Mercedes-Benz Announces Partnership With Pebble to Integrate Smartwatch With Vehicles

 Mercedes-Benz has announced a partnership with Pebble to integrate its smartwatch with Mercedes vehicles to provide enhanced vehicle diagnostic awareness and multisensory notifications.

The partnership gives Mercedes-Benz early access to some of the newest hardware and early releases of application programming interfaces (APIs) offered by the Silicon Valley-based company.

Temple Run 2: finally arrives on Windows Phone 8

 After what seems like an eternity, Temple Run 2 has finally made its way to the Windows Phone Store. The game is now available to download for free on devices running Windows Phone 8 and have at least 1GB of RAM.

Temple Run 2 is the much acclaimed sequel to the original Temple Run that pretty much started the endless running genre on the mobile platform. It (ahem) runs on a new engine and features completely revamped visuals and some new gameplay mechanics while retaining the basics of its predecessor.
You can download Temple Run 2 for Windows Phone 8 from the link below.
Download

BlackBerry Announces Over 40 Million New Users of BBM for iOS and Android

BlackBerry has announced that it has registered over 40 million new users of BBM via its recently launched app for iOS and Android. The news was a highlight in its recent earnings release that reported a loss of $4.4 billion in the third quarter.

Over 40 million newly registered iOS/Android users in the last 60 days; more than a
dozen Android OEMs to preload BBM, including most recently LG; over 250,000 BBM Channels created by global user base since launch of BBM Channels on BlackBerry, including large brands such as Coke Indonesia and USA Today; BBM is the most secure mobile messaging service for use in regulated enterprises.

BlackBerry also announced numerous new features that coming to the app in 2014.

BlackBerry Reports $4.4 Billion Loss Last Quarter, Signs Deal With Foxconn

 BlackBerry has announced its earnings for the third quarter of 2013 reporting a staggering loss of $4.4 billion.

GAAP loss from continuing operations was $4.4 billion or $8.37 per share diluted. The loss includes a non-cash pre-tax charge against long lived assets of $2.7 billion, a primary non-cash pre-tax charge against inventory and supply commitments of $1.6 billion, and pre-tax restructuring, legal and financial advisory charges of about $266 million. This compares with a GAAP loss from continuing operations of $965 million, or $1.84 per share diluted in the prior quarter, and GAAP income from continuing operations of $14 million, or $0.03 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.

BlackBerry's new CEO John Chen, who has been hired to try and turn around the company, said "With the operational and organizational changes we have announced, BlackBerry has established a clear roadmap that will allow it to target a return to improved financial performance in the coming year. While our Enterprise Services, Messaging and QNX Embedded businesses are already well-positioned to compete in their markets, the most immediate challenge for the Company is how to transition the
Devices operations to a more profitable business model."

Chen added: "We have accomplished a lot in the past 45 days, but still have significant work ahead of us as we target improved financial performance next year. However, the Company is financially strong, has a broad and trusted product portfolio to work with, a talented employee base and a new leadership team dedicated to implementing our new roadmap."

Notably, the company has also announced a five year partnership with Foxconn.

Under this new relationship, Foxconn will jointly develop and manufacture certain new BlackBerry devices and manage the inventory associated with those devices. The initial focus of the partnership will be a smartphone for Indonesia and other fast-growing markets targeting early 2014.

“This partnership demonstrates BlackBerry’s commitment to the device market for the long-term and our determination to remain the innovation leader in secure end-to-end mobile solutions,” said Chen. “Partnering with Foxconn allows BlackBerry to focus on what we do best – iconic design, world-class security, software development and enterprise mobility management – while simultaneously addressing fast-growing markets leveraging Foxconn’s scale and efficiency that will allow us to compete more effectively.”

BlackBerry will own all of its intellectual property and perform product assurance on devices through the Foxconn partnership, as it does currently with all third-party manufacturers.

“BlackBerry is an iconic brand with great technology and a loyal international fan base,” said Terry Gou, Founder and Chairman, Foxconn. “We are pleased to be working with BlackBerry as it positions itself for future growth and we look forward to a successful strategic partnership in which Foxconn will jointly develop and manufacture new BlackBerry devices in both Indonesia and Mexico for new and existing markets.”

Evad3rs release untethered iOS 7 jailbreak

In a move that I think caught all of us way off-guard, the evad3rs have just released an untethered jailbreak for iOS 7. The team is calling the hack evasi0n7, and it’s compatible with all iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and iPad mini models running iOS 7.0 through 7.0.4.

