Business News Holding

Author: Antony Maina

You can now store up to 50,000 songs with Google Play Music

Google is now offering an additional space to accommodate 30,000 more songs and that is on top of the already subscribed for 20,000 song capacity. This is a free upgrade that is available to all Google Play Music subscribers. You can easily subscribe to the service by following the steps here and that is if you are not a member yet.

In case you want to listen to the music offline, then you can download your music to an iPad, iPhone or Android device. You can also access all your music via a computer on the web and the great thing about the service is that even when you upgrade to a new phone or computer, you will still be able to access all your stored music.

Though trends are showing a significant shift from downloading of music (moving towards streaming), there is a population that is unwilling to let go of their massive music collection and these are some of the people that Google is hoping to attract.

For easy use of the service it is best you use Chrome as it is already optimized for the service.

March 19, 2015
Motorola Releases Moto E 2nd. Gen. Budget Smartphone

In recent years, Motorola has taken up making of budget smartphones that are still as good as many other smartphone out there. In 2014, the Chinese-owned company released the Moto E smartphone. The Moto E has enjoyed so much success and this has of course led to the release of the improved Moto E version with 4G capabilities.

The new smartphone features 4.5 inches display, a 5 megapixel camera, and a front facing camera with autofocus. Moto E runs on Android 5 Lollipop and unlike other manufacturers, like Samsung, that modify the operating system, Motorola uses the Android system as it is.

Seang Chau, a software engineer at Motorola, believes that there is no reason to modify the system by slowing it down. Chau also believes that leaving the software in its original state allows for quick updating of the software.

The phone weighs only 145 grams and comes with a non-removable battery. It also comes with 8 or 16 GB storage capacity. You can also find the MicroSD card slot under the colored band that is also removeable and customiseable.

According to the Motorola, the phone can last a whole day when well charged. Moto E is also water and scratch resistant.

The phone was recently released in UK and costs £109, which is an increase from its predecessor’s price that was going for under £90. The increased price may or may not affect its sales volume as this directly depends on whether the budget-conscious consumers will opt for budget phones from other manufacturers, or not.

March 16, 2015
Vodafone and Dropbox Team up on Cloud Storage

Vodafone and Dropbox are partnering to provide the telco’s Android and iPhone users with free cloud storage for a year.

Starting this month, new Vodafone users will have 25 GB of cloud storage space on Dropbox. This service will be available to Vodafone’s Android and iPhone users. A majority of Vodafone’s Android phones will come preloaded with the Dropbbox app.

What’s the implication? Well, Vodafone users can now count on extra space that can also make switching over to a new phone a much easier process as all you have to do is save all your videos, photos, and all your files on your old phone to Dropbox and then just sign in to your Dropbox app in your new phone and all your files will be there waiting for you.

Vodafone also said that it will use Dropbox as its platform for its Backup+ service that allows Vodafone users to backup messages, multimedia content, and contacts on the cloud. The Backup+ service will start rolling out by the end of March, 2015 and will be ready for use over the coming months.

The partnership between Dropbox and Vodafone is not entirely a new concept as just last year around October 02 entered a partnership with Box to resell the cloud storage service to SMEs.

March 12, 2015
Apple Watch Full Specification, Availability and Prices Announced
We’ve all been waiting for the launch of the Apple Watch since September, and just a few weeks before it hits the retail stores, Apple has released its full specifications together with its prices.

The Apple Watch is the newest device to be added to the Apple family. According to Apple, the watch is designed to cater to a variety of personal styles and preferences since they believe that what you wear is an expression of who you are. That said, you can get the watch in a variety of designs and they include: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition.

Looking to get fit?

The Apple Watch is your comprehensive fitness companion as it will allow you to measure your day’s activity with a simple 3-ring graphic. The watch will tell you exactly what you need to do so as to keep fit. For instance, sit less and move more often blah blah… The watch will also suggest at the beginning of the week what you need to do more so as to achieve your fitness goals.

Other than time-keeping, fitness, and being your smart partner, the watch also hosts lots of great apps. The Apple Watch app is now available on iOS 8.2 for download. This is how you connect the watch to the phone. With this app you can choose what notifications you want to receive.

What about the battery?

Well, Apple has used state-of-the-art battery that is able to last up to 18 hours on a typical day. Charging the watch is a breeze, you will only need to attach a magnetic charger at the back.

