Sprint launches Sprint Prepaid with a new line-up of rates

Even though Sprint owns well known prepaid brands Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA, the nation’s third largest carrier has launched a self-branded prepaid option called Sprint Prepaid.  Sprint Prepaid is obviously aimed at those that prefer to pay for service upfront, do not like contracts, and desire to contain costs.

With the new brand comes some new rate plans. Sprint Prepaid currently supports four devices, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini ($349.99), Samsung Galaxy S3 ($299.99), the Motorola Moto G ($99.99), and the Apple iPhone 4S ($199.99, pre-owned). For the gadget geek, these will not be very appealing options, but for anyone else, these price points coupled with Sprint Prepaid’s rates will be interested.

There are two choices for smartphone rate plans with Sprint Prepaid. The

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Xiaomi launches MIUI for tablets, new Nexus 7 gets first dibs

While Xiaomi has yet to launch its very own tablet (the Eden Tab doesn't count), you can now get a first taste of its tablet-friendly MIUI Android ROM, which is available as an open beta for the 2013 edition Nexus 7. According to the company, this isn't merely a scaled up version of MIUI V5, as it has a "brand new architecture" with content -- including native apps, system menus and new screen animations -- optimized for both screen orientations. Interestingly, CEO Lei Jun added that tablet vendors can get in touch if they want to ship their devices with MIUI preloaded, which would be a first for non-Xiaomi hardware. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean Lei's not making his own tablets in the near future; but as of now, there are no reliable rumors of such plan.

If you have a new Nexus 7 lying around and don't mind giving MIUI a go, then head over to MIUI's website to grab the 278MB download.

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Via: Lei Jun (Sina Weibo) (1), (2)

Source: MIUI

Tags: android, asus, china, miui, nexus7, Nexus72013, pad, rom, tablet, xiaomi Next: Samsung Galaxy Beam successor spotted in China (updated)
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Panasonic still launches Android smartphones: meet the dual SIM P31

Last year, Panasonic stated that it would depart the consumer smartphone business. However, the Japanese company is still releasing handsets for regular users. The latest Panasonic smartphone is the P31, a large device with dual SIM capabilities. 
Running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the Panasonic P31 sports a 5-inch display with 480 x 854 pixels, so it’s obvious that it’s not targeted at users who are looking for advanced features. The handset is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6582M processor clocked at 1.3GHz. It further comes with an 8MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, MicroSD card support (up to 32GB), and a 2,000 mAh battery (there’s an Ultimate Saver feature that helps you save battery life). Connectivity-wise, the P31 offers HSPA

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HP quietly launches an 8-inch Android tablet for $170

Hewlett Packard is trying to pull off a flanking maneuver on the Android market, through low-profile launches of low-cost devices. We recently came across the company's VoiceTab phablets during a side-show at Mobile World Congress, and now we're looking at a more traditional 7.85-inch tablet called the HP 8. In return for $170, you'll get a plain-looking device that, aesthetically, has more in common with last year's Slate 7 than with the faux-metal VoiceTabs. However, since we're making comparisons, we should also point out that the HP 8 has a worse display than both the Slate 7 and Dell's rival Venue 8, with fewer pixels (1,024 x 768) spread out over a larger area. The software and internals seem functional enough, though: Android 4.2.2 running on a quad-core ARM chip made by the Chinese company Allwinner, with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, stereo speakers, and a just-about-okay 3,800mAh battery that promises up to seven hours of use.

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Via: PhoneArena

Source: HP

Tags: allwinner, android, budget, hp, hp8, mobilepostcross, tablet Next: Judge rules that flying commercial drones is legal, for now (update: FAA appeals decision)
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Spokefly Launches Peer-To-Peer Subscription Bike Rentals Just In Time For SXSW

If you’ve ever tried to get around Austin during SXSW, you already know that cabs are impossible to find, pedicabs are plentiful but slow, and Uber — while here during the festival — is a bit fickle. One of the best ways to navigate the city and avoid the hassle of traffic is biking, but rentals can also be difficult to come by due to limited supply.

