More pictures of purported 'iPhone Lite' shell surface with new blue color

Coming two days after the last batch of images showing Apple’s supposed “iPhone Lite” hit the Web, another set shows the plastic rear casing against a white background, including a new blue color.

The images, which come courtesy of Nowhereelse.fr, are of slightly higher quality than the previous pictures, but reveal nothing in the way of new information.

As seen before, the shell appears to be constructed out of a hard, slightly shiny plastic or polycarbonate, with a metal substructure for fastening internal components and EMI shielding. In this case, the parts are covered in a protective plastic covering, suggesting they are near final production models.

While the photos don’t include anything by which to gauge size, the overall shape of the casings are consistent with leaked schematics provided to AppleInsider by a major accessory maker in June. Subsequent 3D renderings made based on the specifications showed a design similar to the iPhone 5, but slightly thicker and with rounded corners.

Although the new blue shell is difficult to see in the image above, the color lines up with a May report that claimed Apple’s rumored low-end iPhone will come in navy, gold, orange, white, and gray varieties.

More pictures of purported 'iPhone Lite' shell surface with new blue color

Boston University patent suit over Apple's iPhone 5 could net $75M

Apple’s iPhone is at the center of another patent dispute, as the Trustees of Boston University have filed suit against the Cupertino company, alleging that not only the iPhone 5 but also the iPad and MacBook Air infringe on a BU professor’s patent.

At issue in the suit is U.S. Patent No. 5,686,738, covering a method of “highly insulating monocrystalline gallium nitride thin films.” Theodor D. Moustakas, Ph.D., a BU professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is listed as the inventor of the ’738 patent, and the University as the assignee owns the right, title, and interest to the patent.

The process in the patent is related to the production of semiconductor devices using silicon, sapphire, gallium aresenide, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, and silicon carbide. Gallium nitride thin films, a product of the process, are desirable in electronics due to their being a source of inexpensive and compact solid-state blue lasers.

The plaintiffs claim that Apple’s iPhone 5, iPad, and MacBook Air “include a gallium nitride thin film semiconductor device” of the type described in the ’738 patent. The suit alleges that Apple “has infringed, and continues to infringe, one or more claims of the ’738 patent.”

BU’s case would seem to be bolstered by the fact that at least one other company pays a licensing fee to use the component in question, the Boston Herald reported on Wednesday. The University will likely raise that issue in court.

Boston University has also filed identical claims against eight other smaller manufacturers, as well as claims against both Samsung and Amazon in the past year. Observers note that the payout from the Apple suit could top out around $75 million if the University can demonstrate that Moustakas intended to make a business out of his invention.

The University’s suit calls for Apple to detail all “gains, profits, and advantages” stemming from its use of the ’738 patent, as well as awarded damages to compensate for the infringement. The suit also calls for the court to permanently enjoin Apple from making and selling any of the infringing products.

In its filing, Boston University asks the court for a trial by jury on all matters suitable for trial by jury. The case, Civil Action No. 1:13-cv-11575, was filed on July 2 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. F. Dennis Saylor is the presiding judge.

Trustees of Boston University v. Apple

Boston University patent suit over Apple's iPhone 5 could net $75M

Dropcam Pro brings higher resolution video, iOS mobile set-up, cloud based activity recognition

The consumer based home surveillance industry has done quite well over the past few years, with several different affordable options available to security-conscious customers. One of the current leaders in the field is Dropcam, the company started back in 2009 and as of last year began shipping the Dropcam HD. The HD brought cloud based home monitoring at an accessible price, and now the company is adding a new device to its line up.

The Dropcam Pro is packed with new features and improvements over its predecessor with higher resolution video, double the zoom quality, much improved audio, dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 LE. Its six element glass lens provides a much better, 130 degree field of view this time around, compared to the HD's 107 degree FOV.

Some of the other notable features include a cloud based activity recognition system. It will record and organize motion-based events and then send out custom update/alert messages.

Dropcam has also added Bluetooth radio with the new Pro model, it allows for smooth mobile set-ups as well as future third party sensor integration.

Even though Dropcam HD is already the top-selling product in its class on Amazon, there were some concerns among consumers regarding pixelated images and network lag, among other things. It appears as though the company has tackled most, if not all of these issues, with the new Dropcam Pro.

The device does not support local recording of the streams, instead everything is done through the cloud. While live video monitoring is free, the optional cloud based video recording plans are not. It will run you $9.95 a month for seven days of non-stop recording and $29.95 a month for thirty days.

The device itself goes for $199 on Amazon and Dropcam.com, but there are discounts to be had with annual subscriptions and purchasing multiple cameras.

Dropcam Pro brings higher resolution video, iOS mobile set-up, cloud based activity recognition

Pebble, the Kickstarter-funded smart watch, is headed to retail stores this Sunday, when Best Buy will begin carrying the iPhone-compatible Bluetooth accessory for $149.95.

Best Buy will be the exclusive retail partner carrying Pebble watches, the company announced on Tuesday, starting with the “Jet Black” model. Customers will be able to buy online as of Tuesday, while retail locations will begin selling the Pebble on Sunday.