Availability

Apple says that the Watch will be available for pre-order starting 10^th of April, 2015. It will also start shipping on the 24^th of April and will at first be available to a select few countries US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Hong Kong, China, Germany, and Japan, with more to follow.

Prices

The Watches will all sell at different prices with the cheapest being the Apple Watch Sport (tailored for athletes) and it will start selling at $349.

The more fashionable stainless steel Apple Watch will cost between $549 and $1,040 for the smaller version and between $599 and $1,099 for the larger version.

The price range for each will depend on the band. The 18-karat Apple Watch Edition is the most expensive of all starting at $10,000.

Other Products/News
- Welcome HBO NOW for Apple TV
With Apple TV you can now get all the best programs from the best provides, HBO included. With HBO NOW you do not need to have a satellite or cable subscription as you can now watch all on Apple TV. This service will be exclusively available in the U.S. only starting April. It is set to cost $14.99 a month.

Read more about HBO NOW on Apple TV.
- The thinnest MacBook yet released
Apple has also announced a new MacBook laptop that weighs just 2 pounds and 13.1mm at its thickest point and according to Philip Schiller (Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing) says that this is the thinnest MacBook that Apple has ever created.

The MacBook is fitted with a trackpad with sensors that will detect just how hard you are pressing. For example, a soft-click on the forward button on a video will forward the video slower and a hard click will forward it faster.

The MacBook also comes with a revolutionary new port – the USB-C that allows you to do 5 things in one! For instance, you can use the port for hooking up a USB device, plug a video monitor, or use it for charging.

The MacBook like the new iPhones is available in dark gray, silver, and gold and it will retail at $1,299 and shipping starts on April 10.
March 10, 2015
Alibaba looks set to Launch its Cloud Services in the U.S.

The Chinese commerce firm Alibaba is keen on launching its cloud computing services in the U.S. and this became clear after they announced the establishment of a data center in Silicon Valley.

The Silicon Valley data center (location still unknown for security reasons) is Alibaba’s first center outside China. The Chinese giant claims to have more than 1.4 million cloud services customers in China and its expansion to the U.S. is in line with its plan to expand to Southeast Asia and into Europe before the end of the year.

Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services are among the leading cloud players in the United States and it will be interesting to see how Aliyun (an Alibaba development) will thrive since they are going to offer similar services as the aforementioned giants.

Some of the notable services that they are keen on offering include data processing and cloud storage, load-balancing for companies running websites, data security, and a virtual serve.

Aliyun is yet to announce its prices but they said that their services will be “cost effective”. They also added that there first target will be Chinese companies with American business interests, but they will later develop and ramp up their services to appeal to international companies as well by the end of the year.

March 6, 2015
BlackBerry Leap 5-inch Touchscreen Smartphone Released at MWC 2015

It is now clear that BlackBerry, the company that is synonymous with physical keyboard phones, has not completely trashed the idea of a full touchscreen phones.

The new 5-inch BlackBerry Leap smartphone was announced at the Mobile World Congress on Tuesday.

The Leap is BlackBerry’s first full touchscreen smartphone to be released this year. The last one to be released was the BlackBerry Z3 that was launched in February last year.

Apart from the 5-inch display, this phone also boasts 16GB storage, 8MP camera, 2GB RAM, and a 1.5GHZ processor.

Other impressive feature is the 2,800mAh battery that can power the phone for up to 25 hours and tight security features that include malware protection, encryption support, and the ability to wipe, back-up, and restore data.

Even with this new release, BlackBerry’s list of smartphones and devices is a little thin and even the company President of Devices Ron Louks knows that and so they teased a few more phones that are not yet available for release.

Among the most interesting is the unnamed slider phone that is said to be curved with a slide-out keyboard. Louks went ahead to say that the company is keen on launching 5 new devices this year.

The BlackBerry Leap is set to go for $275.

Also read: Australia’s smartwatch market to exceed $400M by 2018

March 4, 2015
Hike Messaging App to Offer Free Voice Calling Provided by Zip Phone

Hike has spread its wings in the messaging app market. The Indian messaging app company has acquired Zip Phone, a US based VoIP service provider. This is a big deal for the company as the CEO explained that Hike users have been requesting the free calls service technology. Hike and Zip phone have not disclosed any financial details so far.

Hike’s CEO said that “Zip phone’s technology will allow us to bring free voice calling to the market much faster. Incidentally, this is one of the top requested features from our users as well.” Hike plans to incorporate this feature in its messaging app.

