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Poll: As Apple Music free trial expires, are you staying or going?

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When Apple Music officially launched earlier this year, we ran a poll seeing where people were switching from to use the service. A surprising 33 percent of the 18,000 responses said they were switching from Spotify to Apple Music, while another 23 percent said Apple Music was their first streaming service. At the time, however, anyone using Apple Music was getting it for free. In fact, 17 percent of people said they were using the service, but only during the trial.

As we noted earlier today, however, the first 3 month free trials are wrapping up, which means it’s time to see who’s sticking with Apple’s streaming music service and who’s leaving…


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9to5Toys Last Call: 5-Port USB charger $10, Segate 8TB Desktop HDD $200, iPhone 6/s Battery Case $20, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

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App Store Free App of the Week: Doodle Jump SpongeBob SquarePants ($2 value)

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The best 5-port USB power supply (Aukey 8A/40W) is $10 Prime shipped (orig. $50)

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Double your iPhone 6/s battery capacity w/ this 3,100mAh MFi Apple-Certified Case for $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $37)

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Seagate Backup Plus 8TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive $200 shipped (Reg. $250)

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$100 iTunes Gift Card for $80 w/ email delivery via PayPal: save 20% on movies, apps, more

Gift Cards w/ email delivery: Staples $100 for $85, Applebee’s $50 for $40, other restaurants, more

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Spigen iPhone 6s/Plus cases in multiple styles and colors as low as $3 with free shipping

Wrap your new iPhone 6s with Speck’s CandyShell Grip case for $14 shipped (Reg. $25+), more

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Giveaway: This is Ground’s Mod Laptop 2 is a road warrior’s dream bag, up to $499 value

More new gear from today:

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Shine on! Free MP3 Downloads: Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here (Reg. $8), much more

More deals still alive:

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Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi up to $150 off (all colors): 16GB $349, 64GB $449, 128GB $549 (Reg. up to $699)

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The best USB car charger (Aukey 4 port/48W) is just $7 Prime shipped, Lumsing 6000mAh Power bank: $10

New products & more:

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Skreens combines your DVR, Xbox One, Roku and more onto one screen

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Polk’s new flagship Omni S6 speaker goes after the multi-room audio crown

It turns out we may not have really seen Apple’s first Android app after all

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While Apple’s new Move to iOS app appeared to be the company’s first ever Android app, Phandroid did some digging around in the code to discover that it in fact appears to be just a rebadged third-party app called Copy My Data.

If we take a look under the hood of Apple’s Move to iOS app, we see the […] android:name is still set to android:name=”com.mediamushroom.copymydata”That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The two applications share a vast majority of code and functionality. In fact, all of the com.mediamushroom.copymydata strings were left inside Apple’s rebranded version. Essentially, the only differences between the two apps are Apple’s artwork being added, the inclusion of Apple’s licensing agreements, and Media Mushroom’s UI elements being removed. That’s really it.

Apple thus appears to have simply licensed an existing app, rather than creating its first Android app – meaning that the Apple Music app expected to makes its way across to Android sometime this fall may be the first Apple-coded app on the rival smartphone platform … 
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Disney Movies Anywhere now available via Amazon Video apps for iPhone and iPad

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Disney today announced it’s expanding the number of devices that can access its Disney Movies Anywhere service for viewing digital copies of Disney movies online and through various apps. Among the new additions, the company is making its movies available through the Amazon Video apps for users in the US.

In addition to the Amazon Video apps, which is available for various smart TVs, set top boxes, and mobile devices including iPhone and iPad, the Disney Movie Anywhere content is now accessible through the new Disney Movie Anywhere apps on Xbox 360 and Amazon Fire devices. To access the content through Amazon Video, you’ll first have to authenticate your Amazon account in your Disney Movies Anywhere account settings.

While the Disney Anywhere content is already available through iTunes on the Apple TV, Disney is planning to bring a dedicated app to competing platforms, Roku and Android TV on September 15th. No word on Apple TV, but with Apple planning the introduction a new model tomorrow, it’s possible the device could get the same treatment in the near future.

The Amazon Video app is available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. For a limited time, Disney is giving away a free copy of Pixar’s Monsters, Inc movie to those that connect a new iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Microsoft Movies & TV or Google Play 

Android Wear on iOS: Setup and first impressions [Video]

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Android Wear finally has iOS support after Google pushed its iPhone-compatible software to the App Store. This means that Android has beaten Apple Watch to the cross-platform game. Or, at least it would, if iOS didn’t restrict it to a state of almost uselessness. The only device officially supported is the LG Watch Urbane although — as we previously revealed — the older generation Android Wear watches do work. I got it set up with my Moto 360, and have been mostly disappointed by my experience so far.


