the Galaxy Note 4, prior to the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin.

While the invite doesn't specifically mention the Galaxy Note 4, or any other devices for that matter, the timing would be inline with previous announcements. Rumors also suggest that we may see more than one device released from Samsung during the event, or during IFA conference. If those rumors hold true we may see more than one smartphone or perhaps a new Galaxy Smartwatch or other wearable.

Not one to be left behind Apple is also said to be planning a major announcement for early in September. Reportedly Apple will be revealing the iPhone 6 at a media event on September 9th. Recode reports that Apple will hold an event that Tuesday to announce the next line of iPhones, which if you have been following the rumors are expected to include not one but two, new models.

Of course this is all still speculative to say the least. However, the rumor mill surrounding both companies has been running overtime lately and that generally doesn't happen until right before major releases.

What can we expect from these new devices?

While there is nothing official yet known about the Galaxy Note 4  rumor has it the device will feature a 5.7-inch QHD display. It is also rumored to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 805 chipset with an Exynos variant for markets without LTE. It will also be accompanied by at least 3GB of RAM, at least a 16MP rear-facing camera, and will most likely run on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Other enhancements are said to possibly be a retina scanner, UV sensor and of course many of the updates seen in the Galaxy S5 like fingerprint scanning, heart rate monitor and the TouchWiz enhancements like Ultra Power Saving Mode, Download Booster and more.

Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 6 series is rumored to be the 'biggest' launch for iPhone yet (and yes they mean that, both literally in device size and scope of sales). It has been rumored for quite a while now that Apple's next iPhone would come in two sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. If that holds true the 5.5 inch model would be the biggest iPhone to date!

Other rumored improvements are said to be Sapphire crystal screens, higher resolution displays with more pixel density, aster and more efficient processors, NFC support and a few camera enhancements.

GameStop Now Requires Fingerprints To Trade Games At Some Stores

In an attempt to combat crime several state and counties have created ordinances requiring pawn shops or second-hand sellers to fingerprint customers looking to sale or trade goods. According to GameSpot popular gaming retailer GameStop has taken that requirement and applied it to some of the company's Philadelphia locations.

Originally reported from CBS Philadelphia, it appears as though GameStop stores in some Philadelphia are location have started requiring that customers who wish to trade in games provide a fingerprint scan for "certain transactions." When GameSpot buys used video games from customers, the chain says it is following a local law that allows the store to collect thumb prints, which go into a database to help law enforcement track down thieves who fence stolen goods.

However, the law isn't as cut and dried as GameStop seems to be making it out to be and in fact the company may simply be acting on their own. According to City Solicitor Shelley Smith, the city has not contacted GameStop to make such collections and the nature of the company's business is such that it does not specifically have to abide by the pawnbroker’s ordinance:

“What GameStop does doesn’t meet any of the elements of the definition in the code, so the pawnbreaker ordinance doesn’t apply to GameStop.”

GameStop has issued a statement on the matter, saying the initiative was implemented at the request of local authorities and has been in place since the beginning of July.

"It's a process that we've recently implemented (starting in early July) in Philadelphia area stores at the request of the Philadelphia police department," the GameStop representative said. "[It] is a practice we've also put into place in other parts of the U.S., depending on local or statewide second-hand dealer or pawn broker laws. However, at this time we are reviewing the process to determine if it's one which should be continued in Philadelphia."

In several interviews conducted outside the local GameStop many customers voiced concerns with the new program. Customers told KYW Newsradio they were not thrilled with the company policy:

“I really don’t appreciate it. You fingerprinted me like I’m in a police district. No, I’m at a game store.”
“That is a little absurd, it’s just a video game.”
“I think it’s an overreach. It’s going too far.”
“I know that it only happens to people who go to jail, they get fingerprinted.”
“When I went, I got my finger scanned when he broke it out and said ‘I need your fingerprint,’ I said, ‘for what’?'”

The Philadelphia Police Department says the company is being proactive by storing fingerprints in a secure database – LeadsOnline – which is the nation’s largest online investigation system. This still begs the question however, if the city is not requesting the stores to meet the requirements then is this even lawful? Or should it be consider a violation of customer privacy?

