Microsoft launches Windows Phone ad blitz with Jessica Alba, Gwen Stefani

In an attempt to use the power of celebrity endorsements to promote the Windows Phone, Microsoft has rolled out new ads featuring prominent women.

Taking an aggressive approach with the promotion of the Windows Phone platform, Microsoft has launched two new advertisements starring actress Jessica Alba and No Doubt musician Gwen Stefani. Airing during primetime television tonight on commercial breaks within ABC’s Modern Family and NBC’s The Voice as well as late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live, the two advertisements highlight different ways that the Windows Phone platform has changed their daily life. The 33-second spot with Jessica Alba features the Nokia Lumia 920 and is co-branded with AT&T. However, the 32-second Gwen Stefani advertisement features the 8X by HTC and splashes the Verizon Wireless logo on the screen.

During the Jessica Alba spot, Microsoft is attempting to promote the use of the Kid’s Corner feature since young children like to play games on their parent’s smartphones. Similar to Netflix’s Just for Kids section, Kids Corner on the Windows Phone acts as a parental filter.

After Kid’s Corner is launched, it’s impossible for a child to access text messages, emails or other important areas of the phone without a password. In addition, parents can populate the Kids Corner with approved applications such as entertaining games, learning programs or other fun apps for young children. Kids can also listen to approved music through the Kids Corner interface as well as personalize the background. 

Alternatively, Microsoft is trying to highlight the usefulness of the Windows Phone platform for busy working women during the Gwen Stefani ad. Since early adopters of smartphones tend to be both men and women these days, Microsoft is clearly going after the female demographic for the opening round of Windows Phone ads. Ads featuring male celebrities are in the works though. According to Ad Age, two more advertisements will follow later in November featuring Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg as well as Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/microsoft-rolls-out-windows-phone-ad-blitz-with-jessica-alba-gwen-stefani/

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Hands on: Asus Padfone 2 review

At a special Padfone 2 launch in Taipei today we managed to get some hands on time with Asus' second attempt at a smartphone/tablet pairing.

As was made clear during Asus CEO Jerry Shen's presentation, the company listened intently to the customer feedback on the original Padfone and has made some significant improvements for the device's second generation.

The phone itself is considerably lighter and sleeker than its older brother, measuring in at 9mm at it's thickest point and tapering to just 3mm at its tip.

Retaining the concentric circle patterned back of the original it feels elegant yet sturdy despite the lack of weight. The 4.7-inch screen is certainly a step up from it's predecessor, but somehow feels considerably smaller than the Galaxy S3's 4.8-inch offering than you might expect.

Slide to connect

The phone and the station combined weigh 649g, which is perfectly comfortable for a tablet, despite the additional weight of the phone.

Inserting the phone into the tablet is one of the places where Asus has made a considerable improvement.

Gone is the fold-back hatch that required the phone to be inserted sideways. Now the phone is inserted straight down into the top of the tablet, sliding in comfortably and providing a small vibration to indicate it has been inserted properly. It just as easily slides back out.

Those who remember almost snapping off the original Padfone station's hatch will recognise what an improvement this is.

The tablet dock is styled in a similar fashion to the phone, but when held side by side it lacks a little of the phone's refinement.

The concentric circles on the phone running out from the centered camera look fantastic, but this leaves the tablet wanting by comparison.

Battery life is a big feature for Asus, with Shen boasting that when the phone is docked in the tablet it has a 3G standby time of six weeks.

Without the tablet, Asus claims 3G talk time of 16 hours, browsing of 13 hours, video of nine hours and 3G standby of two weeks. And the Padfone's camera is impressive, offering 6fps for 100 continuous shots and 720p video recording at 60fps.

Early verdict

With the Padfone 2 Asus has presented a product that delivers on much of the unfulfilled promise of the original Padfone.

With pricing that is comparable to the entry level iPhone 5, consumers could well be tempted to pick up this alternative smartphone that is both handsome and can be converted into a tablet.

