Android

To celebrate the holiday season, Lionsgate is offering users of select Samsung devices free downloads of two popular movies. Users of the Galaxy Tab S, Galaxy Note Pro, Galaxy Tab Pro, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, and Galaxy Note 3 can download The Hunger Games movie (regularly $12.99) and its sequel Catching Fire (regularly $14.99) for totally free via the Lionsgate Android app.

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We all know Raspberry Pi – the little computer spawning mini-Nintendos and kid style desktops – but you probably haven’t seen the ODROID-C1, a mini computer that’s twice as fast as Pi. Just because there is a significant bump in speed don’t expect a huge bump in price.

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You love games, but your girlfriend or wife doesn’t. My goal is to change that. This week, gadgetnewsonline is debuting Gaming For Couples, a new weekly column looking at great games for couples to play together. We’re not necessarily going to pick the newest or hottest games for this column — instead, we’re going to suggest titles that are reasonably priced, made for both girls and guys, and widely available.

Our first edition looks at two picks just in time for the holidays: the Peggle franchise and The Beatles: Rock Band, both from Electronic Arts.

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Update (12/8 1:00pm): Target has Chromecast for $22.99. Redeem Google’s latest promo (below) to drop its effective price down to $2.99.

Google has just launched a new offer that extends a free $20 Google Play credit to anyone who purchases a Chromecast by December 21. According to the offer details, only Chromecasts purchased between December 7 and December 21 will be eligible for the free credit, but we were able to take advantage of it on our previously purchased Chromecasts.

You can check if you’re eligible for this promo by pointing your Chrome browser to chromecast.com/offers. The credit expires on January 31, 2016 and can be used on movies, music, apps, and other media. However, it can’t be used towards the purchase of any hardware. Only open to US residents.

Google Play, Amazon, and Best Buy are all promoting this offer for new Chromecast buyers.

At this point Google is pretty much paying you to own a Chromecast. Just recently, we’ve seen Google hand out free movies, Hulu Plus and Play subscriptions.

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Known for its consumer networking gear, TRENDnet is announcing the latest addition to its lineup of home WiFi devices. The new THA-101 Home Smart Switch is a hybrid network extender and basic smart electrical outlet that looks to offer the best of both worlds in one small package…

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We’ve all done it, found ourselves in a panic about 10 miles down the road, wondering if we have left that little space heater on in our bedroom. Today, WeMo is teaming up with Holmes to bring its own solution to this moment of fear. The Holmes WiFi-enabled Smart Heater connects the popular home company with Belkin’s WeMo ecosystem. This adds another piece to the puzzle of WeMo’s expansive line of home automation products.

Holmes is also introducing a new Smart WiFi-enabled air purifier, which puts the focus on consistantly monitoring the air quality in your home and adjusting as needed.

We’ve got full details below on pricing and Holmes new Frost Protect feature on these heaters. 
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Spotify is offering three months of its Premium service for $.99, which will last you well through the holiday season and most of winter! This is deal is specifically for United States users that have not subscribed to the Premium service in the past, at any point. Premium service would usually run $30 for three months, to redeem simply visit Spotify’s homepage and follow the instructions to pick up this deal.

Despite its recent struggles with some artists, Spotify is still at the top when it comes to streaming the largest library of music across multiple devices and platforms. Students can still pick up a pretty nice deal on Spotify, as well.

A lot of batteries are hitting lowest ever prices today including one of our favorites, the 13,00mAh Anker Astro 4E External Battery Pack w/ PowerIQ for $29.99 with free Prime shipping.  Promocode ANKERCM1 drops it another $6 to all time low of $23.99 shipped.  Standout features here:

• The Anker Advantage: Join the 6 million+ powered by Amazon’s #1 charging brand.
• Exclusive PowerIQ™ Technology: Detects your device to deliver its fastest possible charge speed up to 3 amps.
• Huge Capacity: Charges the iPad Air once, the Galaxy S5 over three times, the iPhone 5s almost six times and other smartphones multiple times. Recharges in 6.5 hours with a 2 amp adapter (not included) and the included Micro USB cable.
• Superior Quality: Premium LG cells, cutting-edge circuitry and a sturdy gloss exterior ensure reliability and safety. To activate the LED flashlight, hold or double click the power meter button.
• What You Get: Anker 2nd Generation Astro E4 External Battery, Micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide, our fan-favorite 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.