Enter Spokefly, an Austin-based startup that is hoping to make it easier for users to find (and rent) bikes in the city. It operates on a peer-to-peer basis, allowing folks with bikes to make them available for use by others on a short-term basis. And unlike other services, which typically work on a per-use model, Spokefly operates as a monthly subscription.

Through Spokefly’s website or mobile apps (available on iOS and Android) users can sign up, choose a monthly subscription, and start looking through the service’s inventory of available bikes. You pick one out nearby, reserve up to 30 minutes in advance, Spokefly gives you a code you use to unlock the bike, and you’re on your way. When you’re done, lock the bike up and it becomes available for rent by someone else.

Subscriptions start at $14.99 a month for five rides a month with a limit of two hours per ride. Or you can pay $29.99 a month for unlimited rides, with a five-hour time limit for each. Or, if you’re a power user, you can pay $79.99 to ride as much as you want anywhere, and you get access to nicer road and mountain bikes. (Although one could argue that if you’re THAT into biking maybe you should just, um, buy a bike.)

For SXSW, Spokefly has introduced a seven-day subscription, which is aimed at Austin visitors looking for a way to get around. It’s $59.99 for the week and includes unlimited rides with a two-hour time limit. During the conference, SXSW passes are restricted to the downtown and UT campus area, which also includes South Congress, South Lamar, Barton Springs, and East Austin.

Spokefly has a few things going for it: for one thing, it’s not dependent on carrying its own inventory since its users sign up and make their bikes available to others. And the subscription model sure takes advantage of a larger trend that moves to access from ownership.

But really, it’s just nice to be able to get around Austin without being caught in traffic downtown.

Photo Credit: sheggy via Compfight cc

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Media Temple Launches Managed WordPress Hosting Service

Love it or hate it, but there’s no denying that WordPress continues to be the de facto solution for building content-driven websites. Besides WordPress.com, a number of dedicated WordPress hosting solutions like WP Engine have cropped up over the years, and today, Media Temple is joining the fray by launching its own.

The company is pricing its hosting solution at a very competitive $29/month for up to three WordPress installs. Additional WP instances will cost $9 per month. There are no bandwidth limits at this rate and users should be able to handle millions of pageviews per month at this price.

Dante Baker, Media Temple’s product manager for this project, tells me that the managed WordPress hosting will offer a one-click setup for developers and designers who don’t want to have to deal with setting up servers and dealing with performance and scaling issues. Just like similar services, it will offer automated updates and one-click backups. 

One feature he is especially proud of is that Media Temple’s solution offers a staging environment for testing new sites and sharing it with clients. Making the site go live is as easy as clicking the aptly named “go live” button.

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Dattch, The Dating App For Gay Women, Launches in San Francisco

Aimed exclusively at lesbians, bisexual and/or bi-curious women, the Dattch dating app ought to be a shoe-in for the large San Francisco market. So it’s no surprise that the startup – after raising money and honing its product in London – has now launched into the California city. You can download it for iOS here.

The product emphasises photos — not just profile photos but photos of where someone lives, what they wear, what they like etc — and thus draws comparisons with Pinterest in user interface.

Unlike Grindr, Dattch does not emphasise proximity-based social networking, allowing users to pick the distance they want to see people within, allied with age range.

It incorporates Facebook Connect and makes a point of weeding out fake profiles created by straight men fishing for willing partners.

CEO and co-founder Robyn Exton has repeatedly said the gay female dating scene is badly served, and – given the success of Tinder and the like – an app experience now makes a lot of sense.

She thinks re-hashing a gay male platform for women (such as Bender to Brenda Or GaydarGirls) just doesn’t work. Exton ought to know what she’s talking about – as she’d already built a straight dating product prior to Dattch.

Dattch targeted London and other UK cities initially, but it opting for a geofenced city-by-city rollout in the US. Australia is also on its roadmap.

