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We're about to learn whether 3D printing will ever have mainstream appeal because Staples is now offering both an in-store printing service as well as actual 3D printers. The cheapest printer costs $1,300, which is fairly steep, but shipping is free. Shoppers can now also walk into stores and ask for the employees to help them to design and print objects on the spot. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Every year at around this time, we get word that Amazon will at long last launch a smartphone of its own to go along with its popular Kindle Fire line of tablets. However, CNBC points us to a new Wall Street Journal report that claims Amazon's smartphone will at long last be announced in June and will have a screen capable of displaying 3D images without having to wear any glasses. The Journal's sources say that the phone will be able to display 3D images by employing "retina-tracking technology embedded in four front-facing cameras, or sensors, to make some images appear to be 3-D, similar to a hologram." We heard about Amazon testing out a 3D smartphone last year and no…

Samsung is marching forward with its region-lock policy for new devices, with the Galaxy S5 representing the latest victim of this feature, SamMobile reports. It all started last year, when Samsung locked the Galaxy Note 3 to the region where it was sold. To unlock it, users would have to use it with a local SIM card before being able to use it in a different region. The same restrictions are true with the newly launched Galaxy S5, and it looks like Samsung has upped the ante. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Even though Google designed Android 4.4 to work on more devices than any of its predecessors, it looks like KitKat's adoption rate is lower than Jelly Bean’s was when it first launched. GigaOm citess data from a new Chitika report showing that in the 6 months since Android 4.4 KitKat was launched, only around 10% of Android devices part of the study have been seen running it. Comparatively, Jelly Bean was installed on 14% of devices 6 months after launch, the company revealed in a similar report in early 2013. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

The Samsung Galaxy S 5 may be globally launching today, but some of you may want to wait a tad longer on purchasing one. A Developer Edition of the Galaxy S 5 for Verizon has been spotted on Samsung’s site and is listed as “Coming Soon!” The model number for this device, which comes in Charcoal Black only, is ET-G900VMKA and it (obviously) features everything that the regular GS5 has. So what does the Developer Edition get you? Likely an unlocked bootloader. The cost off contract will presumably be over $600, so make sure you are expecting a rather hefty price. Source: Samsung Come comment on this article: Samsung readying Galaxy S 5 Developer Edition for Veriz…

Samsung Mobile’s YouTube channel has released a commercial for the Galaxy S 5 showing off some of the better features of the device. It’s not the most exciting TV spot Samsung has ever done, but you’ll get a look at the quick shutter speed on the camera, the faster download speeds ( which probably refers to the missing download booster feature), and the water resistance of the device, showcasing how the device is perfect for almost everyone’s lifestyle. Marketing is arguably Samsung’s greatest talent as a company, and this commercial solidifies that. It’s likely the first of many we’ll see for the S 5 in the coming months, so keep your eyes open. Hit the break …

Here’s something you probably didn’t know. When Lenovo purchased Motorola, they also announced a brand new convertible laptop. The Motorola acquisition was such huge news, though, that the new device completely fell through the cracks. Fast forward a few weeks, and the new ThinkPad 11e is going out for some tech sites to go hands on with it. The laptop will come in four different styles, depending on the OS you want on the device and if you’re interested in a touchscreen. You’ll be able to choose between a standard, non-touchscreen model, or a folding, Yoga-esque design with a touchscreen. Both of those models also come in two flavors for the operating system, so y…

Samsung and PayPal worked closely together to get payment support set up with the Galaxy S 5′s fingerprint scanner, and today PayPal officially announced fingerprint-based payments would be going live in 25 countries. The system uses a fingerprint to log into a user’s PayPal account where they can check and manage their balance as well as make mobile and online payments at any retailer that supports PayPal. On top of that handy new feature, PayPal has also announced there will be a PayPal app for the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit that lets you check your account balance and send and receive money through PayPal. To push adoption of this service, PayPal is giving …

