lg

118 'lg' stories July 2011 - September 2015

9to5Toys Last Call: 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,700 (or less), iPad Air 2 $349, LG 49″ Smart UHDTV $550, more

Sep 21 2015 - 9:03 am PT

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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Infento’s Constructible Rides are a K’NEX-like bicycle system that grows with your kid

The Makerarm 3D prints, laser engraves, and even assembles your electronics
Square Enix is bringing the new Final Fantasy Type-0 Online to iOS, Android and PC
Arts & Crafts + Toys: Crayola products 40% off, LEGO City Trains $140, Tile Lock Scrabble $8, more
Home: Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker (refurb) $22, Wine Sealer $3.50, up to 20% off Target/Michaels gift cards, more

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Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,700 or $1,650 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,999)

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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LG 49-inch 60Hz Smart 4K UHDTV: $550 shipped (Reg. $800+)

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

Review: Tile’s 2nd-gen Bluetooth tracker makes finding lost keys, dog, or iPhone easier than ever

More new gear from today:

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Games/Apps: FX Photo Studio goes free, PS4 Destiny Taken King bundle w/ MGS V $399, iOS freebies, more

Headphones: Symphonized Wooden In-ear $16 (Reg. $25), Sennheiser Over-ear + DAC $500, more
Daily Deals: JBL Voyager Portable Bluetooth Speaker $100, Google Nexus Player $50, more

More deals still alive:

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The Mega Mac 2015 Bundle: 15 solid Apps including MacBooster 2, Disk Drill Pro & More $25 (Orig. $564)

MacUpdate Bundle: 10 apps including Toast 14, DevonThink, ExpanDrive, Boom, iMazing and more for $50

App Store Free App of the Week: Shadowmatic puzzle game goes free for the first time ($3 value

OtterBox iPhone 6 Defender Case (gray or black) from $24 shipped (Orig. $50)
WD My Passport Ultra 3TB Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive $125 (Orig. $200)
Saicoo 8A/40W 5-Port Rapid Car Charger $12 Prime shipped (Reg. $17)
Logitech Type+ Folio Case with Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad Air: $35 shipped (Reg. $100)
Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth Sport Headphones $70 shipped (Orig. $130), more
Bluetooth Headphones: Mpow Sport $21 (Reg. $28),
Aukey 13.3-inch Macbook Carrying Bag and Sleeve Case Cover $6.50 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)
Bose SoundLink Mini Portable Bluetooth Speaker $159 (Orig. $200)
10-ft MFI Apple-Certified Nylon Braided Lightning Cable $11 Prime shipped (Reg. $17), more
Bike Accessories w/ Prime shipping: KingTop Aluminum Pump $20
Cyber Acoustics 30W Powered Computer Speakers w/ Subwoofer: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)
Samsung 850 Pro 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $400 shipped (Reg. $470)
Buy D-Link IP Surveillance Camera, get a free Smart Plug: $70 shipped (~$115 value)
Rolo Travel Bag: $45 Shipped (Orig. $60, CA Tax Only)
$25 Amazon credit w/ 12-mo Adob Creative Cloud Photography Plan: $120 ($145 value)
Apple is handing out free downloads of Super Hexagon for iPhone and iPad ($3 value)
Toys R Us Clearance Event Up to 70% off: Star Wars Command Epic Assault Set $7 (Orig. $20), more
Download Jason Derulo’s Everything Is 4 album on Google Play for free (Reg. $8)
Google Play offers free downloads of Sia’s 1000 Forms Of Fear album ($10 value)
proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription $39 ($375 value)
Pandora One: 6-Month Subscription $24 (Reg. $30)

New products & more:

The all-in-one Bruvelo Coffeemaker hits Kickstarter with a lofty goal and slim design

Tacos are the key to scoring one of Sony’s crazy limited edition Gold PlayStation 4 bundles

This new Game Boy Guitar plays “both Pokemon and rock and roll!”
iRobot takes its new Roomba 980 vacuum to the cloud
Timex combines its analog heritage with fitness tracking on the new Metropolitan+
Amazon intros new $50 7-inch Kindle Fire and 8/10-inch Kindle Fire HD plus 4K Fire TV
Dark Souls III North American release date revealed + early access details & new gameplay footage
This Star Wars Battlefront Deluxe bundle includes a working Han Solo mini fridge
Explore the depths of the ocean with the new Trident submersible drone
Wilson’s X Connected Basketball is a simple shot tracking solution
Mophie goes slender with its new iPhone 6 battery case, details new external power packs
Logitech aims to take over your whole home with its new Harmony Elite remote
Amazon adds 3 valuable benefits to Prime including free Washington Post access
Sony takes the wraps off a new gold DualShock controller (and other colors too)

Rdio adds support for more connected speaker systems & smart TVs

Jordan Kahn Sep 8 2015 - 9:08 am PT

0 Comments

Popular music streaming service Rdio is today announcing an expansion of its support for connected speaker systems and smart TVs, including Google’s new Google Cast for Audio platform introduced earlier this year.

