Deals of the Week Thursday

Hi Guys!

Let’s have a nice little look-see at what kind of deals we dug up for you this week.

* This isn’t such a big tech deal, but Sam’s Club do sell tech, and it’s a good deal, so we thought we’d throw it in on top! Groupon is offering 1-Year Sam’s Club Plus Membership + $20 Sam’s Club Gift Card + $22.94 Fresh Food Value Coupon (New Customers Only) for only $45. Get on it!

*Get your mitts on some Sony Over-the-Ear Bluetooth and Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black or Blue; MDR-ZX770BN/B) for just $149.99 with free in-store pickup from Best Buy. 

* Grab a 13 inch MacBook Pro early 2015 model 128 GB for $1099.99 – down to $989 with the Best Buy Movers Coupon from Best Buy. 

* 70-80% Off Spigen Cases for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+ at Amazon.  Search Spigen and then use Coupon Code SPSPIG70 or SPSPIG80 to bring the prices down to as low as $3.20!

*Get 50% off some Apple products in-store at Radioshack! See -Magic mouse 34.99, Apple wireless keyboard 34.99, Magic trackpad 34.99, Regular keyboard 29.99. Check here to see if your local Radioshack has these items still in stock.

*Look at this sweeet deal! Get $100 off any iPad Air 2 or iPad Mini 3 at Staples in-store with coupon code 68428. Expires April 25, 2015 ( Find coupon here down the bottom right of the page, and check out the other coupons there while you’re at it!)

*Through Amazon, trade in select PlayStation 3 and Xbox consoles and bundles to get: Up to $140 trade-in value for the Xbox 360 or PS3 consoles and bundles and up to $275 trade-in value for Xbox One consoles and bundles. Get an $80 bonus discount applicable towards the purchase of select PlayStation 4 bundles from Amazon. Combined with the trade-in value that is a total of $150-$350 toward a PlayStation 4.

*Get a super rad Hello Kitty Kids’ Snap n’ Share 2.1-Megapixel Digital Camera for just $9.97 from Walmart. Did we say super rad yet?

* Get 10% off site-wide at TechRabbit via coupon code “TRLAUNCH10”.

*Finally, get iColorama S – Photo Editor and Brush Painter for iOS for FREE from the App Store for a limited time.

1, 2, 3, Dealhunters…..GO!

What will OS X 10.11 be called?

At the World Wide Developers conference, held at the Moscone centre in San Francisco June 8-14 this year, we can expect an update to the MAC OS – OS X 10.11.

Previous to 2013 Apple had named their operating systems after big cats – see below.

OS X 10 – Cheetah (2001)

OS X 10.1 – Puma

OS X 10.2 – Jaguar

OS X 10.3 – Panther

OS X 10.4 – Tiger

OS X 10.5 – Leopard

OS X 10.6 – Snow Leopard

OS X 10.7 – Lion

OS X 10.8 – Mountain Lion

In 2013, Apple decided a different naming system was necessary (and better for the brand who wanted to uphold the idea of Apple being an American Company) and decided that Californian Landmarks would be the way of the name for the future of OS, beginning with OS X Mavericks, which is a surfing break south of San Francisco.

They continued with OS X Yosemite last year, so what do you think they’ll be going with this year for OS X 10.11?

Here are some of the names Apple has Trademarked:

Redwood, Mammoth, California, Big Sur, Pacific, Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, El Cap, Redtail, Condor, Grizzly, Farallon, Tiburon, Monterey, Skyline, Shasta, Sierra, Mojave, Sequoia, Ventura, and Sonoma.

What do you think they’ll pick? What would you pick? If iPhone Antidote were Apple, you’d be looking at the 2015 Apple Operating System OS X Sierra. And everyone would get a free 6 pack of Sierra Nevada. BOOM!

Apple Watch shipments processing!

Apple Watch orders have begun appearing as ‘preparing for shipment’ and purchasers credit/debit cards are being processed as of yesterday mid-afternoon PST.

This is in preparation for the official launch date of the Apple Watch on April 24th. (Cue streamers.)

Those quick-handed enough to pre-order within the first hour have an official shipment date of anywhere between Friday April 24th through May 8th, however many who were quick-handed enough to order within the first 5-10 minutes should expect shipment on Friday.

Those who waited to pre-order should expect their magical package of Apple joy in the mail in the coming weeks, and if you pre-order today, your shipment time is looking to extend into June and further.

There have been suggestions that the shipping wait time will be shorter than people think, which would definitely be a come up! 

Apple Watch orders will ship out from central distribution centers via Fedex and UPS. And, just to put this out there – there have been reports of people getting notification from UPS that a package from Apple is on it’s way ALREADY HOLY MOLY.

Did you pre-order? Has your order changed to processing shipment yet?

Get more money for your iPhone!!