“It’s been so rewarding to see and share the great things our early backers and development partners have done with Pebble already,” Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky said. “Their work and our evolving app ecosystem has kept demand very high. Best Buy’s partnership with us is a big step towards meeting that demand.”

The watch features an e-paper display and displays information from a connected smartphone, such as text messages, phone calls, emails, or even fitness data. It’s compatible with both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

The Pebble band is fully customizable, compatible with any standard 22-millimeter strap. Following the “Jet Black” Pebbles, “Cherry Red” versions will become available in August.

“The outpouring of support from our Kickstarter backers was the first signal to our team that Pebble’s approach to smart, wearable technology was something the world was ready for,” Migicovsky said. “We’ve learned that people want their Pebbles. Thanks to Best Buy, we’re giving folks more ways to make that happen.”

The retail debut of Pebble comes as Apple is rumored to be working on its own smart watch accessory, potentially with biometric feedback. The company has been filing trademark applications for the name “iWatch” across the globe, lending some credibility to those rumors.

Pebble smart watch hits Best Buy online, coming to retail this Sunday

AT&T expands 4G LTE connectivity to 35 new markets

AT&T-based iPhone 5 and LTE-enabled iPad users in 35 more markets will now be able to access higher data speeds on their devices, as the carrier announced that it was bringing its 4G LTE service online in a range of new places across the U.S.

The carrier announced the 4G LTE expansion on Tuesday, bringing higher data speeds to markets from the Virgin Islands to Texas to Massachusetts. The latest rollout is a continuation of AT&T’s bid to expand 4G LTE coverage to 79 new markets through this summer.

AT&T’s 4G LTE network provides data speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. In recent tests, PC World found AT&T’s network, which covers 288 million people across the United States, to be the fastest among all providers in terms of download speeds.

The markets now able to access 4G LTE connections are as follows:

• St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
  


• Victoria, Texas
  


• Palatka, Fla.
  


• Grand Junction, Colo.
  


• Morgan City, La.
  


• Valdosta, Ga.
  


• Pine Bluff, Ark.
  


• Yakima, Wash.
  


• Bremerton, Wash.
  


• Moses Lake, Wash.
  


• Silverthorne, Colo.
  


• Homosassa Springs, Fla.
  


• Chico, Calif.
  


• Cape Girardeau, Mo.
  


• Sherman-Denison, Texas
  


• Corinth, Miss.
  


• Grenada, Miss.
  


• Batavia, N.Y.
  


• Milledgeville , Ga.
  


• New Ulm, Minn.
  


• Beckley, W.V.
  


• Oak Hill, W.V.
  


• Midland, Texas
  


• Odessa, Texas
  


• Lawton, Okla.
  


• Cape Cod, Mass.
  


• Searcy, Ark.
  


• Dunn, N.C.
  


• Dillon, S.C.
  


• St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
  


• Lafayette, La.
  


• Atlantic City, N.J.
  


• Meridian, Miss.
  


• Greenwood, Miss.
  


• New Iberia, La.

AT&T expands 4G LTE connectivity to 35 new markets

HOW TO: Find and Add Facebook Apps

With
over 300 million users, Facebook is undeniably one of the best places to keep in touch with friends, and one of the reasons it’s so popular are its applications. Most of Facebook’s user-favorite features, like its massively popular photo sharing, video sharing, user groups, or events functionality, are powered by applications. These core apps come installed by default on every user’s profile and cannot be removed.

But Facebook is also home to over 350,000 other applications created by thousands of third-party developers across the world. With so many apps, the Facebook Application Platform can be a little bit overwhelming to navigate and finding the best apps can be difficult. This guide will show you how to find, add, and manage Facebook applications.

What Are Facebook Apps?

Launched in May 2007, the Facebook Platform allows outside developers to create applications ? such as games or other programs ? that run inside of Facebook and have access to your social data (if you grant such access). The platform has become of the
most popular developer ecosystems on the Internet.

For the purposes of this article, we’re going to define a Facebook app as any application that runs inside of Facebook itself and can be found in the official App Directory. We’re also going to focus on consumer apps, rather than those made to run on Facebook Fan Pages.

The App Directory

The main place to find Facebook applications is the site’s
official App Directory. You can access the directory by click on the “Applications” button in the lower left hand corner of the Facebook screen (on the bottom navigation bar), and then clicking on the “Browse More Applications” link.

The directory also lists external web sites that connect with Facebook, mobile and desktop applications, and “prototypes,” which are new features and applications that Facebook is testing out. For this guide, we’re concerned mainly with the apps found “On Facebook.”

The App Directory lists every application available to you on the social network and offers five ways to find new applications:

Featured by Facebook – At the very top of the the App Directory page, the first thing you see are featured applications. These apps, shown two at a time with left and right arrows to page through the entire list, are apps that the Facebook staff have selected as particularly noteworthy, well-made, or unique. All of these apps are “Verified” (more on that later).

Applications You May Like – The second section on the page, is a list of applications that Facebook thinks you may enjoy. This list is generated based on which apps are popular with your friends, which apps are popular with all of Facebook, and which apps closely resemble the type of application you have already installed.

Search – If you’re looking for an app that accomplishes a specific task, then the search function (found in the upper left-hand corner of the App Directory page) is the place to start.