Mark Zuckerberg to sell stakes worth $2.31 billion

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook is said to be selling some of his Facebook shares to raise about $2.31 billion. The founder of the popular social network will sell about 41.4 million ‘Class A’ shares and utilize the money to fund a tax bill.

WhatsApp now has 400 million active users

Jan Koum, the CEO of WhatsApp has announced that the popular messaging service now has about 400 million active users across the globe.

In a blog post, Jan also claimed that WhatsApp has added 100 million users in the last four months. More importantly, this isn’t just the number of people who registered for WhatsApp, but those who are actively using the service every month.

Ubuntu gets its first smartphone deal, comes to high-end devices in 2014

Canonical's smartphone-sized Ubuntu distribution hasn't had an official device to call home since release, but it won't have to live that nomadic existence for much longer. CEO Mark Shuttleworth tells CNET that his company has just signed its first Ubuntu handset deal; the Linux variant should ship with higher-end smartphones sometime in 2014, he says. While Shuttleworth isn't naming this initial customer, he adds that Canonical is negotiating phone deals with four "household brands." It's too soon to say whether or not Ubuntu will get enough support to compete against other mobile platforms, but the agreement suggests that the publicity from the ill-fated Ubuntu Edge campaign is paying off.

PlayStation 4 on top in November next-gen console sales, according to NPD

 

Confirming what we already suspected, sales tracking firm NPD reports that the PlayStation 4 outsold the Xbox One in North America during November. As of latest numbers, the Playstation 4 is in 2.1 million homes compared to the Xbox One's 2 million -- a great start for both consoles and a paltry sales difference. Sony released a statement from SCEA head Jack Tretton, which said,

BearExtender Turbo starts shipping today for $80, brings 802.11ac WiFi to older Macs

Yes, it took a little longer than we originally expected. But, starting today, BearExtender is finally making its 802.11ac WiFi adapter available to Apple laptop and desktop owners who are missing out on the novel wireless standard. Much like the company's BearExtender 1200, the Turbo is also designed to add WiFi functionality to Mac computers.

Sprint looking to acquire T-Mobile USA

 The Wall Street Journal is reporting this afternoon that Sprint is working on a potential T-Mobile USA purchase. The carrier is said to be looking into regulatory concerns right now, and a bid in upwards of $20 billion could come in early 2014.
A merger of these two wireless providers would be significant for a few reasons. For one, it would leave just 3 major competing carriers in the US. And two, Sprint and T-Mobile have a combined subscriber base close to that of AT&T and Verizon…
Here is the scoop from the Journal:

i0n1c Alleges Jailbreak Exploit Stolen From Evad3rs

Stefan Esser, a security researcher known as i0n1c, is alleging that someone close to the evad3rs stole a jailbreak exploit and sold it to a private buyer. I0n1c is the hacker behind the untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.3.2. He also jailbroke the iPad 3 on iOS 5.1.

Yesterday morning Esser tweeted, "So apparently someone around the @evad3rs stole a jailbreak from them and sold it to a private buyer."

Apple says the death of a 15-year Pegatron worker was not linked to working conditions at the factory

Apple says the death of a 15-year Pegatron worker was not linked to working conditions at the factory, reports Reuters.
On October 9th, Shi Zhaokun, a 15-year worker who had forged identification papers saying he was 20, was unable to make it to work and checked into a hospital. Soon after, he was pronounced dead of pneumonia.
Mr. Shi was one was of five sudden deaths at the factory, leading China Labor Watch to blame working conditions at Pegatron.

Nokia Unveils Bluetooth, NFC-Enabled BH-121 Stereo Headset

Nokia has unveiled a Bluetooth-, NFC-Enabled Stereo Headset that resembles the iPod shuffle.

The neatly crafted tile design of the BH-121 measures just 39 x 39 x 12mm and can be attached to your clothing using the secure clip. You’ll find all the controls packed within this compact tile. Taking centre stage is one button to handle your calls and to play music, with volume controls, Bluetooth, and track control buttons arranged along the edges for easy access.

Xbox One consoles hits the 2 million mark

Microsoft launched its Xbox One gaming console on November 22 and it has already sold more than 2 million units in what has been an immense success. That’s just 18 days since the launch of the One with Microsoft and averaging 110,000 units sold per day.

