Hasta La Gadget!

After launching on iOS and Android almost a year ago, the mobile version of Redbox Instant by Verizon has finally arrived in the Windows Phone Store. Aside from a few cosmetic changes and added Live Tile support, the new app works exactly like its cross-platform counterparts, offering movie streaming and maps to nearby Redbox kiosks. An $8 monthly subscription also covers the rental fees for up to four DVDs, although customers can upgrade to Blu-ray discs for an additional dollar. The bad news is that the app’s exclusive to Nokia’s Lumia range right now — plebes with other WP8 devices will have to wait until the end of January for general availability.

Filed under: Misc, HD, Mobile, Nokia, Verizon

Comments

Source: Nokia, MarketWatch, Windows Phone

Here’s a thought to make you feel old today: if the first batch of Tamagotchis were human, they’d be almost through with high school. In fact, the egg-shaped virtual pet has just turned 17 (17!), and to celebrate, Bandai is revamping the brand (again) and launching a new line called Tamagotchi Friends. While you still need to feed your virtual pet and pick up its digital poop, this modern-day remake comes with new characters to raise. Also, when two owners bump their Tamagotchi Friends against each other, their pets can go on play dates, and they can interact in-game.

We wish Bandai added other modern features, like a full-color screen, but at least American aficionados can get units with a color background starting fall 2014. Those in Europe will have to make do with the black-and-white version upon launch in December 2013. For now, you can see more info and watch animated shorts on the official Tamagotchi Friends website, or practice your pet-rearing skills on Android.

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Source: Tamagotchi Friends

When FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler confirmed the agency’s proposal to lift the ban on in-flight voice calls, he also issued a statement that sounded like he favored the change. According to AP, that didn’t sit well with a bunch of folks , and the FCC’s phones rang off the hook with complaints — one representative even called him a “wireless lobbyist.” Well, it looks like that’s caused the chairman’s quick change of heart: while he previously called the agency’s rules “outdated and restrictive,” he now agrees with passengers who’d prefer that cellular services remain banned on planes. If you were one of those who got excited at the prospect of making calls in the air, though, don’t feel bad that Wheeler doesn’t have your back anymore. In a new statement on FCC’s website, he says that even if the agency lifts the ban, it’s still the carriers that’ll have to decide whether to adopt the policy and allow voice connectivity.

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Via: ABCNews

Source: FCC

Unless you’ve traded your guitar strings for an axe-shaped MIDI controller, tuning your guitar is probably one of those chores you’ve just learned to deal with. It’s hardly the bane of any guitarist’s existence, but sometimes it seems like there could just be a faster, more brainless way to get your instrument ready to jam. Turns out, there is.

Roadie positions itself as the next generation of guitar tuners. Think of it like a modern String Master, a device that fits snugly over your instrument’s tuning pegs and does the hard part for you. Paired with a companion smartphone app, Roadie listens your guitar’s strings and turns its gears until the instrument is on key. We dropped by the team’s table at Haxlr8r, and the process was dead easy, quickly tuning a demo guitar without breaking a string. In fact, it’s designed not to — by comparing a string’s elasticity with its frequency, the device can actually warn you when your guitar’s wires are about to break. Not a bad trick, particularly for guitarists (like this editor) that aren’t completely sure when their instrument was last restrung. The device’s Kickstarter page has already more than half of its $60,000 goal, and has a little over a month left to get the rest. Looking for a way to chip in (and to avoid guitar maintenance)? Check out the source link below; Roadie tuners start at $79.
%Gallery-slideshow122871%

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Source: Roadie (Kickstarter)

Up until now, you’d have to access MediaFire’s web interface if you want to use its cloud storage service on your computer. While the browser-based UI isn’t anything complex, the company’s new OS X and Windows apps make storing files in the cloud comparably easier. Similar to Dropbox and Google Drive, MediaFire’s desktop clients integrate your cloud-based folders with OS X Finder or Windows Explorer. Both versions automatically sync across devices whenever you upload, and they let you share files straight from your desktop with social media contacts. As a bonus, you can use their camera icons to take screen snapshots, which you can then annotate (à la Skitch) before sharing with friends.

The apps are now available for download, but as they’re still in beta, they might come with some performance hiccups. If you’re an early adopter who wouldn’t mind 50GB of free storage space (higher capacities come at a price), though, click through the source below.

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Source: MediaFire