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HTC reportedly lost its Amazon phone deal due to AT&T objections
As you may have noticed, that rumor of HTC making Amazon smartphones never panned out; Amazon ultimately designed the Fire phone itself. But was it a bogus story to begin with? Not if you ask The Information. Its sources claim that HTC landed a deal to make a low-end Amazon phone, but that AT&T freaked out when it heard that it wouldn't have a US exclusive on the device. The carrier reportedly threatened to drop support for the higher-end Fire, forcing Amazon to scrap HTC's project. That may have been a tough decision, as Amazon had supposedly offered to buy HTC before being turned down by its acquisition target's independence-minded chairwoman, Cher Wang.
Amazon's Fire phone drops to 99 cents on contract
We had a few problems with Amazon's Fire phone, but one of the biggest was its steep asking price; $200 on contract (or $650 off) is a lot to pay for mid-range hardware with perspective effects thrown in. That won't be a problem after today. The online retailer has just slashed the price of its first handset down to 99 cents on a two-year AT&T contract, or $449 if you want to go contract-free. You'll still get the year's worth of Prime membership and unlimited cloud storage, to boot.
Microsoft OneDrive arrives on Amazon's Kindle Fire and Fire phone
Folks who fancy Amazon's Kindle Fire and/or newfangled Fire phone just got another option for go-to cloud access. Microsoft has released a OneDrive app outfitting both of the aforementioned devices with easy access to stored files from the slate or handset. Of course, we'd surmise most OneDrive users have hitched their wagons to Redmond's own fleet of OSes. At any rate, apps now exist not only for the web retailer's gadgets, but for PC and Mac with mobile options on Android, iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10. Bases covered. Microsoft's OneNote also sorts those trusty reminders and to-do lists across the Fire fleet, too. Ready to employ this version? Head over to Amazon's Appstore to do just that.
Breakfast Topic: No two birds are not on fire
The above screenshot stands, to me, as the funniest one I have ever taken. Eagle-eyed readers might recognize the location as the flight tower in Nethergarde Keep, with some colorful flames added to make the Blasted Lands extra unappealing. Without spoiling things too much, the flaming flight tower is part of a series of introductory quests in Warlords of Draenor. Apparently those poor gryphons still haven't got the memo that they are literally on fire. They're just hanging out in their straw beds, cool as cucumbers, while they presumably burn to death in the onslaught. What's the use in having the power of flight if you won't even use it to not be on fire? I have seen many odd and interesting things in my time in the World of Warcraft, but I think that this one right here takes the cake--so far at least. I mean, who knows what Warlords of Draenor has in store? What are your best, most bizarre moments in WoW, and what would it take to top them?
Repairing the Fire Phone's cameras is more difficult than you think
The intrepid disassemblers over at iFixit have torn Amazon's Fire phone asunder in order to determine how repairable it is, but what did they find? At first blush, things seemed promising, with standard Torx screws holding the chassis together, but after that things started to get sticky. The battery, for instance, is attached with an adhesive tab, but the five front-facing cameras are all held in place with liberal dollops of glue. So much so, in fact, that do-it-yourself repairs are nearly impossible unless you're patient enough to melt each component out of its adhesive prison. Getting spare parts isn't ideal either, since the components share so many resources that you can't just replace one piece -- you've got to buy the lot. That's why the phone scored a measly 3 out of 10 for repairability, which is yet another reason not to buy one.
Amazon Fire phone review: a unique device, but you're better off waiting for the sequel
After producing a long line of e-book readers and tablets (not to mention a set-top box), Amazon has its sights set on the smartphone market. But finding success here won't be easy, even for an established tech giant like Amazon. With the Fire phone, the online retailer is coming in as an unproven underdog, hoping to bring iPhone and Android users into its fold. CEO Jeff Bezos says the only way to do that is to differentiate; to wow potential buyers with new features they didn't even realize they needed. These unique offerings include 3D head-tracking, product scanning and fast help from customer service agents.
Watch Jeff Bezos unveil Amazon's new Fire phone (video)
Amazon didn't provide a live stream for its festivities earlier today, but if you'd like to relive the unveiling of its first smartphone, now you can. The nearly 1 and a half hour Fire phone event video has been posted to YouTube and we've included it after the break. Don't have that time to watch Jeff Bezos explain why you'll slip this universal buying tool into your pocket? Check out all the info and our first hands-on impressions first.
Amazon's Fire phone has average looks and high aspirations (hands-on)
It was only a matter of time before Amazon launched a smartphone. In the past 10 years, the company's extended its reach from the online realm into physical hardware, and after the addition of the Fire TV recently, the smartphone was the last major device genre it hadn't explored. Amazon's filled that void with the Fire phone, an AT&T-exclusive smartphone that ships in late July for just under $200. CEO Jeff Bezos spent over an hour on stage discussing the new phone's litany of features and how its uniqueness gives it an advantage over most other handsets the Fire phone will compete with. It's true: No other devices have six cameras and quick access to tech support, and features like Firefly and Dynamic Perspective help give the device a flavor of its own.