Anker isn’t the only awesome battery option today. Groupon has a nice-looking Aduro PowerUp 10,800mAh Leather Backup Portable Battery for just $17.99 shipped at Groupon. This one has a Flashlight and comes in a variety of colors.

If size matters in a big way, check out the Limefuel 20,000mAh battery from gadgetnewsonline Specials at $34.99 shipped.  This one also includes a flashlight and adds a status indicator.

Some other great options:

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It seems that Amazon is finally throwing in the towel with its Fire Phone. After the hype leading up to its launch, Fire Phone has been struggling to stay afloat. It’s best to think of the Fire Phone as a smaller version of a Kindle Fire tablet, but with a few extra gimmicks and features thrown in along with a free year of Amazon Prime.

The Fire Phone may have been a disappointment to the market, but Amazon isn’t giving up on its attempt to push it into the hands of consumers this holiday season. The Fire Phone can now be purchased unlocked and off-contract for only $199 (32GB Version)…

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Amazon has the Samsung Galaxy S5 for $1 with a two-year contract agreement (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T). Best Buy has also matched this offer for the S5. This ties the lowest price that we’ve seen, Sam’s Club and Target will be offering this deal on Black Friday. Over 300 Amazon users rate this smartphone 4.5/5 stars.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 features 4G LTE connectivity, a 2.5GHz processor, 5.1-inch 1080p display and 16MP camera. Additionally, it is rated for 29 hours of talk time according to Samsung.

We positively reviewed the S5 after a month of use following its release:

…the Galaxy S5 is great device and a worthy upgrade over its predecessor, but as I mentioned, there are definitely a few things that I’d like to see ironed out. This isn’t a reinvention of the smartphone, but a redefining moment for a great flagship device.

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Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States. 

Update (11/29 11:00am): Adam Scheidegger is our winner – thanks for following along and entering this Small States contest!

There is a lot of pride that comes with manufacturing in the United States, and we’ve enjoyed sharing the stories behind that pride with you. Before we head into the holiday season, there is one more company that we wanted to make sure you knew about.

JDS Labs out of Collinsville, IL is responsible for one of the coolest products that I have ever used. They take very sophisticated technology and squeeze it into everyday products that make your music sound exquisite. We’ve covered the importance of digital-to-analog converters (DAC) and headphone amplifiers before, but never have we seen them in such a cool package like this.

Let’s learn a little more about JDS Labs.

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Griffin has announced a new line of iPad stands that have a unique history to the materials that they are made from. The new Rail Yard Studios collection takes pieces from old railroads (rails, ties, spikes and plates) and includes a certificate of authenticity detailing the location the materials came from as well as some other details.

Head below for more details, pricing, a coupon code to save 15% and a free case of your choice…

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Groupon has the manufacturer refurbished Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 for only $219.99 shipped. That’s over half off the list price, $130 less than Amazon (new), and the lowest price we’ve seen.

The Galaxy 2 is Wi-Fi enabled with Android 4.3 (Jellybean) for access to Apps and sharing on the go. It has the ability to upload directly to social media sites and has a host of other smart features. It has a huge 4.8” touchscreen display, a 21x Optical Zoom,  and it can shoot 1080p HD video.

Amazon customers gave it 4.3 out of 5 stars and reviewed it favorably.