We'd love to hear your feedback. Would you submit to fingerprinting in order to swap your games?

NIVIDIA Shield Now Available Checkout These Reviews

Following up on last week's announcement of the all new NVIDIA SHIELD gaming tablet comes the launch of the $300 8-inch gaming device. The only question that remains now is whether or not you the SHIELD is geek-worthy enough for you gaming geeks to plop down your hard earned cash.

We scoured the web and found some reviews from our favorite geeks sites that we hope will help you make your decision.

Maximum PC: NVIDIA Shield Tablet Review

Would we buy the Shield Tablet if we owned the original Shield (now renamed the Shield Portable)? Probably not. If we were looking for a new tablet and top notch gaming performance was on the check list, the Shield Tablet is easily the top contender today. We’d take it over the second-gen Nexus 7 in a heart beat. While we understand why Nvidia decided to separate the cover and controller to keep the prices down and avoid the Kinect factor, we think a bundled package with a small price break as an alternative would have been nice. All things considered though, consider us surprised. The Shield Tablet is pretty dang cool.

AndroidCentral: NVIDIA Shield Tablet Review

If you're looking for something a little different in a tablet, and think that you'd take advantage of the huge gaming potential available in the Shield Tablet, this may be one to take a look at. As long as you're willing to go all-in with the accessories and spend a little money on games as they come out, this is a better value proposition than picking up a gaming device and tablet separately. But if your tablet budget is $299 and not a penny more, you'll likely be better served by something that's cheaper and simpler — just be sure keep your gaming aspirations modest.

GameSpot: NVIDIA Shield Tablet and Controller Review

Given that Twitch streaming is one of the key selling points of the Shield Tablet, it's disappointing that it doesn't work consistently across the device. Its small line up of games doesn't help matters either, particularly as there are frame rate issues with the more graphically intensive titles. Certainly, you're not going to be swapping your Vita or 3DS for a Shield Tablet anytime soon.

However, I like to think of the Shield Tablet this way: if you buy one, you're getting a great looking, powerful Android tablet with a near stock version of the OS for an enticing price; its gaming features are simply a nice bonus. PC players with a large library of games will also get a lot out of the tablet's Gamestream functionality, which--despite its issues over slower connections--is a great way to access your games away from your main machine.

Despite Nvidia's claims, I wouldn't get a Shield Tablet for its gaming features alone. Indeed, if you're buying it solely for the gaming features, then you might be a little disappointed. But, if you're interested in what the future of gaming might look like, Shield Tablet is perhaps the best glimpse we've had of it so far. If Nvidia can push the power of its mobile chips every year as much as it does its desktop ones, and if broadband keeps up, within a few years, something like the Shield Tablet may very well be the best way to game.

AnandTech: The NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Review

After getting through all of these observations over the past five days, I’ve come to realize that even though it’s not the perfect tablet, all of the features that this device brings to the table right now would be enough for me to seriously consider buying one. If NVIDIA manages to get enough multiplayer titles with an active community on Shield Tablet, there wouldn’t be a need to stop and consider at all. As someone that has spent the past few years never considering a tablet purchase at all, the Shield Tablet is the first ARM tablet that I would seriously think about buying.

Gizmodo: Nvidia Shield Tablet Review: A Gaming Beast, But So Much More

Do you care about games? Like at all? Do you think you might in the future? Then yes. Yes! The Shield tab is not quite the best all-around tablet tablet out there (mainly because of battery life reasons, and also because it's a little hefty) but it's still damn good for $300, futureproof like whoa, and the most bang for your buck because of it. Unless your use-case is literally "I want to watch at least 9 hours of consecutive video with a single charge, on a particularly small and light tablet" (get a Kindle Fire HDX) the Shield tablet is a Solid Buy.....It's not bar-none the best choice for normals and gamers alike—that wonderful ideal of gaming hardware that's also just "the best"—but it's delightfully close for a first stab. The future is bright. Get excited.

