Twitpic forced to close down by Twitter

Tech News

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Twitpic will be shutting down September 25th. You will be able to export all your photos and videos. We’ll let everyone know when this feature is live in the next few days.

This is an unexpected and hard announcement for us to make and we want to lay out what led us to this decision.

A few weeks ago Twitter contacted our legal demanding that we abandon our trademark application or risk losing access to their API. This came as a shock to us since Twitpic has been around since early 2008, and our trademark application has been in the USPTO since 2009.

Here is some backstory on the history of our trademark:

We originally filed for our trademark in 2009 and our first use in commerce dates back to February 2008 when we launched. We encountered several hurdles and difficulties in getting our trademark approved even though our first use in commerce predated other applications, but we worked through each challenge and in fact had just recently finished the last one. During the “published for opposition” phase of the trademark is when Twitter reached out to our counsel and implied we could be denied access to their API if we did not give up our mark.

Unfortunately we do not have the resources to fend off a large company like Twitter to maintain our mark which we believe whole heartedly is rightfully ours. Therefore, we have decided to shut down Twitpic.

On a personal note I (@noaheverett) want to thank you for letting us be a part of your life and helping you share your experiences over the past 6 years, it’s truly been an honor. I have learned so much through running Twitpic over the years. Through the many mistakes I’ve made and lessons learned, to the bad days and the great days. Thank you again everyone…I will miss and cherish the days of Twitpic we had together.

Source – http://blog.twitpic.com/2014/09/twitpic-is-shutting-down/

Microsoft announces the Lumia 730, 735, 830, DT-903, HD-10 & Lumia Denim update

Tech News, Windows, ,

Microsoft Corp. announced the arrival of three new devices, the Lumia 830, Lumia 735 and Lumia 730 Dual SIM, alongside two new accessories, the Wireless Charging Plate DT-903 and the Microsoft Screen-Sharing for Lumia Phones HD-10, and the latest Lumia update – Lumia Denim.

The Lumia 830 – the affordable flagship with a 10-megapixel PureView camera to capture high-quality images and videos plus integrated wireless charging for around 330 euros, rolling out globally this month.

The Lumia 735 and 730 Dual SIM – these attractive polycarbonate devices come with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera great for selfies and Skype video calls. The Lumia 735 4G/LTE variant will be priced around 219 euros and the Lumia 730 Dual SIM variant will be priced around 199 euros, rolling out globally this month.

Wireless Charging Plate DT-903 – intelligent wireless charging with glowing alerts for notifications and low battery alerts.

Microsoft Screen-Sharing for Lumia Phones HD-10 – share any content easily with HDMI-enabled screens.

Lumia Denim – exclusive experiences for the Windows Phone 8 and 8.1 Lumia family as well as unique Lumia Camera innovations for the Lumia 930, Lumia Icon, Lumia 1520 and Lumia 830.

So did any of these new Windows Phone grab your attention.

Samsung Note 4 and Sony Xperia Z3 from a LG G3 users point of view

Android, Tech News

Samsung and Sony have both announced their new flagships, the Note 4 and Xperia Z3. I have read and watched videos on these new phones and wanted to give you my initial point of view on these phones. Obviously, my views could change once more information is established and/or the devices are launched in the stores.

Let’s take the Note 4 first. The Note 4 advantages over the LG G3 appear to be the adaptive screen which should in theory provide better sunlight visibility and lower brightness for night reading. Ultra Power Saving mode is really a life saver. I used it on the S5 several times when the battery was at 3%. The camera at 16mp and OIS could in theory take better photos. The S-Pen is superb with all its applications. Tons of accessories will be available. Fast charging is a bonus.

And now the disadvantages of the Note 4 over the LG G3. Price – the Note 4 will be £200 more expensive at launch than the G3. No Qi charging built in. You have to buy a special back cover that adds more bulk and likely to be very expensive. Menu buttons on the LG G3 are user customisable making one handed use easier. Talking of one handed use, the G3 is not as tall so will fit front shirt pockets better. The G3 has floating windows that can have the transparency adjusted. The Note 4 cannot do this. The infra red software on the LG G3 provides more options as standard. The G3 has a fm radio. The Note 4 does not.

So what about the Sony Z3. The screen is only 1080p versus the QHD of the LG G3. The Sony is waterproof and the G3 is not. But the G3 is more comfortable to hold. The cameras. I will with hold judgement until I have seen real life samples from the Z3 camera. The Z3 will offer PS 4 remote play. Apart from that the differences are minimal in real life.

At the moment, I cannot see any reason to change my 32gb LG G3 for any of the new android flagships. Maybe Apple can sway me on Tuesday, but I doubt that!

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Edge – the downsides versus the standard Note 4

Android, Tech News,

Samsung announced 2 new Note 4 smartphones, with the Edge being the advanced version.

But if I had 2 decide between the 2, I would pick the standard Note 4 even though both models are meant to have identical specs. And here’s why?

First up the Note Edge has a smaller battery. It doesn’t have the metal frame that comes with the standard Note 4, meaning it’s all plastic. Next, due to the side edge the power button has been moved to the top of the phone. This will be a nightmare to reach too.

