BlackBerry has debuted the Q5, a budget smartphone aimed at emerging markets. The new phone will run on the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which launched this year, and go on sale in July in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
A few weeks ago, BlackBerry consolidated most of its global PR work with a team from APCO Worldwide and Text 100. The account has been estimated to be worth $10 million.
Techie.com ranked the 10 most unexpected cities for high-tech innovation — that’s Rochester in the photo, and other cities to make the cut include Chattanooga, South Bend and Cincinnati. Do you agree with this list? What cities would you nominate?
Just a month after its debut, the price of the HTC First, also known as the Facebook Phone, has dropped from $99 to 99 cents on a 2-year contract with AT&T. Tech media outlets say that while users are drawn to Facebook Home which can be downloaded on Android devices, the Facebook Phone wasn’t necessary or particularly innovative at that $99 price tag.
The highly anticipated Google Glass is already raising concerns over privacy and surveillance with proposed bans of the smart device, according to The New York Times. A bar in Seattle is already imposing a ban of the gadget, and a spokesperson from Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas said Glass will be not be allowed at gambling tables and at shows. West Virginia legislators have also proposed a bill to ban using Google Glass while driving.
Google released guidelines Monday for software developers who want to build apps for its Glass, which includes information that restricts developers from selling ads in apps, collecting user data for ads, sharing data with ad companies, or distributing apps elsewhere. To get a glimpse on usage, Gizmodo shared some of the first videos shot on Google Glass.
T-Mobile is aggressively attempting to lure customers from rival carriers like AT&T and Verizon as it begins to market the iPhone.
The company is offering a trade-in program for older iPhones from other carriers. In exchange, customers won’t have to put money down for a new iPhone 5, instead of a $99 upfront payment. Those customers would also get a reduced monthly rate, with T-Mobile giving out credits of up to $120 that can be used to pay off the phone. Still, even with T-Mobile’s cheaper and less restrictive phone plans, analysts point out that the company’s main impediment is that its network coverage is not as broad as those of its competitors.
More women are going social and mobile when it comes to shopping, according to the “Women’s Buying Behavior Index” study by Lippe Taylor in partnership with SheSpeak. The second installment of the study surveyed more than 2,000 American women to get a pulse on buying habits and forecast purchasing trends. According to the survey, 71% of respondents research products online, and 70% shop on mobile devices. The study also examined the role of celebrity influence on shopping habits.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the “Facebook phone,” a customization product for Android devices, at the company’s Menlo Park headquarters today. Called Facebook Home, Zuckerberg said it is “a family of apps and you can install it and it becomes the home of your phone.”
Best Buy will open dedicated Samsung boutiques, called the Samsung Experience Shop, in its stores this summer. Samsung said Thursday it would open in 1,400 stores by the end of June. Each boutique will showcase an array of products and provide customer support.
A look inside Best Buy’s Samsung Experience Shop in Lewisville, Texas via All Things D.
