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Microsoft to offer Xbox Live Gold refunds once requirement is dropped for entertainment apps

May14
by on May 14, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

E3 Gaming And Technology Conference Begins In L.A.
If you have an Xbox Live Gold subscription only to access media apps such as Netflix and Hulu, Microsoft’s recent decision to remove the digital requirement may have left you feeling short-changed. After all, many consumers buy an upfront 12-month subscription to get a discount on the standard monthly fee. To make amends, Microsoft is promising to refund Xbox Live Gold subscribers who will no longer need their membership from June, when the changes come into effect. Payments will be made on a pro-rata basis, calculated from the day of cancellation to when their membership would have normally ended. “Cancellation…

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Mighty Cast offers an SDK and API for its upcoming Nex Band modular wristband

May14
by on May 14, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Design & Dev, Gadgets

Back at SXSW, we clapped eyes on an intriguing modular wearable called the Nex Band. Similar to a charm bracelet, it offers multiple modules that represent new features and can be swapped out or shared with other people. Ahead of its public launch later this year, creator Mighty Cast today launched an SDK and API for the device. Developers can now create their own apps for existing modules (called “Mods”) or create deeper ones for a Mod of their own. Each band can only hold five modules at a time, so Mighty Cast will be hoping that the device takes off…

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Behind the scenes: How beehives inspired the design of Google’s innovative Project Ara smartphone

May14
by on May 14, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Design & Dev, Insider

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The beginning of any design project starts with ideas. To help get the best ideas out of a team, you give them the freedom to go a bit crazy with those initial thoughts. The results, while a bit far fetched, can be the kernel that grows into the final product. For instance, one of the first ideas for the Project Ara phone was that it resemble a beehive. “I could show you some crazy ideas we had at the beginnings,” Gadi Amit, lead designer at NDD (NewDealDesign), told me as he placed a stack of tracing paper filled with sketches of the…

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BreakFree for Android reveals your smartphone addiction levels and wants to help wean you off

May14
by on May 14, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider, Product Reviews

smartphoneaddiction
While we love loads of things that technology enables, it’s hard to ignore the increasing frequency that people around us spend staring blankly at their phones. BreakFree is an Android app looking to change that by giving you feedback on exactly how you use your phone by tracking things like how often you unlock your screen, how long you spend on calls, and which apps demand the most of your attention – although this is reserved for the $1.99 premium version. We looked at the free version here. As well as providing you with data, the aim is to actually get…

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Loop brings its contactless mobile payments to Android

May14
by on May 14, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web

Mobile payment startup Loop has added Android support for making contactless credit card payments at retail outlets. The LoopWallet app acts as a repository for your credit and loyalty cards. When you’re ready to make a payment, you queue up the card you want to use, type in your PIN and then hold your Loop attachment over the retailer’s magstripe reader. Loop’s device then generates a tiny magnetic field that mimics the magnetic strip found on your plastic cards. LoopWallet requires Android 4.2 or later. It works on most flagship devices from HTC, Samsung, LG and Motorola, but a few devices are…

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