The mostly female team was one of 17 startups in the Wayra London incubator, and has also closed a small $160,000 Angel round, alongside Wayra’s

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With $500K In The Bank, Credible Launches A Kayak-Style Marketplace To Simplify Student Loan Refinancing

With outstanding student debt now over $1 trillion in the U.S., it’s clear that college grads are struggling mightily to make payments and refinance their debt. Meanwhile, thanks to decades of plummeting borrowing costs, millions upon millions of consumers have been able to refinance mortgages and begin paying down debt.

In some irrational alternate universe, one might expect that lenders would be lining up to take advantage of soaring student loan debt by offering more favorable terms than competitors. Nope, because that’s “crazy.” Even when students happen to find a decent job out of college, make payments on time and improve their credit scores, they remain locked into absurdly high fixed rates.

The majority of the big players in the private loan market appear more than happy to maintain the status quo, and wave off refinancing as a threat to the bottom line. Enter: Credible, a San Francisco-based startup launching today that aims to help graduates extricate themselves from high fixed rates, and make it easy to switch lenders and save on their loan payments.

Taking home the “Best 2.0 Company” Award at this week’s Launch Festival, Credible co-founder Stephen Dash said that, while racked with debt, the truth is that today many students could save a significant amount of money on their loan payments by switching lenders. Yet, the majority of them don’t because they don’t know how, or because the process of switching is so complicated and time-consuming.

So, Credible has developed a platform that makes it easy for students to find out whether or not they’re eligible for lower interest rates and could benefit from switching lenders. The startup’s loan comparison tools enable students to understand their loan profile relative to their peers and get an indication of what similar borrowers are paying for private loans.

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App.net Launches Backer, A Bitcoin-Friendly Crowdfunding Engine For Individual Software Features

As the popularity of crowdfunding grows ever larger, an interesting new trend has started popping up: developers, curious if a new feature is worth adding to their products, are asking interested customers to chip in to cover the costs of development. In other words: if you really want a feature, put your money where your mouth is.

Balanced, a payment service, recently used crowdfunding to support adding a new money sending feature. App.net, a subscription-based/ad-free Twitter alternative which as a whole was born out of a $803,000 crowdfunding campaign, is currently using it to determine if they’ll accept Bitcoin payments on their site.

This morning, App.net announced that they’re opening up the engine they built for their Bitcoin campaign, allowing other companies to use the platform to raise money for individual features. They’re calling the new platform Backer.

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World's First Commercially Available Self-Driving Car Launches

717SharesShareTweetShareWhat's This?By Samantha Murphy Kelly2014-01-07 01:00:05 UTC

LAS VEGAS — Companies like Google have been toying with the concept of self-driving cars for years, but France-based robotics company Induct announced on Monday that its intelligent, electric and driverless vehicle is now available in the U.S.

The Navia shuttle — which can carry up to eight passengers — launched on Monday at the 2014 International CES show in Las Vegas, making it the world's first commercially available self-driving vehicle.

SEE ALSO: Panasonic Unveils Facial-Recognition TVs

The car will most likely be used at public places such as airports, college campuses, theme parks or sports arenas to eliminate pollution and congestion, rather than for home use. Navia costs about $250,000, which is about 40% less than the cost for operating a similar shuttle with a driver.

"Navia is different than other driverless vehicles out there because it is intelligent, self sufficient and environmentally friendly," a company rep told Mashable. "Users can summon Navia from their smartphones like an Uber for driverless cars or call it up from their desktop."

After boarding the shuttle, passengers use a touchscreen to select where they want to go. The shuttle also doesn't need a special infrastructure such as rails or a designated path, so it can travel anywhere.

The vehicle, which doesn't go faster than 12.5 mph, uses onboard lasers and sensors to detect obstacles in its path, so it doesn't rely on GPS to get from one point to another. The vehicle also uses different camera viewpoints to allow depth mapping and 3D perception to make sure it steers clear of pedestrians and other roadside objects.