Browse – If you’re less sure about what you’re looking for, you can browse the App Directory in the categories of: Business, Education, Entertainment, Friends & Family, Games, Just for Fun, Lifestyle, Sports, and Utilities. Each category page will also have featured and suggested applications.

Recent Activity From Friends – Finally, on the bottom of the page, is a familiar news feed of recent app-related activity from your friends. This section gives you a birds eye view of the types of apps your friends are interacting with.

When you search or browse for applications you’ll see a brief overview of each app, as well as a star rating out of five, the number of monthly active users, and the number of your friends that use that application. You also may see a little green check mark next to some apps. The check mark signifies that that application is a “Verified App.” Verified applications have passed through a rigorous review process by Facebook and are deemed safe and trustworthy by the site.

Clicking on the application will bring you to its App Page, which closely resembles a Facebook Fan Page. The page will give you a lot more information about the application, including which of your friends are using it, reviews and discussions from users, as well as news and any other information about the app from its developer.

The App Directory is really the best way to find new applications on Facebook, but you should also pay attention to your Facebook news feed. That section will sometimes include updates from popular apps that your friends are adding and interacting with. Further, keep an eye out for app suggestions and invitations from your friends.

Installing an App

Once you’ve selected an application to add, navigate to its App Page. From there you can add the application, block it (so that you won’t get updates about it in your news feed if friends are using it), become a fan of the app, or add it to your favorites.

To add an app, click on the “Go to Application” button beneath the app’s logo. If you have the app installed already, clicking this button will bring you to the actual app. If you don’t have it installed, you’ll be directed to a page asking you to grant the application permission to access your Facebook data. Some apps may have additional steps as part of installation or set up, such as creating a character for games.

Managing Apps

Once you have apps installed, it’s a good idea to go to the Application Settings page to tweak the privacy and notification settings of your apps, or to remove an application. To access this page, click on the “Applications” button on bottom left of the Facebook screen, and then click on the “Edit Applications” link.

By default, the Application Settings page will list your most recently used apps. You can change this by clicking on the “Show” drop down menu and choosing which apps to display. To see a list of all applications you have installed, choose “Authorized.”

Once you have found the application you wish to manage, you’ll see three links to the right side of that application’s name: Edit Settings, Profile, and an X. “Profile” will bring you to the app’s Application Page (where you can leave a review or rating or discuss issues you are having with the application with the developers). “Edit Settings” will pop up a settings dialog box that has three tabs allowing you to control how the app interacts with your Facebook profile.

Profile – On this tab you’ll find privacy settings about who can see this app, as well as the ability to add or remove a profile Box or Tab for the application, if available.

Bookmark – This controls whether a link to the app appears in the “Applications” menu on the bottom navigation bar.

Additional Permissions – This tab allows you to control what other types of things the app can do, such as notify you about new activity, or post stories to your news feed or wall.

To remove an application, simply click on the “X” link. Facebook will ask you to confirm your decision and will allow you to optionally rate the app. You’ll notice that some applications cannot be deleted; these are official Facebook apps that are vital to the core functionality of the site. While you can’t delete these apps, you can effectively disable them by denying all of their permissions and setting up strict privacy rules.

More Facebook Resources from Mashable

-
HOW TO: Integrate Facebook With Your Blog

-
HOW TO: Organize an Event on Facebook

-
HOW TO: Manage a Facebook Group

-
HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on Facebook

-
HOW TO: Use Facebook for Professional Networking

HOW TO: Find and Add Facebook Apps

HOW TO: Create a Mac Theme for Windows 7

Yesterday, Microsoft released Windows 7 to crowds of
adoring fans. Although similar to Vista, Windows 7 has a look and feel all its own, and Microsoft has set up a new
Windows 7 Personalization Gallery, featuring themes, backgrounds and desktop gadgets you can add to your system to personalize it further.

That means that just because you’re using Windows 7, doesn’t mean it has to continue to look like Windows 7. Microsoft’s latest is a fine-looking OS, but because
creating your own Windows 7 theme by customizing the background, the icons, and even your mouse pointers is so easy, you can make it look even better by customizing it to pay homage to anything you want ? like, perhaps, Mac OS X.

Interested in making your own Windows 7/Mac OS X mashup theme? Just follow these instructions!

Pick your Wallpaper and Window Color

The first step in creating your theme is to find the right wallpaper. Since we’re going for a Mac feel, I decided to grab one of the
wallpaper images form Mac OS X Snow Leopard. If you want something a little less on-the-nose, but with a distinct Apple style, there are literally hundreds of choices out there. This
blog post has some gorgeous options.

To begin actually creating your theme, first right click on your desktop and choose “Personalization.” From here, you can modify an existing theme or create a new theme. After clicking on the “Desktop Background” button, you can choose an image from your library to use.

If you see an image on the web that is large enough for your desktop, you can right click on it in Internet Explorer (or Firefox) and choose “Set As Background” right from the Internet.

The Window color (which offers the option for transparency if your graphics card supports Aero) section can be any color of your choosing. Since I wanted to match the overall “feel” of Mac OS X, I chose a shade of white and enabled transparency.

Choosing your Icons and Pointers

To make your Windows desktop icons more Mac-like, you can alter the default desktop set directly in your theme. Click on the “Change Desktop Icons” item on the left hand side of the Personalization window.