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Home automation possibilities are endless and what our homes will be like in the coming 5, 10 or 15 years is truly unknown. It is a constantly evolving sector of the technology scene that continues to grow each day with every new product announcement. From WeMo to SmartThings, Z-Wave to ZigBee, someone somewhere has something that will satisfy your home automation needs.

The reality is that we are in a time of great change, with internet-connected offerings in nearly every product category, even coffee makers. It’s an industrial revolution happening in your home and with that comes a lot of trial and naturally, error. So how does one choose?

There seems to be two options, one for the basic consumer, which includes your WeMo outlets, Philips Hue, etc. On the flip side you’ve got the open source crowd that wants to tinker and tweak and create their own system, and this is where littleBits comes in. While most of the aforementioned products have structured ecosystems and physical designs, with the ability to communicate via If This Then That (IFTTT) or the like, littleBits has gone to the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

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As industry “leaders” in connected play products, Sphero is a company that aims to create fun and intuitive smartphone/tablet connected devices. Initially starting with the Sphero, a small smartphone controlled robotic ball, the company is now ready to ship its latest gadget. The new black on black Darkside is an updated version of the cylindrical shaped remote control Ollie. It brings the same feature set as its predecessor but in a shiny new bundle.

Head below for details and pricing on the new Darkside Ollie as well as a discount on the Sphero 2.0 robotic ball:

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IK Multimedia has been providing musicians with software and recording gear for years now, with a number of affordable products available for Mac, iOS and PC. Its mobile interfaces and midi instruments allow iOS users to track and record musical ideas on the go, and today it is finally announcing its first step into the Android space…

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Amazon offers the Poweradd 50W 6-port USB Charger for $23.99 with free Prime shipping. Add $5 off coupon code VB9WOPM9 to drop the price to $18.99 shipped. The Poweradd offers a whopping 6 USB ports, 2 each at 2.4A, 2.1A and 1A to charge all of your USB devices optimally.

• Maximizes output power upto 50W / 10amps among 6 ports
• 100-240 volt input ideal for international travel and widely compatible with most 5V USB-charged devices like iPads, iPhones, Samsung tabs, smartphones, external batteries and so on.
• Ergonomic, compact and portable design, much more space-saving and well-organized while charging your devices.
• Fire-resistant and hardened plastic outer shell for durability, build-in premium circuitry and microchip ensure device safety.
• Package contents: Poweradd™ 6-port USB desktop charger, 5ft detachable power cord.

Don’t need 6 ports and 50Ws? Poweradd also offers a 25W 5 Port model with 2.1A max for $11.99 shipped. 

With the money you save you can pocket some Poweradd MFi certified Lightning cables  for $9.99 -$3 = $6.99 using code 5PJGUHLK 
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Kmart has the ZTE Whirl Android 4.3  smartphone (also at Best Buy) for $19.99 with free max shipping or pickup. That’s half off and the lowest price we’ve ever seen for an new Android phone. This one has a 3MP camera and front facing camera for video chatting, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0.

While not a high end phone by any stretch of the imagination, its $20 cost makes it a good backup, great kids “phone” or standalone GPS or other dedicated device.

More on the Whirl from ZTE
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Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States. 

Since we began writing Small States about two and half months ago, we’ve been afforded the opportunity to tell the story of many great companies in the United States. It has been an incredible journey of meeting people that are passionate about bringing old world craftsman skills back to a country that has found peace in buying things from overseas. We have met and profiled so many great proprietors of high-quality products, telling their story has been an honor for us.

Today, we highlight DODOcase, makers of beautiful goods that provide a home for your iPad, iPhone, laptops and more. With Small States, we’ve found an opportunity to highlight products that are manufactured within the United States, but with DODO it’s about so much more.

This San Francisco based company is not only manufacturing beautiful products, they are bringing back a way of life and skill that has quickly escaped our country over the last 50 years.
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There are a number of different ways to access your favorite piece of literature in 2014, via iBooks from Apple on your iPad or iPhone, Kindle, Nook or just visiting your local library.