Did the Taxman take more money than you were expecting this April 15th? Got some bills to pay or clothes to buy or beers to drink?

WE CAN TOTALLY HELP YOU OUT!

Send us your old, broken, stinky, water damaged, used (or brand new- hey we like shiny things too!) iPhone and we’ll put money in your hot little hands in no time!

Here’s what you do:

Get a quote here. We will never change your quote based on condition!

Choose how you want to get your CASHMONEY (Check, Paypal or Bitcoin because we’re fancy like that)

Choose to either: receive a prepaid mailer box, slip your phone in and send it back to us, OR receive a prepaid label that you can stick on any ‘ol box and ship it off.

THEN YOU GET PAID! That’s the best part.

We pride ourselves on our safe, easy and super quick high payouts! We’d really like to make your day by recycling your stinky old iPhone for cash!

Samsung and Apple working happily together? Whaaa?

So…. you know how Apple and Samsung have spend oodles of time and money in court fighting each other basically since time began? Yeah? You also probably know that Samsung make the chips that are used in iPhones, and how that’s a little bit weird considering the aforementioned fact?

Well it seems like perhaps the tech giants are moving into a somewhat friendlier period in their arch nemesis relations, as Samsung has reportedly created a stand-alone team of around 200 employees who will be working exclusively on Apple products.

It makes sense from a money making point of view. Samsung makes money from both Samsung and Apple products, and Apple has too much cash to care about anything except making the product good and protecting the brand.

So this means that we’re all just going to get along, right? Someone should tell the two guys that just got into a ‘Apple versus Android’ stabbing fight in Tulsa. A drunken stabbing fight with broken bottles… over which mobile phone was better.

Um… Seriously guys, probly time to cool it.

Wanna have lunch with Tim Cook?

Are you looking for a good cause to support as well as the opportunity to chow down on some nosh with Apple CEO Tim Cook?

This is for you! Making it a regular annual thing, Cook is auctioning off his lunch-time company as well as 2 VIP passes to an Apple keynote event through a company called CharityBuzz . The lunch can be for 1 or 2 people and will last about an hour. You won’t have to buy the food – but getting there is up to your good charitable self.

Join me for lunch (and a keynote!) and help a great cause. @RFKHumanRights is working toward a more just world. https://t.co/QxaKne4itb

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 15, 2015

Going by the past 2 years it might be a bit of an expensive lunch, with a coffee meeting in 2013 selling for $610,000 and a lunch meeting in 2014 that sold for $330,001.

But here’s why you do it (other than Timmy Cook) -proceeds from the auction will benefit the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, a charity that aims to achieve a “just and peaceful world by partnering with human rights leaders, teaching social justice and advancing corporate responsibility.”

You can bid on the auction here, and it ends on May 6th, 2015. The current bid is $165,000.

Good luck!!

Social Media study: which one is winning with teens?

So, do you Facebook? Instagram? Tweet? Snapchat? Telephone? Write letters?

Well, kudos for you if it’s the last one, it’s almost a lost art, but today we’re talking more social than artistic media and the popularity contest that is after the trendsetting teenager vote.

Piper Jaffray recently conducted a survey of how important various social media companies are in teenagers lives.

Facebook is not doing so well with the kids these days, but Instagram? They’re on fleek. (Did we use that right?)

The company surveyed an (admittedly rather small) sample of 6200 teenagers with the average age of 16. 25% of the respondents worked part time. This was all part of the “Taking stock with Teens survey” which is conducted twice a year focusing on teen spending and brand preference, and which is used by high up executives to know what’s cool and what’s not, and by investors to know what’s worthwhile investing in- and what’s not (anymore).

Piper Jaffray / Via piperjaffray.com

Even though Facebook looks like it’s slumping – it’s not all bad news for the OG. According to another study released last week by the Pew Research center, among people aged 13-17, 71% use Facebook, 52% use Instagram and 41% use Snapchat.

Deals of the Week Friday!

Hi!!

Here’s some deals comin’ at your FACE~

* Got an Android lover in your life? Get them a Motorola Moto 360 Smart Watch for Android Devices with Leather Strap for just $179 PLUS Free Shipping from Amazon.

*Get a EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Refurbished lens for just $530.78  with free Shipping AND a 1 Yr Canon USA warranty. Normally this lens used would go for $600, but this is refurbished direct from canon and comes with a 1 year warranty. Check it out!

*Get a $25 Prepaid Visa or $20 Amazon/iTunes card for test driving a Subaru! Go here to see where it’s available near you. Select new inventory in the header tab, choose Forester in the left side bar under MODELS (possibly Outback if Forester doesn’t work). Its a pop up ad so disable your blocker if you have it on.

*Grab a $75 eBay Gift Card for just $72 with free Shipping from Ebay ( duh.)