You’ll see the default Windows 7 icons for My Computer, User, Network and Recycle Bin Empty and Recycle Bin Full. Click on any icon and press the “Change Icon” button and select an icon (in the *.ICO format) you want to use in its place.

There are a ton of places to get cool icons:
Iconfactory,
DeviantArt and
Iconpaper all have a large selection of icons for Mac and Windows.

However, if you want to use the actual Mac OS X icons, as I did, you can download the Vista/Windows 7-ready versions from this
DeviantArt user.

Once you’ve chosen the icons you want, it’s time to make your mouse pointers and hourglass animations look more like Mac OS X.

Select “Change Mouse Pointer” from the Personalization menu and bring up your default mouse pointer icons. Again, numerous sites across the web offer other options, but if you want to get that Mac OS X look, check out
this set, which mimics Mac OS X pointers, including the color wheel.

Save Your Theme and Share With Others

Once you have your theme the way you like it, you can click on the “Save Theme” option and name your theme so that you can keep it around. You can always edit it later if you decide you want to tweak something.

If you want to share your theme with others, just right click on the theme in your theme list and choose “Save Theme for Sharing,” then choose a name for your theme. By default it will be stored in the My Documents folder.

Final Results

In under five minutes (once you choose your wallpaper and icons) you can make Windows 7 look something like this:

Yes, it’s not the most dramatic makeover, but in a very short amount of time, we’ve taken Windows 7 and given it enough subtle Mac-like touches that it will feel just a bit homier to Mac fans.

Of course, if you’re a little more adventurous and really want to transform Windows 7, you can check out this
complete Mac OS X skin made for Windows 7! (Note that the skin was made for an older build of Windows 7 and may not work with newer versions out of the box ? so, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.)

What other places do you go to find wallpaper and icons? Share your favorites in the comments.

HOW TO: Create a Mac Theme for Windows 7

Apple now No. 1 in customer satisfaction on Samsung's home turf of South Korea

Apple’s products are renowned around the world for quality, but now the company’s iPhone has achieved yet another milestone: it has taken the top spot for customer satisfaction in South Korea the home country of Apple’s chief rival, Samsung.

Quality Insights released its most recent report on customer satisfaction within the South Korean smartphone market, and Apple beat out Samsung according to Naver. The report surveyed 44,168 smartphone owners to see how they would rate their satisfaction with both the device’s performance over the course of one year and the manufacturer’s customer service over that same period.

Apple’s after-sale service rated highest with South Korean consumers among all manufacturers, with a 52 percent satisfaction rate. That topped a 50 percent satisfaction rate for Samsung, as well as a 46 percent satisfaction rate for South Korea’s LG.

Respondents reported more satisfaction with Apple’s speed in processing device repairs. Consumers that owned iPhones were also the least likely to have to send their devices in for repairs.

Apple’s devices typically sit atop or near the top of customer satisfaction surveys year after year. The bestselling handset has won J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction nine times in a row, with its score so high that it actually pulled up the average of the entire smartphone industry.

The Cupertino company takes great pride in its customer satisfaction ratings. CEO Tim Cook will often point out how well Apple ranks in customer satisfaction, noting that that factor drives customer loyalty, repurchase rates, and commerce within the iOS ecosystem.

Apple now No. 1 in customer satisfaction on Samsung's home turf of South Korea

Key BlackBerry 10 developers leave to launch new design company

More than half a dozen BlackBerry 10 developers have reportedly left the company to form a new design group called Topp. The employees in question were brought on when BlackBerry purchased their previous employer, The Astonishing Tribe (TAT), in 2010.

According to the Topp crew, they became the key players responsible for designing and developing BlackBerry 10 during their stint with the Canadian handset maker. While at TAT, each member was a design and technology lead in their department. Collectively, they have delivered projects for a range of global clients including Samsung, Google, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Disney, and PayPal, just to name a few.

Any way you slice it, the news isn’t good for BlackBerry users. All of the company’s recent problems aside, it’s just never a good thing when seven of your top developers bail. It’s unclear exactly when the talent left meaning this could already be old news for the company. If they left all at once recently, however, it could be a serious blow.

It’s also worth pointing out that TAT’s founder left the company a year ago. He doesn’t appear to be part of the new venture, however.

As for what’s next at Topp, we don’t really know. The company’s website says they are a digital design studio based in Sweden that crafts new products and breathes life into innovative ideas using design, prototyping and technology. Segments they specialize in include mobile, automotive, consumer electronics, home appliances and retail experiences.

Key BlackBerry 10 developers leave to launch new design company

Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 5S' will feature 150Mbps LTE-Advanced support

Apple’s next iPhone may offer even faster cellular data connections with support for the LTE-Advanced wireless standard, according to a new rumor.

Apple is allegedly in talks with SK Telecom about launching an LTE-Advanced phone later this year, according to The Korea Times. “LTE-A” is an upgraded version of the long-term evolution wireless standard currently found in the iPhone 5.

Citing an unnamed executive with SK Telecom, the report said that Apple is in the midst of negotiations with the carrier. Currently, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the only device to take advantage of the LTE-A standard with SK Telecom.

