Twitter on your Windows Phone might be racking up data usage

Windows Phone hits a data usage snag - and it's not even its fault.

Microsoft has confirmed that the Twitter client on its People hub might be causing some Windows Phones to re-download contact profile images over and over again, leading to a data drain.

The Verge, who reported the issue to Microsoft, is suggesting that the problem may be caused on Twitter's back-end.

Twitter is currently moving all profile pictures on to another server, and changes being made by the social media giant may have triggered the issue.

The drain is dependent on how many contacts you have on the Twitter client within the hub, with users reporting data usage amounts attributed to the hub to be about 530MB, while others have said 412MB over 30 days.

Temp fix

It is not known how long this issue has been occurring for, nor why it is only effecting some users and not others – or exactly which Windows Phone devices.

Luckily, Microsoft does have a fix, though it is temporary as company works on a permanent fix. This may take longer as it is being caused by a change made by Twitter change, which Microsoft will need to work around.

Microsoft's temp fix is to only have the hub sync to Twitter only once a day to reduce the data impact on users.

You can also just unlink your Twitter account from the People hub until Twitter has finished its server migration or Microsoft rolls out a better fix.

• Despite this problem, the new Nokia Lumia 1520 is still worth a look.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/twitter-on-your-windows-phone-might-racking-up-data-usage-1193536

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Samsung posts record profits in its latest earnings report

Samsung released its Q3 2013 earnings report. As expected, the Korean giant posted record-shattering profits which slightly exceeded the guidance from earlier this month.

Samsung posted consolidated operating profit of 10.16 trillion won (approximately $9.56 billion) from a 59.08 trillion won (roughly $55.59 billion) of revenue. Samsung’s profits came in 7% higher than the previous quarter and an impressive 26% more than the same period last year.

Unsurprisingly, the mobile division chipped in significantly to the profits. Its growth was driven by increased sales of mass-market, lower-cost models. High-end devices’ shipments have remained at similar level with the previous quarter.

Samsung tablets have done well over the past quarter as well. Their shipments have increased sharply thanks to expanded product lineups.

Samsung’s next quarter outlook for its mobile division is upbeat. The company expects steady growth for both smartphones and tablets thanks to increased demand during the holiday season.

You can see the full breakdown of Samsung’s financial performance by hitting the source link below.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_posts_record_profits_in_its_latest_earnings_report-news-7049.php

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New Sony Xperia phones, including 8-core monster, could debut Nov. 12

How many Xperia Z1 successors are there?

Word came yesterday that Sony is planning a Nov. 12 event in Shanghai where it will debut not one, but two new Xperia phones.

First there's something called the Xperia Z1S, according to Chinese site Digi-Wo.

As the name suggests, the Z1S will likely be a spin-off of the Xperia Z1, similar to the Xperia Z1 Mini, as Sony apparently continues to follow in Samsung's footsteps.

The Z1S will reportedly be the new flagship, with a 4.3-inch 720p display and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip.

More importantly

The other new device rumored for the Nov. 12 event is something being called the Sony Xperia "Tianchi," and it's a whole lot more interesting.

The Tianchi will reportedly be aimed at budget-minded consumers, but will nevertheless sport an eight-core processor.

That's because that eight-core chip will be MediaTek's more affordable 2GHz MT6592 or MTK6592, its first "True Octa Core" processor.

Like a spider's legs

MediaTek considers its processor the first "true" eight-core chips because all eight of its A7 cores can operate simultaneously.

Speculation over the summer held that this powerful MediaTek chip might hit phones as early as 2014, but apparently it might arrive even sooner than that in Sony's Xperia Tianchi.

In addition to the new chip, the Tianchi is said to pack a 6-inch 1280×720 display.

With Nov. 12 just a few weeks away we might catch a glimpse at these new Sony devices soon.

• Sony's latest flagship is impressive, but not without its faults. Read TechRadar's full Xperia Z1 review here!

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/new-sony-xperia-phones-including-8-core-monster-could-debut-nov-12-1193473

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Instagram ads arrive next week, Facebook likes govern what users see

The days of ad-free Instagram are all but over

Sorry Instagram users, but the grace period following Facebook's buyout is all but over. Ads are invading imminently and today we got our first glimpse at what we can expect from the commercial interruption.

In a post on the Instagram blog, the photo sharing app said photos and videos marked as 'Sponsored' will start to appear in feeds in the US next week, beginning with a small number of brands already using the app.

The company says it is encouraging advertisers to be creative and engaging with their posts, while a FAQ post on its website says the posts will remain in 'the spirit of the community,'

That could mean a number of things, but it's likely the ads will have some sort of faux artistic merit and deploy the famous filters, frames and blurring tools.