In addition to supporting speakers that integrate Google’s Cast for audio platform, the music service is now available on Harman/Kardon, Denon, and the DTS Play-Fi Whole-Home Wireless ecosystem featuring leading brands such as Definitive Technology, Phorus, Polk Audio and Wren. The company also noted that it’s now available on Samsung smart TVs and arriving soon on smart TVs from LG and Hisense.

Previously Rdio was only available on Sonos speakers and setup boxes like the Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

Rdio is available free with ads or as an ad-free service for $9.99/month unlimited or on certain devices for $3.99/month with a limited number of on demand songs per day.

LG debuts ‘Rolly’ universal, rollable Bluetooth keyboard

Cam Bunton Aug 27 2015 - 1:13 am PT

2 Comments

In a press release early this morning, Korean tech giant LG announced that it wants to grab a bigger share of the mobile accessories market. It wants to do so with Rolly Keyboard, a wireless, portable, rollable universal keyboard. Opened, it forms a four-row keyboard with close-to full size keys. What makes the keyboard unique is the method by which it’s stowed. Unlike the traditional single fold down the middle, each row of keys has a hinge, enabling the user to roll it up in to a ‘stick’.

Rolly Keyboard is powered by a single AAA battery and uses two Bluetooth 3.0 channels to pair to two separate devices and enable easy-switching between them, similar to the Microsoft Foldable Keyboard we reviewed recently. What’s more, it also features two arms to hold smartphones or tablets upright. It’s made from polycarbonate and black ABS plastic and LG claims it “offers satisfying tactile feedback often not found on flexible silicone keyboards”. Judging from the selection of keys on the device, it seems it’s going to be compatible with multiple platforms, including Apple-flavored devices.

Instead of offering a separate row for extra function keys for tasks like media playback, volume etc. LG has opted to use an individual ‘Fn’ key which — when pressed with a labelled key — will allow users to skip tracks, play/pause, change volume, pair devices and much more. And it won’t be alone on the accessory market his year:

“LG Rolly Keyboard is just one of the many premium input devices we’ll be unveiling in the coming months as we expand our accessories offerings,” said Seo Young-jae, vice president in charge of Innovative Personal Devices at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The goal was to create a product that could add more value to LG smartphones and tablets at the same time offering a unique design proposition that hadn’t been explored before.”

LG will show off its Rolly Keyboard at IFA in Berlin at the beginning of next month and launch in the U.S. in September. Pricing and availability details will be shared once it’s available to consumers.

U.S. Patent Office invalidates an original iPhone patent in Samsung lawsuit

Mark Gurman Aug 17 2015 - 10:20 pm PT

12 Comments

Earlier this month, the United States Patent Office made a non-final ruling that one of Apple’s design patents for the original iPhone is invalid within Apple’s long-running lawsuit against Samsung, according to a report from FOSS Patents. This particular patent, as seen in the drawings above, references the overall design of the original iPhone launched in 2007. It is known as the “D’677” patent in court proceedings and legal documents. FOSS explains the reasoning behind the invalidation:

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IDC: iPad lead continues to decline while overall tablet market shrinks

Zac Hall Jul 29 2015 - 7:11 am PT

35 Comments

Apple’s iPad continues to lead the tablet market, according to new data from IDC, but its marketshare has dropped a few points year-over-year, and the overall market for tablets saw negative growth, based on units shipped globally. That’s according to second quarter 2015 unit shipments and marketshare over the same quarter a year ago, as Apple shipped 10.9 million units versus 13.3 million units during the second quarter of 2014. While the iPad continues to lead in the tablet space, IDC’s data shows Apple’s market share dropping nearly 3 points from 27.7% to 24.5% …
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Supply chain rumors say brighter Apple Watch, pink iPhone 6S with Force Touch camera en route

Jeremy Horwitz Jul 2 2015 - 6:42 am PT

28 Comments

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Two new reports out of Asia this morning purport to shed light on improvements coming to Apple’s next-generation Apple Watch and the iPhone 6S.