Today, digital book service Scribd has announced that it has added more than 30,000 audiobooks to its library at no extra charge. Scribd already offers more than half a million books as a part of its service, which is available for $8.99/month. In addition to adding a number of popular titles with support for audio playback, Scribd has commissioned some of the most popular voices on earth to read these stories.

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This morning Epson announced it will begin shipping the smallest wireless mobile printer to date. The WorkForce WF-100, designed for mobile professionals, allows you to print nearly anything from almost anywhere.

Mobile devices are critical tools for professionals, and the sleek, portable, wireless WorkForce WF-100 augments the mobile experience, enabling users to stay productive on-the-go.

–Nils Madden, marketing director, Desktop Imaging and Printing, Epson America, Inc.

This battery powered, pint sized printer has support for Android, Kindle Fire, Google Cloud Print with Gmail or Google Drive account. So you can print from your Chromebook and Google Chrome without installing drivers or connecting cables.

The Epson WorkForce WF-100 will be priced at $349.99 and will be available online (starting in early November) and will be available in major retail stores in January 2015.

More from Epson and full press release follows:

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Last time we checked in with IDrive it was readying a new 100GB cloud storage plan for just $0.99. Now, IDrive is set to offer an unlimited mobile backup of up to five devices for $4.99/year, covering iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices.

Learn more, including how IDrive compares to the competition below:
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Bang & Olufsen – the creators of high-end audio and visual equipment – has announced that it is entering the portable Bluetooth speaker fight and its first effort certainly appears worthy of our attention.

From the looks of it, B&O has come out swinging.

During the same week that another top-of-the-line audio company released its own Bluetooth device, B&O’s lower brand BeoPlay is showing off its A2 for the first time. Built utilizing their strong background in audio, this speaker has a striking design that certainly has the look of a high-end audio device.

While it may not be as many “features” as some Bluetooth devices, certainly the name B&O will turn some heads in the audio world.

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While EA’s NHL series has dominated the console space for many years, its popular hockey sim titles don’t make it to mobile. That’s where 2K comes in. Just a week after debuting NBA 2K15 for smartphones and tablets, the well known publisher has now released a new NHL 2K title on the App Store and Google Play.

While somewhat better known for titles like BioShock, XCOM and Civilization on the mobile side, 2K also has a long history with sports titles like its popular NBA titles. NHL 2K comes with many of the usual features and modes you have come to expect from an NHL game, along with being designed for mobile from the ground up. Head below for more details, features and pricing:

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Moving a light switch in your home is never an easy proposition, and certainly something that most home owners would not want to tackle on their own. However, the Avi-on Switch is a new product entering the home automation sector that puts the power in consumer’s hands to place a light switch wherever needed.
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The official Acer store on eBay has the Acer Iconia (A1-830-1633) 7.9-Ih Tablet for only $89.99 shipped. That’s 50% off the list price, $66 less than Amazon (new), and the lowest we could find.

It comes with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (Upgradable to Android 4.4 Kit Kat) and has a Intel Dual-Core Atom Z2560 Processor (1.6 GHz, 1MB Cache). Also, it has 16GB Flash Memory and only weighs .83 pounds.

It recieved 4.3/5 stars from Amazon customers and excellent reviews. Here’s more info from Acer:
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The portable Bluetooth speaker market is very crowded, with nearly every audio company offering some iteration vying for your ears. Today, Bowers & Wilkins is introducing the latest offering to its line of high-quality music products, but this time its added a feature previously not utilized by the Worthing, England based company.

The new T7 model includes Bluetooth audio for the first time in a portable build that will most likely have many flocking to purchase B&W’s latest product. Check out the video below to see Bowers & Wilkins’ look at on-the-go audio.