Amazon's Fire phone will come with free, unlimited cloud storage for photos
Amazon just announced the much-anticipated Fire phone, and along with some solid display and camera specs, the handset offers unlimited photo storage via Cloud Drive. In an on-stage comparison with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 5s, the Fire's 13-megapixel rear-facing camera looked pretty capable -- especially with low-light performance -- and Amazon clearly thinks you'll be snapping up plenty of pictures. Free, unlimited photo storage definitely sets Amazon apart from Dropbox, Apple's iCloud and Microsoft's OneDrive, among other services, though Google also offers unlimited storage. Follow our liveblog for more news from the event in Seattle.
Amazon announces the Fire, its first-ever smartphone
Yep, it's a phone alright. Amazon officially unveiled the Fire today at a special press event held in Seattle. Consistent with the rumors, Amazon's first-ever handset has a 4.7-inch Gorilla Glass display with an HD-resolution screen (720p). That makes it the same size as the Moto X, which was also supposed to be a phone for the masses. It also has a rubberized frame with aluminum buttons, a quad-core 2.2GHz processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM. As for the camera, there's a 13-megapixel rear-facing one equipped with an f/2.0 lens and optical image stabilization and the ability to capture 1080p video. The phone's display will have 590 nits of brightness, dynamic image contrast and a "circular polarizer," which will likely be used to combat glare. There's also a dedicated camera key and, luckily for all you amateur photogs, it'll come with free unlimited cloud storage for photos as well. Other features include global LTE and connectivity with nine bands of LTE, quad-band GSM, five bands of UMTS, 802.11ac support, WiFi channel bonding, NFC and Bluetooth. It even supposedly has great battery life, promising nearly 285 hours of standby time, 22 hours of talk time, 65 hours of audio and 11 hours of video playback. It'll be available exclusively from AT&T for $199 if you want the 32GB version, or $299 if you prefer the 64GB. Alternately, you can get the 32GB version for as little as $27 a month or the 64GB for around $31 a month if you opt for AT&T's Next program. If you'd rather go off-contract instead, you can get the phone directly from Amazon for $649 for 32GB and $749 for 64GB.
Sony to begin fixing combustible Vaio Fit laptops in May
It's always sad when a company stumbles during its victory lap, but as Sony looked to gracefully exit the PC business, some spontaneously combusting laptops ruined the day. The company has now issued an update about the Vaio Fit 11A repair program, saying that reservations are now being taken and that battery replacements will begin part-way through next month. Until then, Sony's line remains not to touch your device, and we add that you should probably shouldn't store it next to those cans of gasoline in your office.
Samsung data center fire causes outage, errors on smart TVs and phones (update: fixed)
Seeing an error message on your Samsung phone, tablet or Smart TV today? You're not alone, as the Samsung.com website appears to be down and owners worldwide have reported anything from error messages to being unable to access apps on their smart TVs. Reports have spread on Twitter -- mostly from a community news site called Wikitree -- that a fire at a Samsung SDS building in Gwacheon, South Korea is the culprit. We've contacted Samsung but haven't heard anything back yet, and while some of its social media pages have noted the outage, there isn't an official explanation posted. Update: Naturally now that we've mentioned it, the outage that lasted several hours appears to have ended around 6:15AM ET. Many of the same users who were having problems with their smart TVs and phones seem to have full access again, and Samsung.com is back up and running. A Samsung SDS blog post confirms the fire and subsequent outage, while apologizing for the inconvenience. Despite some scary photos and video of the blaze (after the break) Korean news reports indicate there were no fatalities. The big question left? Why a fire at one location seemed to have such a large affect on the company's devices and services. [Thanks, Mark & Martin!]
Destiny parts ways with composer, growing 'close to shipping'
Destiny Composer Marty O'Donnell was either fired or peacefully left Bungie last week, depending on whether you take his or the studio's testimony on the event. In either case, the fact remains that O'Donnell is no longer part of the studio. Bungie Chief Operating Officer Pete Parsons refused to comment on the specifics of the decision but said that the game is still on track for release. He said that O'Donnell's contributions will remain part of the soundtrack, which is also being worked on by a few others. "We have a fantastic team. We're pretty close to shipping. There's a lot of polish left to do, lots of tweaking and tuning, but a lot is already complete," Parsons said to Eurogamer. Bungie claims that the studio and O'Donnell parted as "friends" while the composer tweeted yesterday that he was "terminated without cause."
Sony warns users that its VAIO Fit risks catching fire (update)
As Sony prepares to get out of the PC market, reports of a battery defect in one of its new notebooks will do little to preserve a happy memory of its legacy. The Wall Street Journal reports that an issue with Sony's VAIO Fit 11A could cause the laptop to overheat and catch fire, so the company's asking owners to stop using it immediately. Sony's already sold 25,905 units in total, with the majority shipping to Europe, but has not yet issued an official recall for the device. That is the expected outcome, however, leaving the struggling electronics giant with another major headache just as it completes the sale of its VAIO arm to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). Update: Sony has released more information on the issue, confirming that it will "repair or replace the affected PCs at no charge, or to refund the purchase price for the affected PCs." The company says it expects to issue further guidance within the next two weeks, warning users not to touch their notebook until that time.