According to a report out of Korea (via Naver/Digital Daily), Apple has decided to source flexible OLED screens for the Apple Watch 2 from both Samsung and LG, prioritizing improved outdoor visibility rather than changing the screen size, shape, or resolution. Outdoor screen visibility is a particular issue for the more reflective, sapphire-faced Apple Watch and Edition, which noticeably reduce the underlying screen’s apparent brightness compared with the glass-faced Apple Watch Sport. The report also claims Apple is more concerned about thinning components than reducing weight, in order to make room for a larger battery.

A second and more questionable report out of Taiwan, allegedly posted to microblogging site Weibo by a Foxconn employee before being pulled and recirculated by PhoneArena, claims to offer a series of additional details regarding the upcoming iPhone 6S. As detailed below, a new pink color, higher-resolution cameras with Force Touch simultaneous video/photo modes, and a faster Touch ID fingerprint scanner are all said to be on tap…

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9to5Toys Last Call: Logitech UE MINI BOOM $50, LG 49″ 4K UHDTV $600, iOS Free App of the Week, more

Jun 25 2015 - 9:01 am PT

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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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

App Store Free App of the Week: Halftone 2 Comic Book Creator ($2 value)
100 Audible audiobooks for $5 each: The Great Gatsby, Fahrenheit 451, more
The Luzi Smart Lamp has Siri-like powers with charging options for Apple Watch
Free Xbox Gold Games for July: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, more
LEGO unveils the highly detailed new Ferrari F40 Creator series set
There’s a slim chance you’ll get the YEEZY BOOST 350 sneakers
LG G4 w/ 32 GB flash (factory unlocked): $500 shipped (Reg. $600)
Home: WORX 8-in-1 Wheelbarrow yard cart $130 (Reg. $160+), more

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Logitech UE MINI BOOM Wireless Portable Speaker (multiple colors) $50 shipped (Orig. $100)

LG 49-inch 4K 60Hz Smart LED UHDTV: $600 shipped (Reg. $900)

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Headphones: Qy7 Bluetooth 4.1 Earbuds $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30), Sennheiser HD439 $40 (Reg. $55+), more

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Amazon’s Treasure Truck brings daily deals to the streets

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Save $100 on Apple’s iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Gold or Silver: $399 shipped (Reg. $499)

Giveaway: Grovemade’s latest wooden creation provides a luxurious home for your Magic TrackPad

More new gear from today:

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Games/Apps: Dragon Age Inquisition $30, Skylanders Trap Team Wii U $30, Jump Out free, more iOS freebies

New! LG 34″ UltraWide LED IPS Monitor w/ Thunderbolt 2: $750 shipped (Reg. $1,000)
New! Daily Deals: Anker Portable Bluetooth Speaker $26, Toshiba 2TB HDD $80, more
New! Speakers: PreSonus 4.5″ Powered Studio Monitors $163 (Reg. $200), more

Fenix 3-ft MFi Apple-certified Lightning cable $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $10) http://t.co/nXzcZz4XqF pic.twitter.com/WMa5UQDtG0

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 25, 2015

More deals still alive:

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Verus iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple styles & colors starting at $2 shipped

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HooToo Wireless N Travel Routers w/ file sharing 20% off: TripMate Nano $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $25), more

3-pack of 3.3-ft Poweradd MFi Lightning cables $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $23)
Garmin vívofit Bluetooth Fitness Band (refurb): $42 shipped (Orig. $130)
iPhone 5 & 1-Yr Unlimited Talk/Text, 500MB LTE/m $300 shipped
Incase up to 40% off sale + extra 15% + free shipping
WD My Passport Pro 2TB portable storage w/ Thunderbolt cable $200 (Reg. $300)
Headphones: JBL J33A in-ears w/ mic $15 (Reg. $24), more
The best deals to really take advantage of Microsoft’s Xbox One free game promotion
ZyXEL AV2 600Mbps Powerline Gigabit adapter kit $44 shipped (Reg. $70)
Pad and Quill 10% off + free shipping: Apple Watch stands from $72, more
HP Officejet Pro Wireless All-in-One Inkjet w/ AirPrint: $60 shipped (Reg. $90+)
App Store sale – Amazing Fantasy Games at least 50% off: Badlands $2, more
App Store Free App of the Week: Warhammer Snotling Fling ($4 value)
4-Pack of Lexar 16GB TwistTurn USB Flash Drives $19 shipped (Reg. $24)
Ondesoft Mac Bundle w/ X-Mirage, iTunes Converter, more: free ($146 value)