Hexus.net: Review: NVIDIA Shield Tablet

Shield Tablet's gaming credentials are unmistakable, yet it would be remiss of us not to mention the device's strengths as an everyday tablet. Take away the controller and Gamestream, and you still have one of the quickest Android tablets on the market, complete with 2GB of memory, excellent stereo speakers, a very handy stylus, dual 5MP cameras, expandable storage and solid build quality throughout. A higher-res display would have been preferred, but from a hardware perspective Shield Tablet ticks a lot of boxes at the $299 price point.

Nvidia has built a tablet that's undoubtedly strong on various fronts, however there's one crucial piece of the puzzle that's still missing: high-quality Android games. As it stands, Shield Tablet is a device with promise, but it needs developers to harness the power of Tegra K1 to deliver a truly outstanding games-playing experience.

Bottom line: for PC gamers in the market for an Android portable, Shield Tablet makes a lot of sense. For everyone else, it may pay to wait for the software ecosystem to catch up.

Reading the full reviews you will see a few mixed messages in there. However, for the most part everyone agrees that the NVIDIA SHIELD was a strong performer and not likely to disappoint and gamers or geeks that buck up for the purchase. It most certainly caught or eye and earns many kudos to being a very strong fist production unit. If this is a sign of things to come from NVIDIA then gamers should hold on to their seats because we might be in for a wicked fun ride!

Amazon Launches New 3D Printing Store

We geeks are always thinking outside the box, which often times leads us to needing that special one-off item. While 3D printing has become cheaper and more prevalent, there are still a good deal of costs associated with getting started. Enter Amazon to the rescue!

Amazon has announced the launch of a new 3D Printed Products store (www.amazon.com/3dp), a marketplace that gives customers access to more than 200 unique print on-demand products, many that can be customized by material, size, styles and color variations, and personalized with text and image imprints.

“The introduction of our 3D Printed Products store suggests the beginnings of a shift in online retail – that manufacturing can be more nimble to provide an immersive customer experience. Sellers, in alignment with designers and manufacturers, can offer more dynamic inventory for customers to personalize and truly make their own,” said Petra Schindler-Carter, Director for Amazon Marketplace Sales.

To create custom pieces such as that cool new 3D phone case, slim wallet or personalized bobblehead you won't need any special skills. Amazon has created a new easy-to-use design template that will make it easier for you to add your individual style on an item. You'll also be able to see your new creations before ordering thanks to the 3D preview capability. With the 3D product preview function, you will be able to see your geekiest creations in a 360 degree view that rotates as a virtual model of a product so you can tailor the item from every angle.

Upon completion of your designs and the item is personalized to your liking simply finish the checkout process, the item is then 3D printed on-demand by a manufacturing provider and shipped directly to your door.

While it appears as though customizable items are limited to what is currently in the 3D Printed Products store template set the concept certainly has the ability to be expandable. Meaning Amazon may eventually add the options for customers to upload their own designs to include more custom items down the road. No matter how you look at it it is nice to see a viable 3D printing option that enables us the option to design our own geek gear at a reasonable price!

So what do you think, should we create a few custom Geek-News items for you geeks out there?

Beware: Magic Jelly Bean Key Finder Installs Search Protect By Conduit

For various reason it is often necessary to find and know the product keys of installed operating system and applications such as Windows 8 and Microsoft office. When such needs arise we often turn to some of our favorite freeware apps out there. Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder typically being one of them.

Unfortunately we recently discovered an alarming issue. The app now installs a second, third party app, called ‘Search Protect’ by Conduit LTD. This third party app sneaks in on the install page, which the makers of  Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder happen to minimize to a barely readable page. The serch app can be classified as nothing short of malware as it is barely noticed on the install information, is set to automatically install, even in custom mode and hijacks a users browser settings and changes them to use Conduit Search.

While the app appears to be easily removed by going into the control panel and uninstalling it. It still raises a few red flags!