Samsung launches the first 1TB mSATA SSD

Samsung announced today the first mSATA SSD drive of 1TB capacity. The drive is from the EVO 840 family and is destined to find a new home in ultrabooks, but will also fit virtually anywhere you place it – be it your home PC or a laptop.

The 1TB mSATA EVO 840 SSD is capable of reaching 540MB/s and 520MB/s of read and write, respectively. Random read/write speeds are rated at 98,000 and 90,000 IOPS.

You can now upload eBooks to Play Books from your smartphone

In its latest update to Play Books, Google added some enhancements to speed and smoothness but by far the most important gain is the option to upload from your Android device.

Now instead of using the Play website to add books to your account you can do it straight from your smartphone. Play Books supports ePub and PDF files and you can upload to Google Play books from any Android file manager.

Instagram Direct: allows you to share your photos and videos with friends

 Instagram announced today a new feature called Direct, which enables you to share your videos and photos to a select friends or a group of friends.

The new feature was announced at a special Instagram event by the company’s CEO Kevin Systrom. He also shared that Instagram now boasts 150 million users, raising from 80 million in the beginning of the year.

Indian court allows Nokia to transfer its Chennai plant to Microsoft

Nokia’s plant in India that is located in the city of Chennai was under a dispute with tax authorities in the sub-continent. As a result, the asset, which was one of the biggest Nokia manufacturing plants was sized by the local government. The seizure could prove problematic as some speculated it might prevent the Microsoft acquisition of the Nokia mobile division.

Angry Birds Go!’ now out for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8

Rovio has finally released Angry Birds Go! internationally across all major mobile platforms. The game is now available for download for free on iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 devices.

The latest installment in the prolific Angry Birds series – Angry Birds Go! – takes a different approach from killing pigs to beating them in a go-kart race in a whole new dimension, making it the first 3D Angry Birds game.

Apple’s 12 Days of Gifts includes the US this time around, FROM December 26 and January 6

Apple is setting up its annual 12 Days of Gifts promotion and for the first time it will allow US users to join in on the giveaway (Canada and Europe got stuff in previous years but not the US). Each day between December 26 and January 6, people with an iOS 7 running iDevice will be able to download a free gift.

SONY LAUNCHED A FLASH DRIVE THAT WORKS FOR BOTH PHONES & PC

 Amazingly Sony launched a dual USB flash drive, designed specifically for the needs of memory-deprived Android smartphone and tablet users. The gadget combines a full USB 2.0 port and a microUSB connector into a compact, sleek-looking body.

President Obama: I'm Not Allowed for Security Reasons to Have an iPhone

President Barack Obama revealed that he is not allowed to have an iPhone due to security concerns, explaining his use of a bulky BlackBerry, reports SecurityWeek.

"I'm not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone," Obama told a group of young people at the White House for an event promoting his health care law. He added that his daughters Sasha and Malia spend a lot of time on their iPhones.

Man Arrested for Stealing Copper From Site of Apple Campus 2

A Belmont man was arrested on Saturday for attempting to steal copper pipes and wiring from the former HP site where Apple will be building Apple Campus 2, reports CBS Local.

Glenn Cartwright, 56, was booked on Saturday into the Santa Clara County Main Jail following his arrest on suspicion of burglary and possession of burglary tools, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kurtis Stenderup said. Cartwright was later released on $11,000 bail, Stenderup said.

PlayStation 4 opening weekend sales hit 250K in the UK

Sony’s latest gaming console, the PlayStation 4 saw great reception in the UK. According to a report from The Telegraph, Sony managed to sell 250,000 units of PS4 in about 48 hours after the launch of the PS4 in Britain.

The PS4 sales resulted in revenues of $1.4 billion for Sony, which is far better than what the previous edition of the console had managed. The opening weekend sales of PS4 also surpassed the Xbox One sales by about 100K units.

Finally how to downgrade your BBM from 8 to 7

 Good day views, i have been getting lots of call, text and pings from BBM users complaining about the new BBM 8 update on blackberry devices mainly non BB10 devices, majority complained of   their blackberry device hanging, dragging or become slow immediately after the update.
This post consist of links to where you can downgrade you BBM back to BBM7 version, so click on the link that is respective to your device below

Black Friday breaks online sales record :thanks to mobiles

The trend of constantly increasing online sales during the Thanksgiving Thursday and the Black Friday has continued for yet another year. A study found that the total revenue for the two days reached $2.99 billion, representing an increase of just over 25% compared to last year.