LTE-A is capable of theoretical download speeds reaching 150Mbps, which is double that of basic LTE. The executive cited in the story reportedly said there is “no reason” for Apple not to adopt LTE-A with its next iPhone.

The possibility of LTE-A functionality on the next iPhone is believed to be possible because of new chipsets from Qualcomm. A potential “global LTE” chip candidate for Apple was released in February, boasting truly global connectivity support.

The Qualcomm RF360 Front End Solution would enable an iPhone that supports all 2G, 3G, 4G LTE and LTE Advanced networks. Currently, the iPhone 5 is sold in three variants — two GSM and one CDMA — to offer compatibility with various networks across the world.

But Qualcomm’s RF360 would mitigate this problem, and even add support for the obscure TD-SCDMA network used by the world’s largest carrier, China Mobile. Apple does not currently have a deal in place to offer the iPhone through China Mobile, though rumors of a deal have persisted for years.

Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 5S' will feature 150Mbps LTE-Advanced support

DreamWorks Animation chief offered $75M to put additional Breaking Bad episodes online

Roughly six weeks ago, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffery Katzenberg offered to finance three additional episodes of Breaking Bad for $25 million apiece. That would have resulted in a nice profit for those involved with the show as the average episode last season only cost about $3.5 million to create. Simply put, they would have made more profit from these three episodes than all five years of the show combined.

The story within a story here, however, is not that Katzenberg – a huge fan of the show – wanted more episodes but how he wanted those episodes to play out. As Variety points out, he wanted to create the “greatest pay-per-view television event for scripted programming anybody’s ever done.”

Even though each episode would have been 60 minutes long, it would have been broken up into six-minute clips that would air each day online over the course of a month. The plan was to charge between $0.50 to $0.99 per episode although it’s unclear if “episode” means a 60-minute episode or a six-minute clip.

As the offer came in well before the series finale, Katzenberg had no idea how the story would eventually play out. We won’t spoil the ending for those that haven’t seen it, but let’s just say it’d be tough to make three more episodes that would introduce any true substance to the storyline.

The bigger story here is the delivery method. Despite the fact that it would be tough to sustain dramatic tension over the course of a series, Katzenberg believes there is a whole new platform for short-form entertainment worth exploring.

DreamWorks Animation chief offered $75M to put additional Breaking Bad episodes online

Purported 'iPhone Lite' rear panels show an array of colors

New pictures appear to show plastic back panels for Apple’s anticipated low-cost iPhone, displayed in bright colors that are a major shift from the current black and white models.

The image shared by Nowherelse.fr appears to show the back panels in yellow, green and red. The parts include the iPhone brand, Apple’s logo, and space for a camera lens, LED flash, and rear-facing microphone.

Aside from being made of plastic and offering new colors, the parts appear to have a similar form factor to the current iPhone 5, including a taller display than previous models. That fits in with rumors that the so-called “iPhone Lite” will stick with the same 4-inch display as the iPhone 5.

The design also matches up with leaked schematics provided to AppleInsider that claim to reveal the design of Apple’s low-cost iPhone. The device is expected to have rounded corners and a design slightly thicker than the iPhone 5.

The red and yellow colors pictured would correspond with current color options for the iPod touch, though Apple does not offer a green model at the moment. Apple does offer green variants of the iPod nano and iPod shuffle, however.

Other possible color options were detailed in a report in May that claimed the new low-end iPhone will come in navy, gold, orange, white, and gray.

Purported 'iPhone Lite' rear panels show an array of colors

Wednesday tech deals: Dell Inspiron 14 $800, Lenovo IdeaTab $219, 50" Vizio LED TV $650

Topping our list of today's deals is the new Inspiron 14 laptop from Dell, complete with 4th gen Intel processors and 1080p touchscreen for just $799.99. We also have the new Lenovo S6000 Android tablet, sporting a quad-core processor and IPS screen for only $219 after coupon. Also check out the multi-capable USB 3.0 dock from HP that lets you plug in dual digital displays plus all your accessories via a single USB 3.0 port. Scroll down to check out these and the rest of today's hottest deals.

Top Deals

Dell Inspiron 14 (7000-series) 4th-gen Intel Core i5 “Haswell” 1080p Touch Laptop for $799.99 with free shipping (normally $899.99 – use coupon code 5HM$H7MF676W2F | via Dell).

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 Lenovo IdeaTab S6000 10.1″ 16GB Android 4.2 Quad-core Tablet for $219 with free shipping (normally $269 – use coupon code S6000LDEAL | via Lenovo).

HP 3005pr USB 3.0 Port Replicator for $69.99 with free shipping (normally $149.99 – use coupon code LOGICBUY20 | via HP).

Additional Deals

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 Buffalo AirStation Extreme Wireless-AC 1750 Dual Band Wireless Router for $124.99 with free shipping (normally $199.99 – use coupon code EMCWXXT65 | via Newegg).

HP ENVY 27 IPS-panel 27″ LED-backlit LCD Monitor w/ Beats Audio for $419.99 with free shipping (normally $469.99 – use coupon code MU2121 | via HP).

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 17.3″ HP ENVY 17t-j000 4th-gen Core i7 “Haswell” Laptop w/ Blu-ray & 2-year warranty for $799.99 with free shipping (normally $899.99 – use coupon code NB1615 | via HP).