First the fact that the creators of Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder and OpenCandy, the company that creates the installer package, feel the need to minimize the install page to slip this app in seems highly suspect. Second is the fact that it creates browser changes, completely unrelated to the Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder software with absolutely no confirmation at all

NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Makes Official Debut

Following lots of rumors and speculation, NVIDIA has finally taken the wraps off the company's much anticipated gaming tablet dubbed NVIDIA SHIELD. The new 8-inch gaming tablet will be powered by Android and feature plenty of power and performance thanks to a solid set of specs!

At the heart of the beast is NVIDIA’s new mobile SoC, the NVIDIA Tegra K1, which features the same Kepler graphics cores NVIDIA builds into their GeForce GTX graphics cards and Tesla supercomputer accelerators. The quad-core ARM chip features 192 CUDA cores with a 2.3GHz max clock speed. K1 supports a variety of APIs and features which include OpenGL ES 3.1, AEP, OpenlGL 4.4, DX12, Tessellation, CUDA 6.0. Nvidia claims that the K1 can do all of this while consuming less than two watts of power.

For exceptional video and sound the SHIELD will feature an 8 inch 1900x1200 IPS display and front facing speakers with NVIDIA PureAudio technology and dual-bass reflex ports into the tablet to deliver great sound.

"If you're a gamer and you use a tablet, the NVIDIA SHIELD tablet was created specifically for you," said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA's co-founder and chief executive officer. "It delivers exceptional tablet performance and unique gaming capabilities to keep even the most avid gamers deeply immersed, anywhere they play."

Since the shield offers a full Android experience users will have access to the thousands of Android games currently available on Google Play. However, the games don't stop there. NVIDIA says there are now more than 400 SHIELD-optimized games available through the SHIELD Hub, as well as 11 specially optimized games for Tegra K1.


Additional features of the SHIELD tablet include what NVIDIA says are a range of firsts for a tablet:

• PC Streaming: First to stream games from a PC desktop or notebook using NVIDIA GameStream technology, which streams from NVIDIA GeForce GTX- powered GPUs.
• NVIDIA GRID Cloud Streaming: First to stream PC games from NVIDIA GRID. Gamers can access the GRID cloud gaming beta, available exclusively to SHIELD owners in Northern California, to instantly stream a library of high-quality PC games, and then save them in the cloud.
• Twitch and NVIDIA ShadowPlay: First to feature ShadowPlay, an advanced game-capture tool that lets users save and stream their greatest gaming moments to Twitch, the leading video platform and community for gamers. Gamers can stream titles from the SHIELD tablet to friends and foes worldwide. SHIELD tablet also includes a 5MP front camera to enhance the image of the gamer overlaid on the Twitch gamecast.
• Console Mode: First to feature NVIDIA Console Mode, which takes tablet gameplay to big-screen TVs. Console Mode transforms the device into a full living-room gaming and entertainment experience. Gamers can connect their SHIELD wireless controller, sit back on the couch and play PC and Android games, browse the web, and watch their favorite movies -- all in native 1080p HD.

Pricing, Availability and AccessoriesThe SHIELD tablet comes with either Wi-Fi connectivity, or Wi-Fi and LTE. It's available in 16- and 32GB, with MicroSD support (up to 128GB), starting at $299. The SHIELD wireless controller retails for $59. The SHIELD tablet cover retails for $39.

The SHIELD tablet, wireless controller and tablet cover are now available for preorder in the United States, Canada and select European countries. Preorders in the United States are available at shield.nvidia.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Micro Center, Newegg and Tiger Direct, and in Canada at Canada Computers, Memory Express, NCIX and ThinkGeek. Preorders in Europe are available at many top e-tailers.
The full list of resellers and further information, including product specifications, are available at http://shield.nvidia.com/.

Source: NVIDIA

Dell Joins Growing List of Companies Accepting Bitcoins

Despite numerous highly publicized issues and a growing list of security concerns, Bitcoins are gaining more and more traction and are quickly becoming more widely accepted as forms of payment. In fact they are now so widely accepted and traded that states such as New York and California have enacted state level regulations for their use and trading.

It should then come as no surprise that major tech players and websites are amongst the first to join the Bitcoin craze.