* Get a RCA LED 55″ 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (55G55R120Q) for just $459.99 from Walmart, saving $240 big ones. Free shipping or in-store pickup.

* Got some fresh jams to listen to? Check out the Monoprice Premium Bluetooth Over-the-Ear Headphones with Microphone in Black. Use coupon code “DN5OFF” to get them for $19.98.  They can be paired with your phone as a hands-free device and feature a 30-foot range and automatic pause function. Deal ends April 20. From iTech Deals.

*Snap Happy? Get an Olympus PEN E-PL5 16.1-Megapixel Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera, model no. V205041WU000, bundled with the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R Lens in White for $279 with free shipping. From BuyDig.

*Sears offers the GE Power PRO Series X450 16-Megapixel Digital Camera in Black, model no. X450-BK, for $49.98. $6.50 shipping fee, or free to pick up instore. From Sears. Hella good deal yo!

* T-Mobile offers two lines on its Simple Choice Plan, which includes unlimited talk and text, bundled with Unlimited 4G LTE Data and a Rhapsody unRadio Subscription for $100 per month. (Select two lines and the unlimited data options for each line; price shows during checkout. Additional lines can be added for $40 each.)

Note: Existing customers can get this deal by changing their plan to the “Simple Choice Unlimited 4G LTE Family Plan”. (Sign in to your account and click “Plan” and then “Change Plan”.) All lines on your plan must have unlimited 4G LTE to get the promotional price. Check it out! 

* Get your paws on an Apple iPad Mini 2nd Gen 32GB Retina Display Dual-Core 4G GSM Unlocked + WiFi – Refurbished for $250 with free Shipping from eBay.

Happy Weekend everyone!!!

ResearchKit given to developers

Apple excited many when they announced ‘ResearchKit’ at their recent special media event, and now the crowd-sourced medical research software has been made available for developers and medical researchers around the world.

The software allows users to send their medical data to researchers, giving them for the first time a massive amount of important data to analyze in their efforts to eradicate disease and improve health on a grand scale. Since it was announced, 60,000 people have sent their data to research facilities such as Stanford and UCLA for the 5 medical apps that were in ResearchKit from the get go: asthma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

ResearchKit apps use iPhone sensors such as the accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and GPS to track a user’s activity levels, motor impairments, memory and more. The research apps, available on the App Store in the United States, are compatible with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and fifth-generation iPod touch.

ResearchKit is now, as of yesterday, open source, which means anyone can design apps and conduct studies using the software and available data. Apple have created a blog on ResearchKit on Github, that will provide researchers and engineers all over the world with a simple forum for sharing tips on how to take advantage of the ResearchKit framework.

From the sauce, Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations:

 
“We are delighted and encouraged by the response to ResearchKit from the medical and research community and the participants contributing to medical research. Studies that historically attracted a few hundred participants are now attracting participants in the tens of thousands. Medical researchers all over the world are actively exploring how ResearchKit can help them study even more diseases, and we believe the impact on global understanding of health and wellness will be profound.”

Apple has said that they will be introducing the open source medical framework in other countries soon.

WWDC dates confirmed!

Apple today confirmed the dates for this years Worldwide Developers Conference, set to commence June 8th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Although Apple is always pretty vague with what the focus of each WWDC will be, all guesstimates point towards iOS 9 and OS X 10.11.

From the Sauce- Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing:

“The App Store ignited an app ecosystem that is simply amazing, forever changing the lives of customers and creating millions of jobs worldwide,” said Philip Schiller, . “We’ve got incredible new technologies for iOS and OS X to share with developers at WWDC and around the world, and can’t wait to see the next generation of apps they create.”

Developers will flock to the 5 day show to take part in technical sessions, hands on labs, awards, and to attend the all-important key-note run by Tim Cook, CEO. In order to do so, they must apply for tickets in a lottery based system.

Are you a developer? You can apply here, beginning today until April 17th at 10:00AM PT, however you must have signed up to the iOS Developer Program, iOS Developer Enterprise Program or Mac Developer Program as of the WWDC 2015 announcement on April 14 at 5:30 AM PT to be eligible for a chance at tickets.

THEN, if you’re selected, you’ll be told by April 20 at 5:00PM. The tickets will cost $1599, but presumably are well worth their weight in clams. WWDC Scholarships are also available to students and members of participating STEM organizations around the world.

Apple will be streaming several WWDC sessions live for developers that are unable to attend, and the Keynote should be live streamed on the Apple Website and on Apple TV.

Other than updates to the operating systems, Apple is expected to announce the new Apple TV, the revamped Beats Music streaming service, and possibly the new iPhone updates.

Do you think anything amazing will be announced at WWDC? Or do you think they’ve used up all their 2015 allotment of amazingness with the Apple Watch?

Also important to note: Apparently selfie sticks are banned at the Moscone center. *gasp*