It's unlikely Padfone 2 will be a truly dominant force and it probably won't see Asus taking Apple and Samsung head on just yet, but the Padfone 2 does see Asus offering something unique and doing it with a good deal of style.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/asus-padfone-2-1104089/review

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Complimentary iPad use in McDonald’s will be the greasiest iPad of all

McDonald's is installing iPads for use in one of its Virginia Beach location. Cool idea, or Contagion-in-real-life in the making?

In an attempt to digitize its dining experience, a newly-opened McDonald’s in Hampton Roads, Virginia will now offer customers complimentary use of Apple iPads installed at various booths of its retail store. The iPads will be held up on white stands, one of which holds two devices back-to-back, so diners can check their Facebook profiles, play games, and even shop online while they’re munching away at their favorite fast food item. 

“It’s a great idea to stay relevant, especially to a new generation,” Hugh Fard, the iPad-equipped McDonald’s owner who opened the new location last week, told The Virginian-Pilot.  ”People like to multitask, so why not provide that element for them?”

Fard said he found the inspiration to add iPads to his restaurant from a recent McDonald’s convention in Florida, and found that McDonald’s stores in Europe had iPad offerings developed and installed by a French-based company. After months waiting for an approval from the American-based headquarters, Fard was able to successfully lease five iPads from the French company so in case the devices are stolen or damaged, the company will replace the tablets.

It’s an interesting way to keep customers in the store longer (despite the fast food nature of the restaurant), but American McDonald’s has yet to warm up to the idea on a national basis. Depending on how the iPad installation is received, it could be possible for McD’s to begin expanding the feature to other retailers across the states. If so, it could be certain McDonald’s will begin installing its own Web limitations on the iPad so customers are restricted to using family-friendly websites and apps while you’re under the golden arches.

But still, as if it isn’t gross enough to touch public bathroom door knobs, touchscreen ticket booths, and escalator handrails, swiping your hand all over an iPad that’s been fondled by fries-covered, McDouble-d fingertips may just change your mentality about tablets forever. 

What do you think of free iPad use in McDonald’s? A fun idea, or totally unnecessary?

Image Credit: The Virginia-Pilot

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/free-ipad-use-in-virginia-mcdonalds/

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Nokia offers free streaming music for Lumia owners with Nokia Music

Nokia Music is Nokia's second attempt with launching a free music streaming service, this time offering curated playlists and zero cost of entry for Lumia owners.

Nokia has been building hype around its Nokia 920 and 820 debuts tomorrow at Nokia World. To add to the flames, Nokia has announced that it will be launching a playlist-style, free music streaming service in the United States.

This won’t be its first foray into tunes: Nokia once boasted a now defunct music streaming service, Ovi Music Unlimited. The service had the support of music from EMI, Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Music, and with the purchase of select Nokia smartphones, owners were offered a free 12-month subscription to the service. Unfortunately for Nokia, with Spotify, Pandora and other streaming services, Ovi Music Unlimited never took off.

The new steaming music service, Nokia Music, will be made available completely free of charge for its users, and can be downloaded onto the Nokia 900 and 710 from Marketplace. It will be absent of subscriptions and registrations and users won’t find a hint of advertising on the service. Other music streaming services typically require users to pay a small fee to rid of the advertising. In addition to these perks, users can listen to music offline.

There’s even a geolocation feature that has been integrated into the service. Based on a user’s current location, the platform will discover live concerts, gigs and other shows that are happening around their position.

“The USA is the most vibrant and competitive digital music market in the world — by a wide margin. We have worked extra hard to ensure our service meets the expectations of the demanding, active and inspired music fans in the USA,” Jyrki Rosenberg, VP of Entertainment at Nokia, said in a statement.

The service has its limits however. Most notably, users will not be able to select specific artists, or songs. Instead, Nokia Music users will have to resort to listening to music from among the 150 playlists that are curated by Nokia’s expert music staffers in the United States and musicians like Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga and Rhianna. 

Nokia has a lot riding on the success of its smartphone business. The Nokia 900 phone, its first Windows Phone, wasn’t exactly the smashing success Nokia expected and needed. Now with its stock prices dropping into penny-stock territory, much of its future in the smartphone business is rides on the success of the 920 and 820. Whether incentives like Nokia Music will lure Android iPhone users to these new devices remains to be seen. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nokia-music-launches/

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