Even with the over 35 million users, Hike hopes that more smartphone users will start using the app. Zip is accessible to many people as its available for both iOS and Android platforms and it uses Wi-Fi network to enable phone call.

Anuj Jain, the CEO for Zip Phone commented on the deal saying, “As a start up enthusiasts, I had been keeping a close eye on hike and its developments and I am excited to now be part of one of the biggest and fastest growing startups in the Indian internet space and finally, building for India.”

With over 90% user base from India, Hike claims it handles over 10 billion messages every month. The company claims that that last year it raised $65 million through funding led by Tiger Global.

Though the company is doing well mostly in its place of origin, it needs to gain a worldwide user base so as to compete with other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Line, and WeChat. The acquisition of the new app could help it get more subscribers worldwide.

February 5, 2015
Seagate’s New Inexpensive Cloud Storage Favors Small Businesses

Google Drive, One Drive, or Dropbox have all become popular with cloud storage but there is a new wave blowing – that of personal cloud data storage and to this end Seagate has stepped in to provide Personal Cloud service.

The storage giant showcased its new Iaas, Infrastructure-as-a-Service products at the CES 2015. According to Seagate, their aim is to provide storage services to individuals who wish to access music, photos, and videos anytime anywhere and they will be able to do so using their phones and tablets. Small businesses can also benefit from the service as they are able to securely store, retrieve and share data stored on the personal cloud drive.

Small businesses are bound to benefit from this service more than individual customers. Why so? For starters, the storage space. The personal cloud line offers 3-5 terabytes while the personal cloud 2 bay line gives 4, 6, and 8 TB.

Here is another reason, for security reasons. Personal cloud 2 bay can be set up in RAID( Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) 1 mode or better yet, it is possible to use all storage for file storage.

The device is compatible with the Apple Time Machine and continously and automatically backs up windows and mac. Apart fom the storage devices being NAS, they can also compliment public cloud service when configured. Better yet, they can automatically back up to the popular providers like HiDrive, DropBox, Amazon S3, Baidu, Box, and Yandex disk. The device has an option where it can be synced to Google Drive, Baidu and DropBox.

Additional apps can be installed as the device has a built-in app manager. BitTorrent Sync, ElephantDrive and WordPress can all be installed. Also, the software development kit enables third-party developers to come up with their own services or to intergrate such with web based and other cloud services.

This service is benefitial to individuals but more benefitial to small businesses. Considering businesses are out to reduce their cost, this would work well for them as its inexpensive.`

January 26, 2015
Samsung Galaxy A7 Smartphone for Social Network Lovers

Samsung’s newest phone, the Galaxy A7, stands out in 2 ways; its is the most thin phone of all its Galaxy A collections and a lot of emphasis has also been put on social networking. For a while now, there has been many rumors on its release that its actual realease doesnt feel so new.

The Galaxy A7 is the thinnest but it shares some of its qualities with other A series phone. For example, both the Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3 feature the same kind of metallic unibody as the Galaxy A7.

Other features include a 260mAh battery, 5.5 inch 1080p saMOLED display, a slot for a microSD card of up to 64GB, 16GB storage, and a 2GB RAM. The main camera has LED light, autofocus and 13 megapixels while the front has 5 megapixels and a sensor.

Buyers can also choose between 2 sim cards and 1 sim card phone. The 1 sim card phone has 32-bit Exynos 5430 processor while the double sim features a 64-bit snapdragon 615 octa-core processor. Currently, the phone uses the Android 4.4 KitKat but this is expected to change soon after the launch of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

What makes the Galaxy A7 good for social networking? To start with, the phone has an “auto selfie” setting on the front camera. It also has gesture and voice command features which come in handy when taking pictures.

Another feaure is the “ultra wide Shot”. For people that like sharing their pictures on social media, the LTE 4G makes it so easy and fast to browse and share.

Galaxy A7 is expected to retail at about $600 and will be available in selected markets for the first quarter of 2015.

January 21, 2015
Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals in Electronics
Black Friday is here and it comes with awesome deals. If you’ve been looking for a way to cut right through the mess and to the best deals then you’ve come to the right place. You need to keep in mind that Black Friday deals won’t be up for long and some of them are actually limited to Friday. This means that you have to be quick and aggressive so as to bag the best deals. That said, here are our top 10 Black Friday electronics deals this year.
- Sony 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV – $1498.00 (50% off)
Enhance your TV watching experience with the Sony XBR55X850B 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV. This new TV features 120Hz refresh rate, LED backlight, smart functions such as Internet browser, Twitter, Skype, 3 USB, 4 HDMI and MHL. The TV also comes with various accessories including two 3D glasses, IR blaster, a remote, and touchpad remote control.

