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Gadget and Techno Updates
Amazon promo gives free Appstore credit with Verizon phones
Apr 24th
Amazon is hoping to spur demand for its Appstore portal through a unique tie-in with its own cellphone store, the online retailer said on Sunday. A promo starting Monday will give those buying Android-based Verizon phones a $ 25 credit towards Appstore downloads. The week-long promo is evidence of how tightly Amazon can work with carriers, the store’s wireless head David Camp told AllThingsD.
Agreements like these aren’t common, even for companies like Apple that both sell the phone and manage the app store, and suggest Amazon is hoping to kickstart downloads on its alternative to Android Market. Amazon hasn’t More >
Verizon Wireless Charging Pad hitting stores
Apr 24th
The Verizon Wireless Charging Pad for Android devices has begun hitting the shelves in Verizon stores for $ 70. It is designed for devices such as the HTC Thunderbolt, LG Revolution and HTC Droid Incredible 2 that have all been recently confirmed as supporting wireless charging. In order for the charging pad to work, the devices must be retrofitted with the optional wireless charging battery door.
For most customers, the cost of going to a wireless charging system for their phones will cost at least $ 100 when the cost of the inductive battery door is factored in to the More >
iPhone prototype emerges with T-Mobile 3G [U]
Apr 24th
(Update: photos and A5 chip) A leak Saturday night has shown what’s purported to be an iPhone 4-based prototype with native 3G on T-Mobile USA’s bands. Identified internally as the N94 versus AT&T’s N90 and Verizon’s N92, the phone is virtually the same save for the frequency change. BGR noted that the proximity sensor cover appeared to be the old design from when the white iPhone was first shown rather than the new look that will show in the shipping white model due next week.
Evidence in the device’s firmware might support it being a legitimate experimental model. Visible apps preloaded on More >
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 leaks, takes second stab at MacBook Air
Apr 23rd
Lenovo’s decision to back out on the ThinkPad X301 may have just been a temporary measure as a pair of Swiss stores have prematurely shown a sequel built more consciously to take on the new MacBook Air. Billed as the ThinkPad X1, it would switch to a 160GB solid-state state drive to slim down to about 0.85 inches at its thickest point. The system would try to bring over Lenovo’s reputation for strong designs by making its 13.3-inch display cover out of jab- and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass.
Performance would also be an emphasis and would manage to fit a full-power, More >
PlayStation Network turned off after successful hack
Apr 23rd
Sony in an update on its days-long PlayStation Network outage said it had turned the network off deliberately to deal with a successful hack against its system. An “external intrusion” compromised both PSN and the Qriocity media services and pushed Sony to take them offline to conduct a investigation of what went wrong. The company also wanted to make sure the service was “smooth and secure” once it went back online, it said.
No estimate was given for when PSN would go back online.
It’s not believed so far that the newer hack is a repeat of Anonymous’ protest hacks. Sony More >