New products & more:

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Polaroid’s mini 1-inch 1080p action camera refreshed with Wi-Fi integration for iOS

The Roost smart battery adds iOS notifications to your old smoke detectors for $35

The affordable Micro Drone 3.0 has a motorized camera mount and streams HD video
The Camp Champ delivers an all-in-one luxurious kitchen experience to your tent
Here’s our first real look at Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 for Xbox One and PS4
Lexus just teased a new hoverboard and it looks awesome
Ily puts video calls front and center with compatibility for iOS and Android devices
Hulu secures its subscribers a 20% discount on the new Showtime streaming service
Amazon Echo smart speaker now available for purchase for $180 shipped
Watch this speedrunner clear Super Mario World in 23 minutes while blindfolded
The new Forza 6 Limited Edition Xbox One console has a Ford GT inspired controller
GameStop launches vintage games store and prices are all over the place
Jabra’s new in-ear Bluetooth headphones track more than 40 exercises
LEGO Minifigures Online is set to arrive with multi-platform play on Mac/PC/iOS
McDonald’s new to-go box for bikes will have you cycling up to the drive-thru
It took more than half-a-decade to knit this detailed replica Super Mario Bros. map
Sony’s new Ultimate Player Edition PlayStation 4 comes with double the storage

E3:

The 5 biggest iOS and Android games announced at this year’s E3 Expo
Super Smash Bros. updates, Star Fox rolls onto Wii U, more
Limited edition PS4 accessories celebrate PlayStation’s 20th Anniversary
New games & hardware announced at E3 make Xbox One deserving of a second look
Sony shows Last Guardian, Final Fantasy VII remake, Uncharted 4, Star Wars, more
Microsoft unveils new hardware, 360 compatibility + Forza 6, Halo 5, more
Bethesda’s real life Pip Boy for iPhone/Android, Dishonored 2, Doom, more
Xbox Live Gold Members can enjoy EA Access for free this week

Apple Watch propels LG to over 90% of the smartwatch display market

Stephen Hall May 12 2015 - 8:30 am PT

0 Comments

Apple Watch Sport

According to market research firm DisplaySearch, LG Display—the sole company currently making displays for the Apple Watch—brought in over $186 million during the first quarter of 2015, a number more than 90% of the overall market estimated to be worth a total of $240 million (via Business Korea). Other players in the market have tiny shares in comparison, with Samsung Display in second place with a 3.1% share, followed by Japan Display at 2.1%…

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LG publicly claims Apple will release ‘iMac 8K’ with 8K screen this year

Mark Gurman Apr 6 2015 - 5:02 am PT

33 Comments

Last week, Apple’s biggest display partner LG Display published an explainer on 8K (7,680 by 4,320 resolution) screens, claiming that the specification is the future of display technology. LG has already demonstrated 8K monitors at CES in Las Vegas, and notes that the panel boasts 16 times the number of pixels as a standard Full HD screen. Strangely, however, LG’s document explicitly says that Apple is working on an 8K version of the iMac (emphasis ours):

It has become clear that Japan is planning to launch an 8K SHV test broadcast and then promptly restructure the UHD service. Apple has also announced that they will release the ‘iMac 8K’ with a super-high resolution display later this year. Korea is also preparing to offer an 8K service demonstration at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. LG Display displayed a new beacon of the 8K era by revealing their 98-inch 8K Color Prime Ultra HDTV at CES 2015.

As anyone who reads up on Apple would tell you, this statement from LG Display is not accurate: Apple has not announced an iMac with an 8K display and has not publicly indicated that one is coming this year…

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9to5Toys Last Call: LG 40″ 4K UHDTV $499, iPad Air 128GB LTE $529, Modern Combat 5 goes free, more

Mar 18 2015 - 9:04 am PT

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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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Sony’s PlayStation Vue is now available, but how does it compare to Sling?
Harman Audio recertified sale: JBL Pebbles Speakers $25 (orig. $72), more
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive $180 (Reg. $270)
IK’s new iRig 2 guitar/instrument audio interface for iOS and Mac is now available
Media: dozens of Blu-rays for $4 ea, Red Hot Chili Peppers free live album, more
Netflix April Preview: Daredevil season one, The Babadook, more
This iPhone 6 case uses old fashioned power to keep your device alive
Home: KRUPS Stainless Steel Juicer $75, Crayola products 40% off, more

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Amazon Gold Box: LG 40-inch 4K 60Hz Smart UHD HDTV/Monitor: $499 shipped

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128GB iPad Air w/LTE (silver): $529 shipped, tax in NY (orig: $929)

Also Best Buy has some deals if you are quick.