50″ Vizio E500I-A1 1080p, 120Hz Smart LED TV + $150 Gift Card for $649.99 with free shipping (normally $649 without gift card | effective final price just $499.99 | via Dell).

Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 Video Card + 3 FREE PC Games for $254.99 with free shipping (normally $309.99 | via NewEgg).

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 Dell Optiplex 9010 Core i5 Mini Tower Desktop (Quickship) w/ Windows 7 Professional & 3-year warranty for $669 with free shipping (normally $799 – use coupon code $MFX6RKRP9TG4P ).

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadricopter for $292.95 with free shipping (normally $299.99 – use coupon code BuydigTreat5 ).

HP Inventory Blowout Sale: Up to 60% off select accessories + extra $15 off $75 orders; $100 off Laptops & Free site-wide shipping (Browse deals using these HP coupons).

Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Netproofer iOS App for $0.99 only.

Realspace Mezza L-Shaped Glass Computer Desk for $189.99 with free in-store pickup or shipping based on location (normally $219.99 – use coupon code:36912747 ).

Steelcase Leap WorkLounge High-Back Leather Office Chair for $2,549.15 with free shipping (normally $2,999).

Wednesday tech deals: Dell Inspiron 14 $800, Lenovo IdeaTab $219, 50" Vizio LED TV $650

Purported Apple 'iPhone 5S' batteries shown on assembly line

A new picture claims to show trays of batteries intended for Apple’s next flagship iPhone fresh off the assembly line, once again suggesting large scale production of the device could begin in the near future.

The photo was published on Friday by Nowhereelse.fr, and is just the latest in a series of leaks claiming to show components from Apple’s so-called “iPhone 5S.” The company is widely expected to launch its next iPhone in September or October, about a year after the debut of the iPhone 5.

The latest leak purportedly shows batteries produced for the “iPhone 5S” before they have been equipped with the appropriate connector. The batteries are also unlabeled, so information about capacity and voltage is unknown.

While the batteries appear about the same size and dimensions as the current iPhone 5 battery, it’s impossible to gauge the authenticity of the picture, as the batteries could be intended for a myriad of other devices.

However, the recent influx of part leaks claimed to be for Apple’s next iPhone suggest that suppliers are ramping up in preparation for full-scale production of the device. To date, leaked components have suggested the internals of the next flagship iPhone will only be slightly tweaked from their predecessor.

As such, it is expected that an “iPhone 5S” will feature largely the same design as the current iPhone 5, with the most obvious external change being a new dual LED camera flash for improved low-light photos. These details match up with a leaked schematic provided to AppleInsider earlier this month.

Perhaps the biggest mystery, however, is whether the next iPhone will include the much-rumored fingerprint sensor under the home button. Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the 2013 iPhone will add such a feature, but to date none of the alleged hardware leaks have indicated that the feature will be included.

Purported Apple 'iPhone 5S' batteries shown on assembly line

iPhone 5 takes 75% of US, Canada 4G Web traffic for 'newer' smartphones

According to a report from ad network Chitika, the iPhone 5 accounted for just over three quarters of North American 4G Web traffic generated by phones released after July 2012, which translates to a 40 percent share when including all 4G-capable smartphones.

The study, conducted over the first two weeks of June, showed 4G-ready handsets accounted for 30 percent of all active smartphones in the U.S. and Canada. The remaining 70 percent consisted of “other smartphones,” like 3G and 2G wireless models.

Chitika based the report on tens of millions of smartphone-based online ad impressions on its network from June 1 to June 13, 2013.

Further breaking down the numbers, the firm found 53 percent of ad impressions came from 4G smartphones released after July 2012. This includes Apple’s iPhone 5, which was introduced in September of last year.

The LTE-equipped iPhone 5 snagged some 40 percent of total traffic from 4G handsets, and 76 percent of traffic from smartphones brought to market after July 2012.

Other notable 4G smartphones seen in the study include Samsung’s Galaxy S4, HTC’ s One LG’s Nexus 4, and both BB10 BlackBerry devices.

The firm noted that the results show newer model 4G phones are driving more traffic than their predecessors, even counting the latter’s advantage of being on the market for months. Still, there is room for growth as cellular technology advances, and telecoms slowly allot more spectrum to 4G.

Earlier on Friday, market research firm comScore released its own set of numbers, showing Apple’s iPhone lineup to be the handset of choice for the U.S. market. Combined model sales grew to 39.2 percent in July 2013, a boost of 0.3 percent mont-ober-month.

iPhone 5 takes 75% of US, Canada 4G Web traffic for 'newer' smartphones

Carrier subsidy ratios for Samsung handsets higher than Apple and HTC, study finds

The average implied subsidy for Samsung smartphones sold in the U.S. substantially higher than comparable product sold by Apple and HTC, says one study, suggesting the Korean company is heavily relying on aggressive pricing strategies to squeeze out the competition.

According to market intelligence firm ABI Research (via BGR), Samsung and its partner carriers lead the market in offering device subsidies at percentages substantially higher than their nearest competitors.

The latest research shows Samsung products are subsidized by an average of 84 percent, while Apple and HTC are at 74 percent and 80 percent, respectively.