"Navia can operate in any environment, with the necessary authorizations from local city, state and national authorities," the spokesperson said. "We’ve already worked with several beta testers to enable the use of Navia at their locations with little issue."

It's currently deployed in beta version at a technical college in Switzerland (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and a high-security industry park run by the United Kingdom Atomic energy Authority.

For information about how to purchase the Navia shuttle, contact the company here.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

CES 2014Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle

Unveiled today at CES, Toyota debuted it's latest Fuel Cell Vehicle concept car. Fuel cell vehicles combine pure hydrogen with air to create water, a reaction that also produces electricity. The fuel cell channels the electricity to a drive motor, powering the car.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSamsung Curved Televisions

Samsung's U9000 UHD TVs feature a wider field of view and a balanced and uniform viewing distance across all areas of the screen. The company claims that a curved TV offers up to two times the enhanced contrast ratio of a flat TV in a normal viewing environment.

EyeLock Myris

The Eyelock Myris takes biometric security to the next level. Plug this device into your device's USB port, and it will scan your eye to grant access.

Image: Mashable, Kenny SuleimanagichLG G Flex

LG G Flex, the first curved phone with a "flexible" display, is moving out of the lab and into U.S. markets in the first quarter of 2014.

Image: Mashable, Will FenstermakerPanasonic Facial-Recognition TV

Panasonic has dropped the production of plasma TVs, instead focus efforts on increased levels of interaction. The Life+ will come in both 4K and 1080p, but the real feature of note is facial recognition.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenPebble Steel Debut

For CES 2014, Pebble is showing off its new Pebble 2.0 software, the Pebble app store and Pebble Steel, its premium smart watch. Like the original Pebble, the Pebble Steel is waterproof and has a battery life of 5 to 7 days. The e-paper display is the same, too — only now it's covered with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Image: PebbleThinkPad 8

The Lenovo ThinkPad 8 is sized to compete with the iPad Mini, but the comparison is only skin deep. Lance Ulanoff wonders if Windows 8.1 can compete with Android and iOS.

Image: MashableSharp's New Aquos Quattron+ TVs

Sharp's Aquos Quattron technology is capable of creating a picture that comes close to 4K, but from a 1080p set. The new TV's start at a decent price point – the SQ Q+ TVs start a $2,299.99 and the UQ models start at $2,999.99.

Image: MashablePhilips PicoPix PPX3610

Philips' new PicoPix PPX3610

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniSchwinn CycleNav Smart Bike Navigator

Schwinn unveiled the CycleNav Smart Bike Navigator. Schwinn CycleNav is a free mobile application paired with a handlebar-mounted smart-bike navigation unit designed to give riders turn-by-turn audio and visual navigation from their handlebars.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSOL Republic Relays

The SOL Republic Relays are designed to fill two niches: everyday wear and fitness wear. Mashable reporter Pete Pachal says they're some of the most comfortable he's worn.

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniToshiba Chromebook

Toshiba joins the list of Chromebook manufacturers with a 13.3-inch netbook. While it isn't the largest-resolution Chromebook on the market, Toshiba's Chromebook has an impressive $279 price tag.

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniSkulpt Aim

The Skulpt Aim, smaller than an iPhone, collects data when pressed against your muscles. Use it to track body-fat or set and share goals.

Image: SkulptJune bracelet

This smart bracelet, from Neatatmo, measures sun exposure and connects to iOS devices to let users know if they've had too much (or too little) sun.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenTao exercise device

The Tao coaches you through 50 exercises related to isometrics — the science of applying pressure, which is the basis of many popular workouts such as pilates and plank exercising — and adds a gaming element.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenWithings Aura Sleep System

Withings sleep system works with a pressure-sensitive pad and a light system that measures the appropriate time to wake you and the appropriate hues for falling asleep and waking up.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSphero 2B

At CES Unveiled, Sphero introduced the 2B model, the second model of the popular Orbotix toy.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenKolibree Smart Toothbrush

Kolibree introduced a smart toothbrush that monitors user's brushing habits and let's them keep track of their routines on an app.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenDrones, everywhere

Any CES wouldn't be complete without a fleet of drones. Parrot introduced a minidrone model at CES Unveiled.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenChevy Brings 4G LTE to Cars

Chevrolet announced it is bringing 4G LTE to its OnStar infotainment system.