It retails at $1,498.00 and you get to save 50% off the original price.
- Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone – $49.99 (62% off)
The Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone is a revolutionary car speakerphone with crisp and rich sound from 3 speakers and a virtual surround sound. You can use it to take and make calls completely hands-free, and it will even announce the name of the caller. It also features A2DP streaming for music playback and GPS directions. The FM transmitter sends calls and music from your mobile phone to the car radio. It also comes with noise reduction technology and advanced multiuse for Bluetooth connections.

Get 62% off and buy it for only $49.99.
- Optoma Projector with HDMI – $899.00 (64% off)
Get 64% off the Optoma HD25-LV Projector with HDMI, which delivers high-quality and high-resolution home theatre experience. It features sharp and visually stunning image quality thanks to its use of the 1080p resolution. It also comes with full 3D compatibility and in-built SRS WOW HD Surround Sound for exceptional sound quality and rich deep bass.

This projector retails at $899.00.
- Samsung 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED TV – $797.99 (43% 0ff)
The Samsung UN55H6350 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz is one of a kind smart LED TV. It features a minimalist design and offers top-of-the-class smart TV suite with more content than most TVs. This TV also comes with out-of-this-world picture quality with excellent processing, accurate color, and nice-bright-room.

This TV was previously selling at $1,399.99, but with the 43% discount you can now own it for $797.99.
- Bose Digital Home Theater Speaker System – 345.95 (42% off)
This Black Friday you can save up to 42% off this beautifully crafted and high-quality Bose CineMate GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System. This 2.1-channel speaker has been specifically designed to enhance audio from video sources, including your TV. The home theater features a simplified setup that makes connections a breeze. It also features improved digital acoustic and gemstone speakers.

This home theater system retails at $349.95.
- Seiki 39-Inch 720p 60Hz LED TV – $209.99 (58% off)
You get to save 58% when you purchase this 39-inch Seiki SE39HE02 720p LED TV. This TV comes with 60Hz refresh rate, Edge-Lit LED backlight, 1 VGA, 3 HDMI, and 1 USB. The TV dimensions without the stand are 34.78” x 21.52” x 9.78” while with stand it is 34.78” x 20.21″ x 2.87”.

This is a great TV to own and it retails at $209.99.
- Infinity Three-way dual 6-1/2-Inch Speaker – $179.40 (46% off)
Get up to 70% off on the Infinity Primus Three-way dual 6-1/2-Inch Speaker. This high-quality speaker allows you to experience home entertainment at a new level of realism and clarity, featuring 5-way binding posts, MMD hi-frequency, mid-range, and low-frequency drivers. With the low resonance enclosures and Primus P363BK’s Metal Matrix Diaphragm technology you can now hear the music exactly the way it was recorded without any alterations.

This speaker is retailing at $179.40.
- Samsung Blu-Ray Disc Player – $47.99 (52% off)
Multiply your entertainment with the Samsung BD-H5100 Blu-Ray Disc Player. This new player comes with HD Upconversion and improved picture quality. You can also use it to stream shows and movies with instant access to entertainment thanks to its myriad of in-built apps.

This disc player retails at $47.99 and thus saves you 52% off the original price.
- VIZIO 60-inch 1080p Smart LED TV – $1049.99 (48% off)
Save up to 48% off with the VIZIO M602i-B3 60-inch 1080p Smart LED TV. This is not your normal TV as if features Full-Array LED backlight that helps with the distribution of LED light behind the entire screen, which helps in delivering superior picture performance and light uniformity. The TV also comes with VIZIO Internet Apps Plus that allows you to instantly enjoy the latest TV shows, hit movies, and music. Other functions that you will absolutely love include active pixel tuning, clear 720 action, and 32 active LED zones.

It retails at $998.00.
- Panasonic Smart Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray Player – $54.99 (58% off)
Save 58% off the original price with the Panasonic DMP-BDT225 Smart Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray Player. This is a true smart device with web browsing capability, miracast that allows you to share and see smartphone content, fast loading of Blu-ray discs and in-built Wi-Fi.

This device retails at $54.99.
November 28, 2014