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Samsung adds a $100-200 bribe to its test-drive program aimed at converting iPhone users

Samsung Test DriveSamsung has upped the ante on its ‘ultimate test drive‘ program, intended to persuade iPhone owners to switch by offering them a free one-month trial of an Android-powered Galaxy smartphone. For those who end up purchasing the phone, Samsung will give them $100 of Google Play credit which can be used to buy apps and other content.

If you end up trading in your iPhone, Samsung will additionally send you a check for $100 – on top of whatever trade-in deal you were offered by the retailer.

Of course, switching to Android is not without its health risks

Via Android Central

Poll: Was Apple Music enough to convince you to switch from another streaming service?

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Apple Music has been available to the public for almost three weeks and while subscriber data hasn’t been revealed by Apple, early reviews were generally positive. The service is not without its flaws, however, and users have been quick to point them out. With the service having been available for a couple of weeks, though, we’re curious: Are you using Apple Music? If so, did you switch from another streaming service to Apple’s or is this your first venture into streaming music?


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Pebble blames Apple for delayed iOS Pebble Time app as first backers receive watches [Update: now available]

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Image via Martin B. on Twitter

Image via <a href="https://twitter.com/mgbnet/status/605505402885672960/photo/1">Martin B. on Twitter</a>

[Update: Pebble says its app for Pebble Time users has been approved and should hit the App Store in 2-3 hours if you can’t see it yet.]

Despite its official release at the end of May, Pebble’s new Pebble Time watch is not yet fully functional for iPhone users, as its required iOS synchronization app is not yet available in the App Store. The Pebble Time Watch application allows users to set up the Pebble Time wearable, install new applications, watch faces, and software updates, but backers who have received the hardware have taken to social media to complain that there’s no iPhone app to use with it. Android users are unaffected as their version of the app is available on Google Play.

Pebble has used its Kickstarter page to pin the delay on Apple’s App Store review process…


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SwiftKey gets a theme store on iPhone, complete with animated keyboards

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SwiftKey today released a major update to its iOS 8 third-party keyboard, bundling in a new theme store and critical performance improvements. SwiftKey is one of the more popular third-party iOS keyboards, and was launched last year with impressive word prediction technology that is similar to Apple’s QuickType keyboard…


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App Store revenue likely to double by 2018, generating $20B – IDC/App Annie

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Data from IDC and App Annie suggested that both Apple and Google are likely to see their app store revenues doubling within the next four years, reports Re/code. Based on Apple’s 2014 total revenue of $10B, this would suggest that Apple is likely to hit total revenue of $20B in 2018, with developers seeing $14B of it.

“I would consider this projection conservative,” App Annie CEO Bertrand Schmitt said in an interview, noting that the company has consistently been revising its forecasts up over the past two years as revenue has exceeded expectations.

The study also suggested that the trend toward freemium apps, which derive their income from in-app purchases, will continue–though this model is more common on Android than iOS … 
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9to5Toys Last Call: Free App of the Week, iPhone 6/Plus kick stand case $5, 200GB OneDrive Storage free, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

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iTunes Free App of the Week: Duet Game ($2.99 value)

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Baytek iPhone 6/Plus kick stand case $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $15)

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Confirmed! Stack these two Microsoft promos for 200GB of OneDrive storage for free

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$40 Mac Bundle: Things, ScreenFlow, Typed, Civ, ExpanDrive, Aftershot Pro 2, more

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LAST CHANCE! – Small States: Cord Shoes churns out handmade boots with a story behind every pair, $250 giveaway

More new gear from today:

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More deals still alive:

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New products & more:

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Nintendo patent hints at official Game Boy emulator for mobile phones

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TechCrunch points to a newly published patent filed by Nintendo that shows the company is interested in bringing Game Boy titles to mobile devices through emulation technology. Many emulators exist online to mimic old consoles and allow gamers to play back catalogs of games converted to ROM files on Macs and PCs, and Nintendo could possibly do the same to officially bring titles to mobile devices without much heavy lifting in terms of rewriting the games:
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Disney’s ‘Movies Anywhere’ app comes to Android, brings cross-platform purchases to iTunes, Google Play, and web

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Back in February, Apple and Disney teamed up on a new app called Movies Anywhere that allowed iOS users to access their library of purchased movies—whether bought on the iTunes Store, DVD, or other media (with the appropriate redemption code in the box).

