Apple Launches Tool to Remove U2

U2 Songs of InnocenceThe minute we heard that Apple gave away free music to every iTunes account in the world we were shocked, to say the least. Our first thought was the cost and how much they had to pay U2 for a HALF BILLION downloads of their album Songs of Innocence. Our second thought was about how those HALF BILLION iTunes users were going to feel about Apple just dropping free music into their private accounts.

Well, now we know the answer to both of those questions. Apple paid U2 approximately $100 million to give the album away. As far as how users feel about it, there were so many complaints that Apple had to launch a special removal tool so unhappy customers could delete the album out of their iTunes.

If you are one of those unhappy people who feels Apple is being very “Big Brother-ish”, or maybe you are just not a fan of U2, it’s pretty easy to get the album out of your account. There is something Apple would like you to know first.  Once it’s removed, it’s gone. You will have to pay for it if you want it back.

They have set up a special link for the removal tool and that is where you will see this: “Once the album has been removed from your account, it will no longer be available for you to redownload as a previous purchase. If you later decide you want the album, you will need to get it again. The album is free to everyone until October 13, 2014, and will be available for purchase after that date.”   Apple U2 Removal

It was 10 years ago that U2 did a commercial spot for the iPod and this free download was to commemorate that time in history. Also, from what we understand, U2 plays to work with Apple over the next couple of years to change the way we listen to music. We will patiently wait to see what comes up next from this team of big business and a few musicians.

Via Forbes

Misfit Flash Wearable for Fitness

Misfit FlashWe know what you are thinking; “Another wearable fitness device?” And to that we say, yes, another wearable fitness device. But we like this one and what is has to offer, as well as what you don’t have to offer to own one.

The Misfit Flash is a good way to track your exercise and sleep patterns. It offers all the same capabilities as the other wearable’s on the market. The major differences are simple; it requires an app to be able to track your fitness goals because it doesn’t come with a tradition display. Also, it doesn’t require charging, since you need to replace the batteries every 6 months. And last but not least, it’s affordable. At $49.99 it is definitely worth the trade-off of features.

Via The Next Web

TABI Tablet Holder

TabiThis is so simple and so genius all at once, it makes us think; “Why didn’t I think of that!” But we didn’t, the guys at Bondi did, so we are just going to write about it.

TABI is a device that makes holding your large smartphone or tablet so much easier. Let’s face it, most of us have a tablet and most of us use it all the time. We have actually heard of people’s fingers going numb because they are on their mobile devices so much. This sweet little invention will help make using your tablet much more convenient.

TABI is a basically a stretchable band with two prong claws on each end that hook on to the top and bottom of the tablet so you can slip your hand between it and the tablet to improve your grip. There is also a hook on the end of the TABI so you can hang it up, making things like following a recipe easier. Or hang it on the back of a front seat in the car so the kids can watch their shows or play their favorite app while you drive in peace. They made a nice little video to show the many uses of TABI.

They have a Kickstarter launching on Sept 24th for this product so check them out on their website. We found another cool product of theirs call the Bandi which is similar to the TABI but can be used with cell phone and has many other uses.

HTC Set to Announce A New Underwater Camera

HTC LogoHTC is holding an event on October 8th in New York City and many are speculating that this will be when they announce their new durable underwater camera. This new device is being called “GoPro like” in durability and also giving the users the ability to take pictures underwater.

The tube shaped camera will feature an ultra-wide angle lens and a 16 megapixel sensor. It will also have the ability to connect via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to both Anroid and iOS devices, with the apps for both coming from HTC as well.

HTC is also expected to announce a new smartphone at this event. This smartphone will supposedly have a better camera for taking the “selfie”. Many teenagers and adults alike will be happy to hear this.

HTC has had declining sales over the years with their smartphones, hence the reason for joining the market with the likes of GoPro. They are hoping to capitalize on the success of such extreme sports cameras. No word on the cost yet, hopefully we will know more after Oct 8th.

Via Bloomberg

Record Pre-Order Sales for iPhone 6

iPhone 6Did you pre-order an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? You’re not the only one. When customers were given the go ahead to pre-order the iPhone 5 two years ago, 2 million of you did so on the first day. With the iPhone 6 pre-orders that first-day number doubled to 4 million.

The numbers aren’t in from the weekend yet, but it was estimated that pre-orders would reach the 10 million mark by the end of day on Sunday.

If you pre-ordered your phone quickly, yours will probably be in the mail by this coming Friday. If you were late at the pre-order rush, yours might take as long as October to reach you. This is because of that good old “supply and demand” concept we all learned about in Economics 101. The company said demand has outstripped the supply.

If you haven’t pre-order and want one, your best bet is to find an AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless retailer near you and get in line.

