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First look at the Wink Hub, tech’s latest dummy-proof home automation center

Jul01

by Sindy Cator on July 1, 2014 at 11:47 pm

Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider, Product Launches

Another day, another product is added to the ever-growing “smart home” industry. Just last week, GE announced a $15 smart LED bulb along with a slew of other “connected” devices from its partnership with invention company Quirky. Still, ask an average person if they’ve heard of Quirky and you might find yourself explaining the concept. Ask the same person if they’ve heard of Home Depot and the reaction would be the complete opposite. To make smart home products more accessible and less confusing for the mass market, Home Depot has teamed up with Quirky-owned Wink to create a line of connected…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: syndicated

FTC says ‘Un-carrier’ T-Mobile charged customers millions in deceptive fees

Jul01

by Sindy Cator on July 1, 2014 at 9:59 pm

Posted In: Around the Web, ftc, Insider, John Legere, t-mobile

T-Mobile likes to tout itself as the Un-carrier–the carrier that goes against the grain and offers up services the other carriers won’t. Today the FTC filed a complaint against the company alleging it knowingly charged customers for scamtacular third-party text messages. The FTC says that T-Mobile took part in a a practice known as “cramming.” Cramming is placing third-party charges on customer bills without the customer’s authorization. The charges were labled as “Premium Services” and usually added an additional $9.99 to a bill. The FTC says that T-Mobile was aware of the suspicious nature of the charges with 40 percent of…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: syndicated

AKVIS Pastel transforms your photos into pastel works of art

Jul01

by Sindy Cator on July 1, 2014 at 9:24 pm

Posted In: Around the Web, Product Launches

Pastels—part crayon, part colored pencil, part paint—are not only a great artistic favorite for their intuitive ease of use, but also for their gorgeous look. Even if you’re not an artist, you’re likely have a box of pastels around somewhere. Now you can use them on Mac or Windows with the new AKVIS Pastel, which converts photos in pastel art. Whereas numerous general purpose painting apps, such as Corel Painter, FotoSketcher, GMSPhotoPainter, and even Photoshop let you apply pastel effects, AKVIS’s new offering specializes in the genre. The application’s brush tools let you refine the preset result by changing stroke direction or adjusting…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: creativity, news, syndicated

Google buys curated playlist service Songza with no immediate plans to change the product

Jul01

by Sindy Cator on July 1, 2014 at 8:09 pm

Posted In: Around the Web, Google

Music streaming service Songza confirmed today that Google has acquired it. According to a statement, “no immediate changes,” other than improvements, to Songza are planned. One notable change, however, is that Songza has updated its terms of service and privacy policy to include Google’s own legal disclaimers. Rumors of the deal leaked out early last month, with one NY Post source suggesting that Google had offered $15 million. Songza stood out from the crowded streaming music space by curating playlists based on your local weather, time of day, device type and location. The service had acquired 5.5 million active users. ➤…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: syndicated

Google’s new Smarty Pins map-based game reminds me I know nothing about American Civil War locations

Jul01

by Sindy Cator on July 1, 2014 at 7:36 pm

Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Google, Insider

Google unleashed a new map-based game called Smarty Pins (get it, Smarty Pins, oh Google). The game is a great way to remind yourself that you have no idea where things happened. The quiz game asks questions that have location answers. For example: In 2011, revolutionaries demanded the removal of President Mubarak from this City’s Tahir square. You answer the question by playing the pin on the correct location. The game does help you out by starting each question in the general region of the answer. But it’s up to you to place the pin in just the right location….