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/578225173670707200]

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Modern Combat 5: Blackout for iOS goes free for the first time (Reg. $4+)

Nomad launches two Apple Watch power accessories, save 22% on your preorder

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Thinking Apple Watch? Pebble’s original timepiece might be a better buy for iOS users

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Small States Review: Carved’s Live Edge iPhone 6 cases ensconce your device in one-of-a-kind raw wood, multiple giveaways

More new gear from today:

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RAVPower 10400mAh Power Bank w/ dual USB ports: $17 Prime shipped (Reg. $25)

New! uNu DX-6 iPhone 6 3000mAh MFi Battery Case $43 shipped (Reg. $80)
New! TRENDnet 200 AV Nano Powerline Adapter Kit $20 shipped (orig. $50)
New! Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M30x $55, Sennheiser HD 650 $290, more
New! Daily Deals: 55-inch HDTVs refurb $400+, Belkin Car Charger w/ Micro USB $9, more
New! Games/Apps: Color Strokes goes free (Reg. $2), more freebies
New! Magazine subs from $4/yr: Wired, GQ, ESPN, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, Dwell, more

More deals still alive:

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Caseology iPhone 6/Plus cases (multiple colors/styles) from $3 w/ free shipping

Samsung D3 Station 4TB Desktop External Hard Drive $100 shipped (Reg. $150)
Car mount iPhone 6: $10 (Reg. $23), MFi Lightning cable: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $14)
1Password 5 for Mac is on sale for $35 (Reg. $50) – stop using weak passwords right now
Klipsch Image X5 Noise-Isolating in-ear headphones $70 shipped (Reg. $90+), more
Get started with Tile Bluetooth iOS/Android item trackers for $20 Prime shipped (20% off)
Position iPad as a 2nd monitor w/ Twelve South HoverBar 3: $75 shipped (Reg. $100)
Big USB battery/flashlights: Omaker 15,600mAh: $25, Power Vault 18000mAh: $30 shipped
Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x over-ears w/ $50 Amazon credit $158, more
PreSonus Ceres 3.5/4.5-inch powered speakers w/ Bluetooth from $130 shipped
Apple Watch leather bands hit Amazon for $10
Get ready for Game of Thrones season 5 w/ free iTunes music from Method Man, more
JBL J56 BT Wireless Bluetooth on-ear headphones $60 shipped (Reg. $90+)
Sabrent 60W/12A 10-Port USB Smart Charger: $23 shipped (Reg. $35), more
Incase ICON MacBook and iPad sleeves from $40 shipped ($20 off)

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iTunes Free App of the Week: 8bit Doves ($3 value)

Apple extends deeper discounts to its refurbished store: AirPort Extreme $129, 13″ MacBook Air from $719, more

Apple laptops up to 25% off: MacBook Air from $750 w/ .edu, Pro w/ Retina display from $1,100 w/ .edu

Updated Apple TV pricing gets passed down as players refurbished by Apple hit a new low of $59

New products & more:

sling-tv-xbox-trial

Sling TV hits Xbox One with free one month trial for Live users, additional channels announced

Incase moves to manufacturing iPhone accessories in the United States, save 15%
With summer approaching, SABER introduces the iPhone connected EDGE smart grill
Sony announces free multiplayer weekend for all PS4 owners
The Atlas Wristband can discern between different fitness activities
LyfeLens dash cam pushes live video to your iPhone and doubles as a hotspot
Kitchen Tech: AeroPress lets you make fancy coffee and espresso at budget prices
New iOS/Mac game releases: Sid Meier’s Starships & Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter 5
Moleskine announces new backpack and messenger style bags for travelers, artists, more
Straight Outta Springfield: LEGO announces new Simpsons inspired sets

The iPhone and iPad reportedly captured 93% of mobile device profits in holiday quarter, 79% across 2014

Benjamin Mayo Feb 9 2015 - 8:01 am PT

1 Comment

Apple reported the largest profit ever recorded by a public company in the holiday quarter, mostly driven by sales of 74 million iPhones with an average selling price of $687. According to Cannacord, this meant Apple captured 93% of handset smartphone profits. Perhaps more staggering is that it claims Apple dominated on similar levels across the entire of 2014 — with 79% of mobile device profits.