“Samsung continues to squeeze its competitors at every turn,” said ABI chief research officer Stuart Carlaw. “The Samsung Galaxy SIV is now considered on a par with Apple’s iPhone 5. Coupled with better subsidy, the breadth of its device portfolio, increasingly savvy marketing, and its excellence in channel execution, it is little wonder Samsung is dominating the mobile handset market from top to bottom.”

While the latest iPhone products average a higher absolute subsidy value that is $110 higher than Samsung’s devices, most of the Korean tech giant’s devices come at a cheaper initial cost.

Samsung’s aggressive pricing strategies are reportedly hindering less well-established vendors from entering the market.

“The smartphone market in particular is entering a new phase focusing on execution and price, rather than innovation and value,” said ABI’s senior practice director for devices, Nick Spencer. “Samsung’s scale and supply chain excellence is allowing it to put its competitors under increasing price pressure and win market share. This is a major concern for the rest of the market, especially for smaller, less efficient vendors, as margins will be squeezed and overall market value reduced.”

A teardown of the latest Galaxy S4 model revealed a build cost higher than that of Apple’s flagship iPhone 5. It should be noted, however, that the averages from ABI take into account Samsung’s entire lineup, which is far more expansive than Apple’s three offerings.

Carrier subsidy ratios for Samsung handsets higher than Apple and HTC, study finds

Flickr iOS 7 update allows you to auto upload full res photos to your 1TB of free storage

Earlier this year, Yahoo announced a complete redesign of Fickr with additional sharing functionality, full res images and most notably, 1TB of photo storage. Now the company has released an update for its Flickr app that allows users to make better use of the free storage capacity.

Today's iOS 7 update enables the application to auto upload photos directly from the iPhone's camera roll to Flickr. It appears as though the images getting auto uploaded are set to private by default until you decide to share them. Yahoo is also bringing auto straighten, which automatically corrects photos, but you can also make further adjustments using the Flickr editor before uploading them.

Although there are several other apps, like Dropbox and Google+, that will allow you to auto upload photos in a similar fashion, avid Flickr users should find these additions useful.

Previously, some users were having trouble signing-in to Google with the app, but according to Yahoo those issues have been resolved with the update and that it is “making sure it doesn't happen again.”

Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, you can grab Yahoo's updated Flickr app for free on the App Store now.

(Image via Lance Whitney/CNET)

Flickr iOS 7 update allows you to auto upload full res photos to your 1TB of free storage

HOW TO: Organize an Event on Facebook

Some people wonder if all this social networking is really making us more social ? we’re just sitting in front of our computers, after all. But Facebook, the web’s largest social network, plays host to
3 million event listings each month. And these are offline events, ranging in size from small, friendly get-togethers, to company picnics, to enormous political protests.

In the past, getting the word out about an event, even if you only intended to invite your close circle of friends, meant a lot of work getting on the phone or emailing invitees individually, coordinating RSVPs, or even hanging up flyers.
Facebook, though, allows you to quickly create an event listing, invite people, and then watch word of the event spread virally out from your network of contacts (if you choose to allow it). This guide will show you how to successfully run an event on Facebook.

Creating an Event Listing

Events on Facebook are managed by an application that is installed by default and can’t be removed (so everyone already has it). For many people, if you haven’t edited your bookmarked applications, an icon for the
Events app will appear on the bottom navigation bar while logged into Facebook. However, the best way to find the Events application is to search for the word “Events” in the search box in the upper right-hand corner of Facebook.

On the Events page, you can view upcoming events that you have been invited to (or are hosting), events that your friends are attending, past events, and a list of your friends’ birthdays. But to begin an event, click on the “Create an Event” button.

You’ll be asked to input your event’s name and location, as well as a start and end time. Optionally, you can also add a tagline to the event (a sub-header that is displayed in smaller letters below the event headline), and an address (be careful about including your address if the event is open). The most important part of the first step is to set your privacy options for the event. You have three choices:

Open – Open events can be seen by anyone, and anyone can RSVP or invite others to the event, regardless of whether they had been invited in the first place.

Closed – Anyone can see that a closed event exists, but the event details can only be read by those who have been invited, and guests will need to be invited in order to RSVP. Guests may request invitations.

Secret – Secret events are only seen by those invited (so they won’t show up in the news feeds of those who are attending), and only invitees can RSVP. This is probably a good idea if you’re planning a surprise party.

After you set the main logistics of your event, you’ll be asked to add details. That includes a picture, category, and description, as well as important rules about what your guests can do on your event page. These details are optional (though some are selected for you by default, so it’s a good idea to go through them).

Enable the event wall – This option adds a message wall to your event page. It’s a good idea to include a message wall if you want people to be able to post reasons why they can or can’t come to the party, or be able to ask questions.

Enable the event photos, videos, and links – You can also allow people to post photos, videos, and links to your event page. This is great for certain types of events ? such as posting pictures of your mailbox so guests know which driveway is yours for a party, or posting links to articles about a specific topic for a political rally, or videos of a band for a concert. You can restrict the ability to post media to admins only.

Allow guests to bring friends to the event – This toggles a message about whether guests can bring friends on and off.

Show the guest list – You can toggle whether to show the guest list, or you can restrict the shown guest list only to guests who are attending.