Via Reuters

Apple Officially Announces the iPhone 6

iPhone 6We are pretty sure the world stopped spinning Tuesday Sept, 9th in order for everyone to hear the latest news from Apple. They have officially announced that they are releasingApple Watch in early 2015 and the iPhone 6 later this month. No big shockers here.

What was a bit of a shock however was that Apple was taking a step forward by upgrading the physical size of the iPhone. There will be two different sizes; the 6 will get you a 4.7 inch screen while the 6 Plus will get you a 5.5 inch screen. They have also slimmed it down again from the 5, and it will now be one of the slimmest smart phones on the market.

Most of you in today’s social media world want us to cut right to the chase about the camera. It is still the same 8MP rear facing camera, but the new version has a wide angle iSight lens, an auto focus feature that is 2x faster than its predecessor, f/2.2 aperture and greater noise reduction.

The front facing camera was also upgraded a bit. It will now allow you to FaceTime in HD and it will let in 81% more light to make sure you are not in the dark in broad day light.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will come with the iOS operating system already installed on the devices.

The release day is set for next Friday September 19th. The cost for a SIM-free phone starts at $649, while with a 2 year contract with most carriers it is starting at $199.

If you get an iPhone 6 next week please comment to let us know how you like it!

New Email Policy from Apple For iCloud Users

iCloudAfter the huge hack into some celebrities private photos last week, Apple has come up with a temporary fix, kind of. You will now get an email from Apple telling you each time your account has been accessed from the web.

The email will read: “Your Apple ID has been accessed from a web browser on (date and time). If you accessed your account disregard this email. If you have not signed into your iCloud account recently and believe someone accessed your account please go to My Apple ID and reset your password.”

Yeah, this kind of helps. We are just going to pray that none of us here ever get this email.

via Gizmodo

Computer Case and Foot Massager All in One?

LeggageWe have all had those long flights with many annoyances; loud kids, middle seat, the person behind you bumping into you repeatedly, or the guy in front putting his seat all the way back. Here is something that may make your flight a little better. Introducing Leggage. This is a computer bag and foot rest/massager all in one.

Yes, you read that right. This bag can hold a laptop, your mobile device and still have room for other things. Once you get settled, pull out your laptop, turn Leggage soft side down on the floor and you have a nice place to rest your feet.

Leggage claims 9 different massage positions, they even have a nice little video that shows them all. But the questions we have are; do you really want your computer bag on the floor of an airplane where 1000′s of dirty shoes have been? And, do we really want people to take their shoes off during flights? Some people do, and we instantly know it.

But, if you are a frequent flyer and suffer from being in a cramped space for hours at a time. This might be your thing! For $79.99 add it to your Christmas list.

Via Technabob

Meet The Follow Up to Sphero: Ollie

Ollie RobotThe company that gave us the Sphero, Orbotix, has come up with a new app controlled bot called Ollie. Ollie is similar to Sphero in that you can still control this bot with your iOS or Android device. 

Ollie can reach speeds up to 14mph and comes with two rubber tire covers that help maneuver through different types of terrain. These wheel covers come in different colors to help you customize your bot and you also have the option to purchase a limited addtion “goth-black” Ollie for a limited time. Ollie is programmable just like Sphero, so it can provide hours of entertainment.

A major difference is the shape. Ollie is cylindrical which gives it a different control capability and some are saying it is a bit tougher to control. Another difference is the way it is charged. Sphero is charged by induction charging and comes with a docking station, while Ollie is charged through a USB. It’s range is 100 ft so it might be hard to keep up with going top speed.

According to the video below, Ollie is pretty durable. Looks like it can take a pretty good collision as well as a rather large free fall drop.

This bot will run you $99 compared to the latest version of the Sphero at $129.

Via Fast Company

Sony Walkman NWZ-A17

Sony Walkman NWZ A17Sony is jumping on the popular hi-resolution audio band wagon. Thanks to Neil Young’s Pono project, Sony doesn’t need to spend much on advertising.  Just google “hi-res audio” and Sony new toy is the first thing that pops up.

Young’s Kickstarter project was so successful, Sony probably thought “What the hell, lets give it a shot”. With that they will be releasing a new hi-res audio player at the end of this month, the Sony Walkman NWZ-A17. This device is smaller and lighter than Pono. The screen is bigger and will play all the popular formats; WAV, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, MP3, AAC, and WMA.  It also comes with 64GB of storage. And to top it off the battery life is off the charts, 50 hours of battery life or 30 hours when playing full 24-bit/192kHz files

So, we suppose you are thinking “Walkman or Pono?” One more bit of info to pass along may be all that you need to make this decision; Pono is $400 while the Sony Walkman is $299.

Via Gizmodo