The 2015 Corvette Stingray has a performance data recorder which allows drivers to record hi-definition video and share with friends.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Image: Induct

Topics:car tech, CES, Gadgets, Mobile, Robot, Tech, U.S., WorldLoad CommentsPowered by LivefyreWhat's HotMore in TechThe New StuffThe Next Big ThingWhat's HotThe New StuffThe Next Big ThingWhat's HotAbout UsJobsAdvertiseSubscribePrivacyTermsMashableis the largest independent online news site dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology. With more than 20 million unique monthly visitors, Mashable has one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.©2005-2014Mashable, Inc.Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved.Designed in collaboration with Code & Theory

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Sony Launches 'World's Lightest' Mirrorless Wi-Fi Camera

389SharesShareTweetShareWhat's This?By Pete Pachal2014-01-07 01:00:41 UTC

LAS VEGAS — Sony is launching a new, ultra-lightweight Wi-Fi-connected within its Alpha line of compact mirrorless cameras, the α5000.

Sony claims the α5000 is the lightest Wi-Fi mirrorless camera you can buy, with a body that weighs just 8 ounces. It has a 20.1-megapixel APS-C sensor, as well as Sony's BIONZ image-processing tech, which the company says can reduce noise in low-light photos. ISO goes up to 16,000.

See also: Which DSLR Camera Is Right for You?

With built-in Wi-Fi, the α5000 can pair with a smartphone (via NFC if you've got it), letting the user control the camera via the accompanying app. You can also transfer pics to your device for quick Instagramming of choice shots.

Sony actually offers 11 different PlayMemories apps that work with the camera's various functions. A Time Lapse app will automatically adjust exposure for time-lapse montages, and Sync to Smartphone automatically transfers shots to a smartphone or tablet that you've set up to accept them.

The camera's tiltable LCD screen flips upward up to 180 degrees for those hard-to-get shots, and of course, it is compatible with Sony's complete line of NEX ... er, Alpha mirrorless lenses.

The α5000 will be available in March for $600 as a kit with a 16-50 mm motorized zoom lens.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

CES 2014Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle

Unveiled today at CES, Toyota debuted it's latest Fuel Cell Vehicle concept car. Fuel cell vehicles combine pure hydrogen with air to create water, a reaction that also produces electricity. The fuel cell channels the electricity to a drive motor, powering the car.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSamsung Curved Televisions

Samsung's U9000 UHD TVs feature a wider field of view and a balanced and uniform viewing distance across all areas of the screen. The company claims that a curved TV offers up to two times the enhanced contrast ratio of a flat TV in a normal viewing environment.

EyeLock Myris

The Eyelock Myris takes biometric security to the next level. Plug this device into your device's USB port, and it will scan your eye to grant access.

Image: Mashable, Kenny SuleimanagichLG G Flex

LG G Flex, the first curved phone with a "flexible" display, is moving out of the lab and into U.S. markets in the first quarter of 2014.

Image: Mashable, Will FenstermakerPanasonic Facial-Recognition TV

Panasonic has dropped the production of plasma TVs, instead focus efforts on increased levels of interaction. The Life+ will come in both 4K and 1080p, but the real feature of note is facial recognition.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenPebble Steel Debut

For CES 2014, Pebble is showing off its new Pebble 2.0 software, the Pebble app store and Pebble Steel, its premium smart watch. Like the original Pebble, the Pebble Steel is waterproof and has a battery life of 5 to 7 days. The e-paper display is the same, too — only now it's covered with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Image: PebbleThinkPad 8

The Lenovo ThinkPad 8 is sized to compete with the iPad Mini, but the comparison is only skin deep. Lance Ulanoff wonders if Windows 8.1 can compete with Android and iOS.