Today, Disney has launched the same service for Android users. Movies Anywhere owners will now be able to access their movie library featuring titles from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel from any of their devices. Because this is a cross-platform solution, movies previously purchased on the iTunes Store will now be available to users on Android devices, and iOS users will be able to watch Disney movies they’ve purchased from the Google Play Store.


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Google Play Music app for iPhone gets iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus support

Google-Play-Music-icon-iPhoneFollowing a bigger update earlier this month, Google today updated its Google Play Music app for iPhone with official support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. That means that the app, which offers access to Google Play Music content and its All Access music streaming service, now takes advantage of the increased real estate on the larger, higher-resolution 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus displays.

Google also notes that the update brings “Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes.” In addition, the app receives a new icon (pictured right).

Earlier this year we reported on an under development iPad version of the Google Play Music app, but it’s yet to get an official release.

The updated Google Play Music app for iPhone, Version 1.5.3184, is available on the App Store now. The app received a big update earlier this month that introduced new Listen Now features for browsing radio stations and recently played music for All Access users in the US and Canada.

What’s New in Version 1.5.3184

– iPhone 6/6+ support
– Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes

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Google’s Currents iOS app redesigned & renamed ‘Google Play Newsstand’

Following the renaming of its Google Currents news reader app to “Google Play Newsstand” on Android back in February, Google has now given a similar treatment to the iOS app. The app, like the Android version earlier this year, also receives a makeover in the process with a streamlined design and new features:

What’s new
• New navigation helping you easily access the articles and editions you love including:
– Read Now – Easily access articles you subscribe to and discover new articles and editions all in one place
– Topics – Subscribe and get news from topics you are most interested in
– My Library – All of your subscriptions will be found here
• A brand new design giving you a streamlined news reading experience

The Google Play Newsstand app is available for free for iPhone and iPad on the App Store now.

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Swing Copters update makes Flappy Bird sequel slightly less impossible

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If you’ve tried and thrown in the towel on Swing Copters, the follow up game from Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen, you may want to give besting your high score another try this morning.

An updated version of the game was released today, tweaking the gameplay and bringing it closer to the difficult-but-not-quite-as-impossible levels of its popular predecessor Flappy Bird.
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Google Play Music for iPhone updated w/ ability to remove music on-the-go, improved playback, more

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It’s been just over a month since the last big update to Google Play Music for iPhone, and today the Google Play Music team is rolling out another update with new features and improvements. The latest release brings the version number to 1.3.2.2559 for those keeping track at home, and adds a handful of new functionality like the ability to remove music from your library via the iPhone app. The update also boasts additional accessibility features which will surely be appreciated as well as fixes for issues with skipping during track playback and eliminating duplicate listings in the music library. You can see the full change log below.
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EU accuses Apple of dragging its feet on protections for ‘misleading’ IAP-driven free apps

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The European Commission has complained that Apple is taking too long to implement protections for freemium games in the App Store, reports BBC News. The Commission has decreed that both Apple and Google, the two biggest app store vendors, must make the “true cost of apps” clear before purchase. However, officials are upset that Apple has not yet committed to any such measures.

“Regrettably, no concrete and immediate solutions have been made by Apple to date to address the concerns linked in particular to payment authorisation,” the Commission said in a statement.

“Apple has proposed to address those concerns. However, no firm commitment and no timing have been provided for the implementation of such possible future changes.


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Review: Wiper encrypted messaging/calling app with neat erase feature (and iOS 8 update details)

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Yes, another secure and ephemeral messaging app. There’s Wickr, Snapchat, Confide, so what makes Wiper Messenger different? I’ve had the chance to play around with the new free chatting app on iOS, and it seems to act as a fusion of WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Wickr. The app prompts you for your email address or phone number in order to create your account, and then you are brought to a fairly simple interface with three tabs across the bottom: Chats, Contacts, and More. Let’s go tab-by-tab:


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Twitter’s mobile app install advertising feature comes out of beta, goes global

Twitter has taken its mobile application install advertising feature out of beta and it has also taken the service global. Twitter talked about the feature, which allows companies to advertise mobile apps within the Twitter mobile app timeline, earlier this year. The video above explains how the service works. The app install feature can show apps from the App Store and Google Play based on “interest, keyword, TV targeting and tailored audiences” as well as based on “gender, geo, language and mobile platform targeting.” The service allows apps to be installed on smartphones directly via the Twitter app and the Twitter app will even notify users when the app is ready to use.

Twitter explains how advertisers can use the functionality:


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