Rounding out a trio of teardown’s by iFixit this week is an attempt to find out just what it inside the Samsung Gear Fit device. The team’s teardown revealed some tightly packed electronics inside the device along with some good news. Although it would take quite a bit of work, users could replace their own battery should the need arise. As iFixit discovered, the main body of the Gear Fit just pops out of the watch band, so we can expect to see aftermarket options start to appear to help people personalize their Gear fit. iFixit did discover that the only way to get to the inside of the Gear Fit is by removing the display. Considering displays are often the most often …

It can be difficult for an Android device to stand out in the crowded smartphone market. Without a unique feature or a killer set of specifications, consumers are going to stick with what they know, which is why the latest leak for what could be LG's next flagship phone is even more intriguing. My LG Cell Phones happened across a User Agent Profile on Sprint's website for an unannounced LG phone with model number LS990, and based on the specs, this could be the G3 we've been anticipating. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

The Heartbleed software bug caught the web by storm, affecting a huge number of websites and online services that are now hurrying to patch the security bug. Internet users have little they can do right now, aside from checking whether the websites they access on a regular basis are affected in any way – especially those sites where they have user accounts – and then changing their passwords for those sites once they have been patched. Changing a password now would not have any effect on a site that's still vulnerable to Heartbleed, as hackers would still be able to access passwords no matter how complex they'd be. With that said, however, people looking to set up stro…

DSTRUX is a brand new service that wants to make files even more secure when you share them on the Internet by offering total control on who gets to see them and by making it more difficult for recipients to duplicate the file without permission. This new cloud-based file-sharing product will also allow users to set up a self-destruct timer on shared files, so they’re automatically destroyed at a certain point in time. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Launch day for Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, has finally arrived. In order to ring in the new generation, Samsung has released another television commercial on its YouTube channel, highlighting a few features of the S5. First we're given a demonstration of the 16-megapixel camera, a major leap over its predecessor with the ability to record 4K video and auto focus about as quickly as you can get your phone pointed in the right direction. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

The odds are good that no one will be surprised to learn that the National Security Agency knew about the Heartbleed OpenSSL vulnerability that affected 66% of the entire Internet at the time of its discovery. The allegation that the NSA used the security hole itself to spy on targets might not be terribly shocking either. What is pretty surprising — and appalling — however, is the fact that Bloomberg is reporting the NSA knew about the huge vulnerability for "at least two years" and did nothing, leaving us all at risk. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Training material from HTC that was sent to thousands of retail sales reps has been revealed, and title of the document makes clear the message that HTC wanted to send. The title reads “Why the HTC One (M8) is better than the Samsung Galaxy S5″. According to HTC, there’s 5 things that make the all new One a better device, including things like the metal body, BoomSound speakers, duo camera, HTC Advantage, and Motion Launch Gestures. What do you think? Does the HTC One seem like a better device? Tell us your opinion in the comments! Source: HTCSource Come comment on this article: HTC training material shows why the One (M8) is better than the Galaxy S5 …

Apparently owning the biggest ebook brand isn’t enough for Amazon, who today acquired the biggest e-comic company, ComiXology. This is likely to expand its library of comics for Kindle. ComiXology also has a number of very popular Android comic book reading apps, and its Guided View technology allows users to easily read and flip through comics. This will likely be integrated into the Kindle at some point down the road. Details about the acquisition have yet to be released, and its expected that the deal will close in Q2 of this year. Hit the break for the press release! Amazon.com to Acquire comiXology SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apr. 10, 2014– (NASDAQ: AMZN)—A…

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!! Guides How to create perfect Video Highlights on the HTC One (M8) Apps Sonos just got a lot better today Amidst power struggle before Supreme Court, Aereo ready to release Chromecast support Cameras Nikon releases the Coolpix S810c, this time running Android 4.2.2 Carriers T-Mobile reduces LTE tablet pricing with Operation Tablet Freedom, free data too Verizon offers 1GB of bonus data for ta…