Image: MashableSharp's New Aquos Quattron+ TVs

Sharp's Aquos Quattron technology is capable of creating a picture that comes close to 4K, but from a 1080p set. The new TV's start at a decent price point – the SQ Q+ TVs start a $2,299.99 and the UQ models start at $2,999.99.

Image: MashablePhilips PicoPix PPX3610

Philips' new PicoPix PPX3610

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniSchwinn CycleNav Smart Bike Navigator

Schwinn unveiled the CycleNav Smart Bike Navigator. Schwinn CycleNav is a free mobile application paired with a handlebar-mounted smart-bike navigation unit designed to give riders turn-by-turn audio and visual navigation from their handlebars.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSOL Republic Relays

The SOL Republic Relays are designed to fill two niches: everyday wear and fitness wear. Mashable reporter Pete Pachal says they're some of the most comfortable he's worn.

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniToshiba Chromebook

Toshiba joins the list of Chromebook manufacturers with a 13.3-inch netbook. While it isn't the largest-resolution Chromebook on the market, Toshiba's Chromebook has an impressive $279 price tag.

Image: Mashable, Christina AscaniSkulpt Aim

The Skulpt Aim, smaller than an iPhone, collects data when pressed against your muscles. Use it to track body-fat or set and share goals.

Image: SkulptJune bracelet

This smart bracelet, from Neatatmo, measures sun exposure and connects to iOS devices to let users know if they've had too much (or too little) sun.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenTao exercise device

The Tao coaches you through 50 exercises related to isometrics — the science of applying pressure, which is the basis of many popular workouts such as pilates and plank exercising — and adds a gaming element.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenWithings Aura Sleep System

Withings sleep system works with a pressure-sensitive pad and a light system that measures the appropriate time to wake you and the appropriate hues for falling asleep and waking up.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenSphero 2B

At CES Unveiled, Sphero introduced the 2B model, the second model of the popular Orbotix toy.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenKolibree Smart Toothbrush

Kolibree introduced a smart toothbrush that monitors user's brushing habits and let's them keep track of their routines on an app.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenDrones, everywhere

Any CES wouldn't be complete without a fleet of drones. Parrot introduced a minidrone model at CES Unveiled.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenChevy Brings 4G LTE to Cars

Chevrolet announced it is bringing 4G LTE to its OnStar infotainment system.

The 2015 Corvette Stingray has a performance data recorder which allows drivers to record hi-definition video and share with friends.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-HansenTopics:alpha, CES, Gadgets, mirrorless cameras, NEX, sony, TechLoad CommentsPowered by LivefyreWhat's HotMore in TechThe New StuffThe Next Big ThingWhat's HotThe New StuffThe Next Big ThingWhat's HotAbout UsJobsAdvertiseSubscribePrivacyTermsMashableis the largest independent online news site dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology. With more than 20 million unique monthly visitors, Mashable has one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.©2005-2014Mashable, Inc.Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved.Designed in collaboration with Code & Theory

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Code Discovery Service Runnable Adds C/C++ And Java Support, Launches Company Channels

Runnable, the “YouTube of Code” which launched exactly three months ago, today announced support for a number of new languages, as well as extended support for companies and open source projects that want to highlight their SDKs and APIs on the site.

The service, which allows developers to quickly find and try code snippets with the help of an online code editor, decided to add C/C

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Sony launches dedicated Xperia Z Ultra cases for QX lens cameras

Though Sony's crazy QX10 and QX100 lens cameras can attach to most smartphones, the company naturally favored its own Xperia Z and Z1 handsets by creating custom cases for those devices. Now it's doing the same for its crazy-large 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra, according to our sister Engadget Chinese site. A new attachment cover in black or white will fix either camera to its latest phablet for HK$238 (about $30) on top of the price of the QX10 ($249) and QX100 ($499). If you'll recall, that'll boost your smartphone's shooter to either an 18.2- or 20.2-megapixel monster, respectively, with the latter boasting the same sensor as the formidable Sony RX100 Mark II. It'll arrive next month in Hong Kong, and while Sony hasn't divulged availability elsewhere, we can picture it hitting the US soon as well.