Arcane Brilliance: Next steps for playing a fire mage at level 90
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. Stacey Landry is the resident mage here, bender of space and time, conjurer of delicious confectioneries and expert at dressing well while setting things on fire. Congratulations! You've always wanted to play a mage alt but somehow never find the time, or perhaps you're considering a new main for Warlords of Draenor. Either way, you've decided to boost a mage to level 90 or re-spec your mage and you are faced with a decision. What spec would you like to play? We're going to talk eventually about all three excellent specs, but for now we're going to start with fire. Being a fire mage has always represented the somewhat reckless side of wizardry. Fire mages used to take talents that would increase their damage done in exchange for damage taken. (Nothing ventured, nothing gained!) Modern fire maging is a little less risky than that and comes with many advantages. You might enjoy playing a fire mage if you want:
Chromecast's Fireplace Visualizer hopes to set hearts aflame on Valentine's Day
Hey, loverboy/gal, Don Juan called to let you know that listening to Sinatra during a steak dinner isn't enough to set the mood for Valentine's Day. You need a roaring fire to induce some serious cuddling time, and that's where Chromecast's seasonal fireplace mode (that's just been redesigned for V-day) comes in. Thanks to the media player, you don't need to chop firewood to woo the person of your dreams: simply enable Fireplace Visualizer on the Google Play Music page and watch the faux flames flicker on your TV while music plays in the background. Sure, you can't roast marshmallows in it, but it still might heat up your lovelife -- assuming your date doesn't find fake fireplaces as tacky as gas station greeting cards, that is. PS: It's not just the Chromecast team that's going all out for V-day at Google's HQ. Google+ is also celebrating the event by taking user images with people kissing in them and turning them into (shudder-inducing) GIFs replete with animated hearts.
Musk stands behind Tesla Model S safety, modifies warranty to cover fire damage
Tesla's growing at home and abroad, as customer demand continues for it's Model S sedan -- even while the EV's gotten some negative publicity due to a few cars catching fire after being wrecked. So, to ensure that there is no "false perception about the safety of electric cars," Elon Musk has requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate these fires. This is the same governmental testing body that performs crash tests on all cars driven on US roads, that previously found that the Model S is the safest car it's ever evaluated. Should anything turn up from the NHTSA looking into the recent fires, Tesla will, quite naturally, make the necessary fix to new models and retrofit the old ones for free. Furthermore, the company's also updated its warranty to cover Model S fire damage, even if it's the driver's fault. The one limitation on that very generous offer? You can't be actively trying to destroy the car. Makes sense to us.
Wayback Machine web archive survives destructive fire but needs help to recover
If you're one of the many people who've relied on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine recently, for example when government websites were taken offline during the shut down, then the non-profit organization is now calling for your help in return. A fire broke out at its main scanning center in San Francisco yesterday, causing an estimated $600,000-worth of damage. No one was hurt and no digital data was lost, since the Wayback Machine uses multiple server centers around the world. However, it sounds like the fire destroyed some books and other materials that were in the process of being scanned. The Internet Archive is calling for assistance in two forms: cash donations and fresh scanning projects from anyone who has physical collections they want to preserve, because the group has a second scanning center and needs to keep its employees busy. Follow the source link to find out more.
Arcane Brilliance: Critical points
Every other week, WoW Insider brings you Arcane Brilliance for arcane, fire and frost mages. This week, we talk about things that are flammable (hint: Cloth is especially flammable. Warlocks are also especially flammable because of their fel centers). I hear you pyromancers out there clamoring for me to talk about you. Frost had the more pressing need! It's the only spec to majorly change in patch 5.4. The only change to fire was a 50% nerf to Combustion because - let's face it - it was just too good. Even after the nerf, fire is still really, really good. But I'm new here, and we haven't talked about mages in quite awhile, so let's take a long view of fire. Prior to Mists, fire saw a lovely and elegant redesign. Fire has always been my spec of choice. Maybe it's the visceral WHOOSH-BOOM that accompanies a Pyroblast! proc, or the satisfying crackle of flame at your fingertips. Whatever it is, you have to admit - fire is the sexiest mage spec.
How would you change Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD?
Yes, it's basically a trojan horse, convincing you to buy stuff from Amazon's online store, but at least it's beautiful. HD display, stereo sound and decent hardware propelled the Kindle Fire HD to second place when it first came out, right behind the original Nexus 7. Still, this is "How Would You Change," where we ask you to pretend that Jeff Bezos is listening to your ideas and show the world your innovative ideas on where the company can improve matters for generation three.