And that’s the downsides to the Note 4 Edge.

Huawei Ascend Mate 7 – a gorgeous slab

Android, Tech News, ,

Huawei announced the Ascend Mate 7.

It really is a beautiful phablet. The specs are also impressive but the pricing is likely to be around the £450 to £550 mark dependant on whether you go for the 16gb or 32gb storage model.

– 6 inch screen 1080p in a 7.9mm thick device.
– 4,100 maH battery for longevity
– Huawei’s own 8 core processor
– Finger print scanner like the iPhone but better apparently
– 93% metal design. 187g. Screen to body ratio of 83%.
– 13mp rear camera for f/2.0 Sony 4th gen
– 5mp front camera
– Noise cancelling headphones that are charged when connected to the Mate 7
– Latest software skin from Huawei.

All in all one impressive looking phone. Just not sure of the pricing as it seems too much.

Gav & Dave’s Tech Podcast – podcast update

Amazon, Android, Apple, Reviews, RIM, Wearables, Windows,

The next episode of Gav & Dave’s Tech podcast is due out this Sunday.

However, due to the Apple Keynote speech a few days later on the Tuesday, Dave and I have decided to postpone the podcast for a week.

This means we will have all the latest gossip on all the new hotness that has been announced in the last few weeks. And there is a lot of new stuff to cover.

Samsung goes the extra mile with customer service !

Android, Tech News

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I would like to thank Samsung for their personal caring customer service.

DPD delivered a package from Samsung today. It was labelled with the personal touch. Instead of using my name as that would be rude, they called me Samsung Customer followed by my address.

So I opened the package a moment ago. Inside was a Samsung Galaxy K Zoom case. This is the rare Pop Case in Blue for the K Zoom. It was meant to have arrived 11 weeks ago.

But Samsung have great service standards and as we all know 11 weeks is fantastic speed. Makes you wonder why they used DPD. Surely a helicopter drop would have been cheaper and faster.

As a side note I did receive an email 11 weeks ago apologising for the delay with the case. And that it would be with me next week. 1 week equals 11 weeks in Samsung’s World of customer service.

PS. I feel sorry for the low paid worker who spent 11 weeks molding this case. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Edge specifications plus video – Have Samsung done enough?

Android, Tech News, ,

First lets cover off the specs of both devices –

Note 4 –
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-Size: 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 millimeters
-Weight: 176 grams
-5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels
-Either a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor or a Exynos 1.9GHz octa-core processor
-A 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and 8x digital zoom, A 3.7–megapixel front-facing camera
-3GB of RAM – 32GB of internal storage, with a micro SD slot that allows for up to 128GB extra
-LTE Cat 6
-WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth v. 4.1
-3,220mAh battery Android 4.4 KitKat

And now the specs for the Galaxy Note Edge:-
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– Size: 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 millimeters
– Weight: 174 grams
– 5.6-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels
– A 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and 8x digital zoom
-A 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera
-3GB of RAM
-32GB or 64GB of internal storage, with a micro SD slot that allows for up to 128GB
– LTE Cat 6
– WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth v. 4.1
– 3,000mAh battery
– Android 4.4 KitKat

So there you have it, Samsung have 2 new phablets. No idea when the release date for these will be in the UK at the moment either. The Edge has a slightly smaller display and battery. Otherwise the specs are the same.

The big question, is the new Note 4 enough of an upgrade over the Note 3 and is the Note 4 strong enough to take on the rumoured Apple iPhone phablet?

In terms of an upgrade from the Note 3, it is worthy. It has the faster chipset, GPU, better camera with OIS and improved screen to 2K. But if I had the Note 3, I would think twice about upgrading now to the Note 4. The Edge designed Note is innovated. Just need to make sure apps don’t get confused on the screen and it is a shame the battery is lower for such a big device.

Until Apple and others reveal their plans, we won’t know if the Note 4 is a success. What’s your views?

Source – bgr.com/engadget.com

Amazon Fire TV now on sale in the UK – pre order that is!

Amazon, Tech News

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“Amazon Fire TV is a tiny box you connect to your HDTV. It’s an easy way to enjoy Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, low-cost movie rentals, music and much more. Massive selection—Thousands of TV episodes and movies, millions of songs and over a hundred games.

Voice search that actually works—Simply say the name of what you want to watch and start enjoying in seconds. Tiny box, huge specs—Fast quad-core processor, 2 GB of memory, dedicated GPU, plus support for up to 1080p HD video and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.

Easy to set up and use—Pre-registered to your Amazon account so you can enjoy favourite titles and personalised recommendations. Instant streaming—Exclusive new feature ASAP predicts what movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you hit play.

Great for gaming, too—Play blockbuster titles like Minecraft-Pocket Edition, The Walking Dead and Monsters University, plus free games and Amazon exclusives. Paid games start from just £0.59.”

Now the catch is its reduced until Monday from £79 to £49 for Prime Members. This is very strategic as it is the day before Apple holds a keynote speech which might have revealed an updated Apple TV box.

Whatever the timing, will you be getting one. More info at http://www.amazon.co.uk