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Source: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Tags: camera, lenscamera, QX10, QX100, sony, XperiaZUltra Next: 10 tech non-profits worth donating to before 2014
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Messaging App Line Launches C2C Marketplace Line Mall In Japan

Messaging app Line began the limited rollout of its new C2C e-commerce platform Line Mall today. The app, which is now available for download in Japan’s Google Play store, is a sign that the service is doubling down on its efforts to increase engagement among users as it competes with WeChat, WhatsApp and other popular messaging apps. Line Mall will officially launch next spring with an iPhone app and more features.

Line Mall lets vendors sell products without listing fees, though it does take a 10% cut of the final price for items that sell. Each seller also receives one point (worth 1 yen or about 1 cent USD) that can be redeemed for discounts after each successful transaction. Sellers and buyers authenticate their accounts and connect payment info with their Line account, but they can also set up a separate Line Mall ID.

Line’s other e-commerce ventures have included flash sales in Thailand via official brand accounts on its messaging app, which monetizes through sticker sales, games and branded merchandise.

The app, which was launched in 2011 by Japan’s Naver, announced in November that it had hit 300 million registered users worldwide and is targeting a 500 million registered user milestone next year. It is important to note, however, that those numbers reflect people who have signed up for the service, not monthly active users.

Despite its push to expand globally (key markets include East Asia and Spanish-speaking regions like Spain, Mexico and Latin America), Line has so far only reported MAU for Japan, so it’s hard to tell how engaged users are in other countries.

Key rivals WhatsApp and WeChat, on the other hand, both report monthly active user counts–WhatsApp has more than 350 million MAUs, while WeChat has about 272 million.

As competition for international users heats up among messaging apps, launching other ventures like Line Mall can help increase user engagement. But Line faces several C2C mobile commerce rivals, including Carousell, a Singapore-based app that Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten recently invested in, and Yahoo! Japan auctions, which has its own Android and iOS apps.

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Flipboard launches direct sharing on iOS, makes magazines from your friends' suggestions

If you've ever stumbled across a Flipboard article that you just had to share with the world, you'll want to grab the iOS app's latest update. The new version lets you share articles directly from the app, delivering notifications to friends if they're already Flipboard readers. All shared articles now show up in a central area, and you can turn this list into a magazine if your friends have impeccable taste. Flipboard hasn't said when Android and Windows users will get to spread the literary wealth, but we'd expect a corresponding app upgrade before long.

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Via: Inside Flipboard

Source: App Store

Tags: app, flipboard, ios, ipad, iphone, mobilepostcross, reading, smartphone, tablet, video Next: Dish and Sprint to trial fixed LTE broadband in Texas
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LG launches GX smartphone in Korea with 5.5-inch display, Snapdragon 600

Expecting a lazy Sunday night? You aren't thinking globally: it's midday in Korea, and LG's announcing a new large-screened smartphone. The LG GX features a wide 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, a quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU, a 13 megapixel camera, 32GB of onboard storage and a 3,140 mAh battery. Don't be too surprised if that sounds familiar -- it matches the LG Optimus G Pro blow for blow, distinguishing itself primarily by design, locality and few updated user interface features. Namely, the GX has adopted the G2's "knock on" feature, which allows users to double tap phone's screen to rouse it from sleep, and it can also integrate with LG smart TVs to display call and text information while you're watching the game. Naturally, the LTE-toting slab is only available in Korea for now, but if you're looking for an eyeful, check out LG's Flickr gallery at the source link below.