No hiding from ads, but ads can be hidden

Interestingly, the company will tap into a user's Facebook likes and their basic profile information to determine which ads will display on that individual's Instagram feed.

However, those who aren't connected through Facebook won't avoid Instagram ads. The company will make use of previous Insta-likes or, failing that, just throw stuff at your wall and see what sticks.

"We want to show ads from businesses that are interesting to you, and to do that we will use information about what you do on Instagram and Facebook (our parent company)," the company said.

"For instance, this might include the people you follow and the photos and videos you like on Instagram, and your interests and other basic info on Facebook."

Feedback

In somewhat better news, users will also be able to hide ads from their feed (not without seeing them first of course) and offer Instagram some feedback on why they don't want to see anymore like it.

In the blogpost the company wrote: "If you see an ad that doesn't interest you, you can tap the "…" below it to hide it and provide feedback about what you didn't like. This will help us show you more interesting ads in the future."

• Have you played around with Video on Instagram yet? These were our first impressions

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/instagram-ads-arrive-next-week-facebook-likes-to-determine-what-users-see-1193449

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AT&T gets WP8 Samsung ATIV S Neo

Samsung and AT&T announced the ATIV S Neo smartphone with Windows Phone 8 on board. The LTE handset will hit the carrier’s shelves on November 8 for $99.99 with a two-year contract, or $21 per month with AT&T Next.

Samsung ATIV S Neo is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU (likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon unit). The device features a 4.77” HD display and 16GB of built-in memory, which can be further expanded via microSD card slot. An 8MP camera with LED flash, 1.9MP front-facing unit, and NFC complete the known highlights of the handset’s spec sheet.

When available, the Samsung ATIV S Neo will square off against an entire lineup of Nokia Lumia devices on AT&T's shelves, with the Lumia 925 sporting the same price tag as the newcomer.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_ativ_s_neo_for_at_t_with_windows_phone_8_goes_official_-news-7048.php

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Is this a patent for Samsung's Google Glass?

An image from Samsung's glasses patent (credit: Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service)

Is Samsung working on its own version of Google Glass, either on its own or in collaboration with the Big G?

That question came up earlier this month, and it's popped up again thanks to a newly discovered patent filing.

The Samsung patent was submitted to Korean authorities this month, according to the Wall Street Journal, and it shows a wearable device that looks an awful lot like Google Glass, but with a "sportier" focus.

But the existence of the patent suggests that Samsung is in fact not working with Google on a Samsung version of Google Glass, as was previously suggested, but rather creating its own, separate wearable device.

Barreling forward

Samsung's interest in wearables is no secret, though the company's Galaxy Gear smartwatch was recently met with a mixed reception.

That shouldn't stop the Korean company from barreling forward, and a jump from the wrist to the face could be just the thing.

The patent in question today covers a design for "a type [of glasses] with earphones integrated, allowing [users] to take phone calls and listen to music during workouts."

Like Google Glass, this Samsung facewear can reportedly tether to a smartphone to display alerts and messages, or provide controls for the device through the glasses.

That's part of the sports focus, as the Samsung wearable is meant to be used during workouts and other activities where a user's hands are occupied, the patent suggests.

It also features lenses that are transparent or translucent.

What's in a name?

The initial rumor earlier this month said that Samsung's version of Google Glass will be called "Gear Glass," to match the Galaxy Gear's branding.

But we're thinking "Galaxy Glass" might be an even better option.

No matter what Samsung calls its facewear tech - if it does indeed come out with it at some point - it could provide a welcome companion to users' iPhones and Android phones, not to mention the Galaxy Gear itself.

• Here's everything you need to know about Google Glass!

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/other-devices/is-this-a-patent-for-samsung-s-google-glass--1193414

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Vine grows some editing features, including Time Travel

Now you can save up to 10 Vine moments

Vine has sprouted scores of users, and now editing the perfect 6-second clip just got a whole lot easier.

Today the Twitter-owned app on iOS and Android received an update that introduces saved sessions, which means you can save your clips for later.

Although the Vine app has never forced you to post a video immediately, before this update there was no way to roll back to an older clip once you recorded a new one.

The new update lets you save up to ten posts at once, giving plenty of wiggle room to edit and share all your snappy masterpieces later on.

OUTATIME

Speaking of editing, the other new feature the Vine update introduces is "Time Travel." The new functionality lets you remove, reorganize, and even replace any shots within a clip.

No more Vine-bombings

Now when you're editing the video will be split into smaller image boxes which you can move around to rearrange every shot in the clip.

Did someone Vine-bomb your short clip? Now you can jump back into the short video and remove any instance of their existence.

The update covers both the iOS and Android versions of the app, and is available for download now.

• Vine isn't the only thing getting a significant up...grade. Check out the 102-inch Surface 2.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/vine-grows-some-editing-features-including-time-travel-1193385

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