Two of the country’s biggest names in e-commerce, Overstock.com and TigerDirect.com were at the fore front of the Bitcoin era, being amongst the first major online retailers to accept the digital currency as a purchase option. Earlier this week popular electronics e-retailer Newegg became one of the latest sites tech sites to join the fray.

Still we haven't seen many 'major' tech manufactures willing to take the leap, until now!

Dell on Friday announced consumer and small-business customers in the US can now use Bitcoin to make purchases on Dell.com. In addition to accepting Bitcoins, Dell has said they'll be running  a special Alienware promotion wherein customers can save 10 percent off a new Alienware system purchase (up to $150 limit) when checking out with bitcoin. Stay tuned to Dell.com/bitcoin for more information on this exciting offer.

Dell Bitcoin Checkout

Dell partnered with Coinbase, a trusted and secure third party payment processor, to make this possible. For users wanting to pay via Bitcoin the process was made fairly simple. When you’re ready to make a purchase, just add your items to your cart, fill out your shipping details and choose Bitcoin as your payment method. When you submit your order, you’ll be taken to Coinbase.com to complete your purchase.

Facebook Wants To Sell You Stuff With New 'Buy' Button

Facebook has just made it a bit easier for you to make those impulse buys with the launch of a new “Buy” call-to-action button that will be featured on ads and Page posts. The new feature will allow shoppers to purchase a product directly from businesses featured on the social media site without having to visit an outside page.

The new service, which Facebook described in a blog posting, is initially being tested with a "few small and medium-sized businesses" in the United States, and will soon be available on the mobile and desktop PC version of its website. Facebook users viewing sponsored ads from the select merchants will soon see the Buy Button as an option, allowing them to purchase whatever goods or services that are being offered.

For those concerned about privacy and/or security Facebook says they built the feature with privacy in mind, and have taken steps to help make the payment experience safe and secure. None of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction will be shared with other advertisers, and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases.

Facebook isn't the only social media company testing out this type of feature. Twitter has been quietly testing a new "Buy now" button that apparently lets you purchase items featured in tweets without leaving the site. The Twitter Commerce service will appear inside users’ Twitter stream, similar to promoted tweet advertisements, according to the documents seen by ReCode.

Intel 2-in1 Devices The Ultimate Summertime Companion

Featuring all the power of a laptop with the added portability of a tablet, an
Intel 2 in 1 can make for the perfect summertime traveling companion.

Whether sitting on the beach, enjoying a quiet afternoon by the pool or just traveling to some of your favorite lunch spots, for us tech geeks staying connected and keeping productive is always a must. Sure you can do almost anything from those amazing smartphones these days, but having a larger screen sometimes is a must. Tablet are always great, but we don't always want to sacrifice productivity. For those wanting the best of both worlds I'd suggest checking out some of the newest #Intel2in1 devices.

On our days out of the office this summer we've been working from our new Dell Venue 11 Pro equipped with the Dell Tablet Keyboard. Like many of the Intel 2in1 devices on the market today this combo allows us to maintain portability with the standalone tablet as well as the ability to switch to a more productive platform with the full keyboard and extra battery.

So far we've managed to pack our Dell Venue 11 Pro with us on several day hikes and beach trips. The 10.8" full HD screen is super bright and offers a crisp viewing experience even when the sun is beating down. So far the 8MP camera has been great for snapping photos and since it is a Windows 8.1 device and offers a 'true Windows experience' we can use our favorite Adobe Suites for editing those photos.

When all that fun is over for the day and we are relaxing on the patio at our favorite brew spot, we snap on the Dell Tablet Keyboard, add on a wireless mouse and jump into work mode. This in our opinion is where the #2in1 platform really shines, you get the option of that true laptop-like experience. Since we have the ultrapowerful Intel Core i5 processor we can get multiple tasks done at the same time. Making it quicker and easier to get back to enjoying the fun in the sun.

How about you guys, how would you put your
Intel 2 in 1 to work this summertime? Share your ideas in a comment below!

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel This could include Intel providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.