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Source: LG (1), (2)

Tags: lg, LG GX, mobilepostcross, smartphone Next: DataWind's 7-inch UbiSlate tablet heads to UK, starts at

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Notion Ink launches oddball tablet with edge-mounted ticker display

For every successful gadget, there's countless devices that will slip away from your memory mere months after they've launched. Most will wind up rotting on the shelves next to Justin Guarini's albums, but that doesn't mean a comeback is out of the question. That's Notion Ink's plan, as it launches a follow-up to the quirky-yet-flawed Adam tablet that we reviewed two years ago. This new unit, the Adam II, comes with an eye-catching 100 x 5 monochrome ticker-tape display that offers up notifications along the device's spine. Rounding out the spec sheet is a 1.5GHz dual-core Cortex A9, a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 800 IPS LCD, 8GB storage, 1GB RAM and Android 4.2.2. If that combination of stats is making you reach for your wallet, we've got some bad news for you. So far, the company has only made the Adam II available in India, where it'll set the locals back Rs 16,499 for the WiFi-only version and 18,999 for the 3G one.

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Hub Launches To Become The All-In-One Calendar And To-Do App For Your Family

Organization within families — or even within teams — has never been easy. Different people use different calendars and tools for to-do lists, which means that it’s tough to stay on the same page. Well there’s a new app called Hub that is designed to allow family members to share calendars and lists with one another.

Hub was created by the same team behind SimplyUs, one of the many couples apps that popped up during the spring and early summer of last year. But in building that app, the team realized that couples apps weren’t really sufficient for all the people involved in family decisions.

While sharing calendars and lists definitely helped facilitate communications between couples, there were other members of the family who were left out.

For instance, grandparents who take care of kids might want to share schedules with the parents. And children who are old enough, like teenagers for instance, could have their chores assigned via the app direct to their own smartphone. And there’s also the ability to add babysitters, daycare providers, and other service providers to facilitate scheduling.

With that in mind, the team built the new app to enable easier calendar and list sharing. It’s especially good for wrangling calendars from various different services and making them accessible to each other. That’s because it supports any calendar your phone does, including Google Calendar, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, and Exchange.

Users can also create multiple hubs with different participants. So there can be like a kid’s chore hub, a babysitter hub, a romantic couple hub, whatever. Hub operates on a freemium model, where free hubs get 5 event shares and 10 task shares per month.

To upgrade, pricing is $35.99 annually or $4.99 monthly for unlimited hubs and event shares and task shares. And once one person in a hub has upgraded, everyone he or she shares with gets unlimited shares in the hub.

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Facebook Launches “Donate” Button For Non-Profits That Also Collects Billing Info For Itself

Facebook unveiled a “Donate Now” button today to make it much easier for non-profits to take contributions. A nice side effect for its business? The button will collect credit card numbers and other billing info for Facebook that could aid its ecommerce and gaming initiatives.

19 non-profit launch partners will start displaying the Donate Now button at the tops of their Facebook Pages and bottom of their News Feed posts. These include DonorsChoose.org (a personal favorite), Boys And Girls Club Of America, World Wildlife Fund, UNICEF, Red Cross, and Kiva. After some more testing, Facebook will open the feature to additional non-profits, who can sign up for access here.

Thanks to the Donate Now button, instead of forcing users off Facebook and away from their friends, these organizations can now accept donations in a pop-up window right on Facebook. Users can choose how much they want to give and either enter payment details or use ones already stored with Facebook. The pop-up could boost conversion rates and get more funds to needy projects.

The Donate Now button also gives people an easy way to share the call for donations with friends, helping philanthropy go viral. Facebook is not charging a fee to process credit card donations and is instead paying that fee itself so 100% of donations go to the non-profits.

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Instagram launches Instagram Direct, lets you share photos and videos privately with friends

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Instagram is turning its successful photo and video-sharing service into a communication platform, with the introduction of private messaging. It’s called Instagram Direct, and will be available with version 5.0 of the mobile app, rolling out to iOS and Android users today. A release date for the Windows Phone app, however, wasn’t disclosed.

Instagram has added a new icon in the top-right hand corner of the home screen, which will reveal an inbox full of photos and videos that other users have shared to you specifically. Furthermore, when you go to capture an image or clip with the camera button, you’ll see two new sharing options: Followers and Direct.

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