With the Samsung Galaxy S 5 launching in 125 different countries today Businessweek has released a report regarding the poor health conditions that workers at Samsung semiconductor plants are facing. The report tells a story of a girl named Hwang Yu-mi and her coworker Le Suk-yeong. Both ladies worked next to each other, day after day, on the same assembly line. Both developed the same aggressive form of Leukemia. Their deaths have been covered in-depth by Korean media and have also been picked up by western media. Businessweek’s takes it further by shedding light on Samsung and its quest to dominate the global markets. A “thinly veiled” movie about Hwang and the Kor…

An LG G3 User Agent Profile has appeared on Sprint’s web site. the UAP shows that the phone carries a model number of LS990 that adds weight that this is, in fact, the LG G3 — the LG G2 was the LS980 in North America. According to the file. The LG G3 will sport a quad-HD display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels on a rumored 5.5-inch display. The device will come with Android 4.4.2 and possibly a revamped Optimus UI. The UAP also suggests that the device will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 M8974A processor and 3GB of RAM. It’s also suggested that the phone will have a 13MP rear camera and a micro SD slot that will hold up to an extra 64GB of storage. The phone is…

Can iTunes stay relevant in the era of Pandora and Spotify? That's a key question that Apple is trying to answer as it mulls a major overhaul of its iconic digital music store that has seen revenues from music sales drop in recent years while streaming services have grown ever-more popular. MacRumors points us to a recent rumor posted by music blogger Robert Hutton, who says that Apple is planning to introduce 24-bit lossless audio files to the iTunes Store, which would vastly improve the sound quality of any songs you buy through it. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Are case manufactures already starting to crank out cases for the yet-to-be-released 5.5-inch version of the iPhone? Nowhereelse.fr has spotted a leaked picture posted on MobileFun.co.uk earlier this week that purportedly shows two different cases for Apple's two upcoming iPhone 6 models — one that would fit a phone with a display measuring 4.7 inches diagonally and another that measures 5.5 inches. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

New evidence from the second Apple vs Samsung U.S. patent lawsuit reveals that Samsung grossly misrepresented its Galaxy Tab sales when it first started selling Galaxy-branded Android tablets, Fortune reports. In early January 2011, a report from Strategy Analytics citing comments made to investors by a Samsung executive said that Samsung had shipped 2 million Galaxy Tabs in under six weeks. The report caused a big debate at the time over whether the number was accurate, and over whether or not those 2 million tablets were actually purchased by consumers. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

An interesting plot twist is playing out in the smartphone industry this year. In a scramble to identify new catalysts as smartphone sales growth continues to slow, Apple and Samsung will both seemingly make huge strategic shifts that aim to broaden the appeal of their high-end handsets. Apple, rumor has it, will launch two new smartphones in 2014 that both have larger displays. Numerous reports suggest that the company is planning an iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch screen, as well as an iPhone phablet with an even larger 5.5-inch display. Samsung, rumor has it, will launch a new premium smartphone that features a high-end metal housing and possibly other premium materials…

Microsoft has been rumored for quite some time to be working on a smaller Surface tablet, but the company has yet to make such plans official. However, Neowin says the tablet may be closer to launch than customers expect, with Microsoft now rumored to release it at some point in the second quarter of the year. According to the report, Microsoft’s Surface mini launch delay was intentional – a business decision – and not the result of Microsoft not being able to meet demand for Surface 2 and Surface mini tablets when it comes to production. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

For one day and one day only, Google Glass will be available for anyone in the United States to purchase. Initially, The Verge leaked Google’s plan to expand the Explorer Program with this promotion; therefore, Google made its plans official today rather than letting the news float around the internet. So Google has busted the doors wide open for absolutely anyone in the U.S. to gain access to Glass. On Tuesday, April 15, people can head over to this page and purchase Glass. The cost is $1500 in addition to applicable taxes. And you have the choice of shades and frames. The page will be ready for orders at 9am EST or 6am PST, and Google does not intend on taking each a…