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Released back in April, R.B.I. Baseball 14 for iOS is getting its first discount today. Regularly listed at $4.99, the fast paced, arcade style Baseball title is available for $1.99 today on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. You’ll also find the title 60% off on Android ($1.99) and 50% off as a digital download on Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 3/4.

Head below for more details and some gameplay footage of R.B.I. Baseball 14’s addictive, arcade-style action: 
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Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States. 

Need a bag? There are so many different styles and brands out there, you’ll find something. But it isn’t until you find that perfect match that you truly understand what you’ve been missing.

For me, this happened with Waterfield Designs’ Staad Laptop Backpack. I’ve long been searching for a bag that could meet all of my on-the-go needs. I’ve tried the Ogio Renegade, which can carry everything you need (and feels like it too). I’ve tried the traditional leather messenger bag, but that struggled to handle everything I threw at it. It wasn’t until I came across the Staad that I realized what I’ve been missing.

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Carl Zeiss has just recently announced the VR One virtual reality headset for use with iOS and Android smartphones. While it still feels like a bit of stretch to get people to put these things on their heads, the typically steep price point of early contenders does’t help. The VR One is a similar premise to what we are seeing from Samsung’s Gear VR headset, but at a seemingly much more affordable price tag.

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Update (10/11 7:40am): Amazon has the Anker 40W 5-Port Family-Sized Desktop USB Charger with PowerIQ (4.7 stars from nearly 5,000 reviewers) for $25.99. Coupon code 20DF7105 drops it down to $19.99 w/ free shipping for Prime members and any orders of $35+. Available in black or white. It’s our favorite charger.

Update (10/10 8:45am): Amazon has the Sabrent 50W five port USB desktop rapid charger for $25.99. Coupon code AXU5PB15 takes the final price to $15.99 Prime shipped. This is a savings of $14 off the regular price.

Amazon offers the Photive 25W five port USB desktop rapid charger for $19.95. Coupon code 8OFF25WA brings the final price down to $11.95 Prime shipped. That’s a savings of $9 off the regular price and the lowest price that we have ever seen this charger go for. Nearly 600 Amazon customers rate this accessory 4.8/5 stars. If you are not a Prime member, you can sign up for a free trial here.

The Photive desktop charger can charge up to five devices at the same time and features the following power ports:

• 2.1A (x2) for iPad and iPhone 6
• 1.3A for the Samsung Tab
• 1A (x2) for all iPhones, Android devices

Additionally, a 4.9 foot power cord is included while the charger itself is capable of accepting different voltages when traveling through the world.

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Amazon is offering the Moto G Boost Mobile Prepaid (No-Contract) Phone for only $59.99 shipped. That’s $70 off the list price and a tie with Best Buy as the lowest price we could find.

Even if you never buy minutes, this phone makes an excellent video/apps/web browser/camera/skype phone/MP3 player device with use of its Wifi. The Moto G has a 4.5-inch HD TFT display and a Quad-core 1.2GHz processor with 450MHz graphics processor. Also, it has a 5MP rear camera and a front facing camera as well.

With your savings, you could easily pick up a screen protector and a rugged case at Amazon.

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Last month Amazon began allowing all Android users to watch Prime Instant Video with the updated Amazon app. Through October 16th, anyone who watches their first movie or TV show on the app will receive 500 Amazon Coins ($5 value) for free. These coins can be used to purchase apps/games from the Amazon App Store for Android. Note: it’s not clear whether or not you must be a Prime member to take advantage of this promo, but it’s worth a shot either way.

Here’s how to get your free Amazon Coins:

• Download the Amazon app for Android phones
• Visit Prime Instant Video player from within the Amazon app by tapping the menu icon, and selecting Prime Instant Video from the menu
• Find what you’d like to watch, and tap Play – you’ll be prompted to make a one-time install of the Prime Instant Video player to enable playback
• Tap Open after installing the Prime Instant Video player and then tap Play
• You will receive your 500 Free Amazon Coins within 72 hours of streaming your movie or TV show from your Android phone

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