You can actually skip this step and either proceed to your event page, or to the final step, which is to invite friends. You can invite an unlimited number of people, but you can only invite 100 people at a time. When you invite friends, you can also include a personal note, which is a good idea.

Without the personal note, your friends will receive an email invite (assuming they have the app set to send emails for new event invites (this is the default behavior)) that says, simply, “[Your Name] has invited you to “[Event Name]” on [Date] at [Time]” These emails aren’t, well, very inviting. By including a note, you can add some extra info about what your event is all about and why people should come.

You can change any of the details of your event after the fact, and you can invite more people later. However, if someone has declined an invitation once already, you will not be able to invite that person again.

Managing and Promoting Your Event

Once your event is up and running, you have two options: let it stagnate and hope people show up, or get actively involved in promotion and management. For anything but a small, private get-together with friends, the latter is usually a better option.

If your event is open and allows guests to invite others, you should encourage that behavior if you want word of the event to spread virally. Send messages to those who have attended urging them to invite friends and help spread the word (you can send messages to invitees by clicking on the “Message Guests” link below the event photo on the event’s page). You can also send messages specifically to those who have not yet replied to the invitation or to those who have indicated that they may attend urging them to come to the event. For open events, guests can click the “Share” button, to share a link to the event page on their mini-feed or send a message about the event to friends.

You can also use the messaging feature to pass along information about the event, such as changes of plans, venue rules, or background information about the guest of honor, etc. But don’t over-do it ? no one wants to go to an event that is spamming them. (Note that events with over 5,000 invitees will no longer have the ability to mass message ? instead, you’ll have to use the event’s wall and description to communicate, and Page admins will not see the messaging option for events hosted by Pages ? they’ll need to add event admins in order to message invitees).

Remember to monitor your event page regularly to keep track of wall postings and respond to queries.

Open events also have the option of purchasing Facebook ads to advertise the events. Click on the “Promote Event with an Ad” link below the event photo on the event’s page to access the advertising area of Facebook.

If you’re running an RSVP-required event, Facebook helpfully lets you print the guest list (the link for the option is below the event photo). You can also have Facebook include the profile photos of attendees on the printable guest list page, so that whoever is manning the door to your party can make sure only invited guests get in.

You can also cancel an event ? an action that can’t be undone once it is selected. Facebook lets you optionally attach a note to all invitees with reasons why the event was cancelled.

Selling Tickets

Facebook’s Events application has two major downsides. The first, that it doesn’t support recurring events, unfortunately has no easy fix, which means Facebook is probably a lousy venue for getting the word out about a weekly or monthly meetup. However, if you don’t mind reentering all the event details, you can make your life a little bit easier by creating a special
friend list of regular attendees for your event. That way, when you get to the “invite friends” step of event creation, you can filter your list of friends by your special event list and then select all to invite them in one go.

The second shortcoming of Facebook Events, however, is that it doesn’t support ticket sales. That is easily, if somewhat inelegantly, fixed by the Facebook Connect integration at
Eventbrite.

Eventbrite is one of the most popular ways to promote and sell tickets for events online, and they offer a smart way to
connect your events to Facebook, have them automatically added to the Facebook Events app, and invite your friends. Though the ability to sell tickets to your event cannot be natively integrated into the Facebook Event page, Eventbrite will include a link to your event’s ticketing page in the event description, and a link to “Order Tickets” in the news feed insertion about your event.

Other, similar options, are the
EventPal and the
Ticketing Facebook applications. Both apps allow you to set up ticket sales for your event and then create special ticket ordering pages that you can send to attendees.

More Facebook Resources from Mashable

-
HOW TO: Integrate Facebook With Your Blog

-
Facebook Pages vs Facebook Groups: What?s the Difference?

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HOW TO: Manage a Facebook Group

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HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on Facebook

-
HOW TO: Use Facebook for Professional Networking

HOW TO: Organize an Event on Facebook

Steve Ballmer, Al Gore and Mark Zuckerberg all tried to buy Twitter

An upcoming book on the history of Twitter by Nick Bilton has uncovered a number of secrets surrounding the microblogging platform. Among them is the fact that Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Ballmer and Al Gore all tried to purchase Twitter during the company’s rise to fame.

An excerpt published in the New York Times Magazine notes all parties listed above approached former CEO Ev Williams regarding a possible deal but it was Facebook’s CEO that went a step further and tried to hire Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey after he left the company.

Speaking of Dorsey, he was allegedly responsible for creating a bit of a power struggle within the company and pushing Noah Glass out. Glass was allegedly responsible for making critical early contributions to Twitter.

Furthermore, many didn’t agree with Dorsey’s management style which included taking classes at a local fashion school. Williams at one point told Dorsey he could either be a dressmaker or the CEO of Twitter, but not both. Less than a year later, Williams replaced Dorsey as CEO. Doesey later went on to found Square, a platform that accepts debit and credit card payments via mobile devices.

With Twitter’s upcoming IPO, Dorsey will likely receive around half a billion dollars. Glass, on the other hand, has pretty much been written out entirely. Interestingly enough, one former Twitter employee went on record to say the greatest product Jack Dorsey ever made was Jack Dorsey.

Steve Ballmer, Al Gore and Mark Zuckerberg all tried to buy Twitter