The analyst expects continued growth for the iPhone for the next few users, with an estimated 650 million iPhone users by the end of 2018.

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Latest rumor of OLED displays in iPhones inspired by report on Foxconn display factory

Ben Lovejoy Jan 8 2015 - 6:54 am PT

5 Comments

oled

There are always rumors around that Apple is planning to switch from LCD to thinner, brighter, more power-efficient OLED displays in its iPhones. The latest is a report seemingly originating on Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun cited by GforGames via a Chinese site … So take it with the usual large pinch of salt.

Bloomberg reported back in November that Foxconn was building a new $2.6B display factory whose output would be exclusively devoted to Apple. The headline was quickly changed to remove the reference to Apple, though the piece still strongly hinted at Apple being the sole client. This latest report says that the factory in question will be making only OLED displays.

It’s worth noting that, even if the factory is indeed making displays only for Apple, and even if all those displays are indeed OLED ones, that still doesn’t necessarily mean you can expect OLED displays in next year’s iPhones. Apple has already announced that the Apple Watch will use OLED displays, so it’s possible that the company is simply diversifying its supply chain for these. LG is currently slated as the primary supplier of Apple Watch displays.

While OLED has a number of advantages over LCD displays, it is more expensive to manufacture, so a switch is not one that Apple would make without a careful cost-benefit analysis.

Mac Pro monitor review: The best 4K & UHD monitors for Mac

Jordan Kahn Dec 23 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

47 Comments

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Check out our updated roundup of the best 4K and 5K displays for Mac for 2016.

So Apple didn’t release a 4K (or 5K) standalone Retina display alongside the new 5K iMac, but you can’t hold off any longer on a shiny new display for your Mac Pro. I found myself in the same predicament not too long ago and decided to put a number of displays to the test in recent months. 4K might offer 4x the resolution of your standard 1080p display, but for the short time they’ve been around, they’ve also cost about 4x as much as the alternatives. The good news: There are a few Mac Pro compatible 4K displays (and UHD alternatives) finally starting to hit more reasonable price points just as recent OS X updates fix some issues early adopters first had with the higher resolution displays.

I’ve been testing Mac Pro compatible displays from Dell, Sharp, Samsung, LG, and others that are officially supported by Apple, and put together a list of my thoughts and top picks for those planning on picking up a new Mac Pro this holiday season. Despite my tests being done mostly on a new, stock Mac Pro, these picks stand for Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook users as well.

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9to5Toys Last Call: LG 65-inch 1080p LED HDTV $699, Pitendo NES emulator, iGrill Mini giveaway, more

Dec 10 2014 - 2:27 pm PT

0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

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LG 65″ 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV $699 w/ free in-store pick up (Reg. $900)

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Relive your favorite classic video games with the pocket sized Pitendo NES emulator

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Giveaway: iDevices iGrill Mini Bluetooth Grilling Thermometer for iOS/Android ($40 value)

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Kitchen Tech: Magical ice ball makers transform everyday drinks into classics

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Amazon flips the switch on free 4K streaming for Prime members, here are the 4K UHDTVs you want to watch it on

More new deals:

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New! Games/Apps: Xbox One Assassin’s Creed bundle w/ free game $349, Threes! $2, more
New! Headphones: Klipsch X11 earbuds $130, LG Tone+ Bluetooth headset $40, more
New! Daily Deals: JLab Poppin BT speaker: $40, Logitech speaker system: $35, more
New! Dell UltraSharp 23.8-inch LED Monitor w/ HDMI & USB 3.0 hub $209 (orig. $350)
New! MXL 770 Cardioid Condenser Microphone $60 shipped (orig. $170)
New! Home: Hamilton Beach coffee maker $49 (orig. $80), more
New! Magazine subs from $4 per yr: Popular Science, Men’s Fitness, Wired, more
New! Sony PlayStation 4 gets free game, $35 DriveClub deals at Amazon
New! Amazon Gold Box: up to 50% off select Razor Kick Electric Scooters and Vtech Toys

More deals still alive:

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MacBook/iPad stickers (multiple options) Buy One, Get One Free: $4 shipped (Reg. $40)
$50 gift card w/ purchase of iPhone 6 from Target – plus other stackable discounts
Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700 MK2 over-ear headphones $130 (orig. $230)
LG 27-inch 1080P IPS LED Monitor w/ HDMI: $180 shipped (Reg. $300)
Pioneer 4K AirPlay A/V Receiver $347 shipped (Reg. $500)
Blue Microphones Spark USB/Lightning Mic for Mac/iOS $129 shipped (Reg. $200)
WD 2TB HDD w/ Adobe Lightroom 5 or Photoshop Premier Elements from $100
MFi Certified 3ft. Lightning to USB Cable $7.49 (Reg. $10), 10ft. for $11 Prime shipped
Bluetooth speakers: UE MINI BOOM $70, BOOM $170, JBL Charge 2 $130
Bluetooth speakers: Marshall Stanmore $340, Gramovox Gramophone $350
Headphones: Harman Kardon Over-Ears $140, Monster iSport In-Ears $100, more
iPhone 6 Tempered Glass Screen Protector with curved edge finish: $5 shipped (Reg. $15)
Media: Thor The Dark World $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $40), Blu-rays/DVDs from $3
HDTVs: LG 55″ 4K 3D $1,170 (orig. $2,300), more
Roku 3 $78 new or $65 refurb (orig. $100)
Buy $10+ Starbucks Card eGift with a Visa card and get a $10 bonus for free
Stickman iOS apps go free: Soccer, Tennis, Downhill, Motocross, more (Reg. $1 ea.)
GoPro HERO4 Black w/ 32GB microSD, headstrap, $50 gift card: $500 ($597 value)
SanDisk iXpand 32GB Lightning flash drive $60, more
Kingdom Rush Frontiers is IGN’s free iOS game of the month ($2.99 value)
iPad Air 2s and Mini 3s $50-$100 off at Best Buy and 20% off select iPads at Staples
iTunes Free App of the Week: God of Light ($1.99 value)
PNY Turbo 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive: $70 shipped (50% off)
Acer 13.3-inch Chromebook 2.1GHz/2GB/16GB: $200 shipped (orig. $300)
TP-LINK AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit $30 Prime shipped (orig. $70)

Holiday Gift Guides:

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Justin’s holiday gift guide: accessories to amplify your Mac set-up
Trevor’s holiday gift guide: products that make life easier and look good doing it

New products/ongoing promos:

Pocket Gamer to offer one free iOS app every day for two weeks
Seagate’s new Archive drives pack 8TB of storage for less than $300
Samsung releases an updated version of its best selling consumer SSDs
Get three months of Spotify Premium for $0.99 ($30 value)
Google doles out free $20 Play credits to Chromecast owners
Tommy Hilfiger’s new solar jacket can charge two iPhones at once
TRENDnet THA-101 combines a network extender and smart plug
Google Play gives Chromecast users the original X-Men movie for free ($13 value)
WeMo and Holmes team up to take the worry out of small room heaters
Top 10 kids’ toys of 2014 per early Google Search data
Twelve South makes the best iPhone 6/iPad dock even better
Internet Archive brings 900 classic arcade titles to your web browser for free
The thinnest iPhone 6/Plus cases we’ve found so far

Apple adds new LG 31-inch 4K monitor to list of supported Mac displays

Jordan Kahn Nov 26 2014 - 1:09 pm PT

9 Comments

LG-4K-display-mac

Apple has updated its support document detailing 4K displays with Mac support to add LG’s recently announced 31-inch 4K monitor (31MU97).
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LG announces impressive 31-inch 4K monitor with Mac compatibility for $1,399

9to5 Staff Oct 28 2014 - 8:41 pm PT

29 Comments

Click to enlarge, note Mac interface for scale

Update: The monitor doesn’t actually cost $2,499—that is the Australian price. In the U.S., the monitor will be shipping for a much more reasonable $1,399.

LG Electronics on Tuesday unveiled its new 31-inch Digital Cinema 4K monitor (4096×2160 px) for $1,399. Apple users will be pleased to hear that the monitor is compatible with both Mac and Thunderbolt. The monitor includes a Mini DisplayPort (in addition to 2 HDMI ports and 1 DisplayPort), which uses the same physical port as Thunderbolt enabling Mac users to drive the 4K display over a single Mini DisplayPort 1.2 cable.

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Foxconn hoping to make future iPhone screens, get more of the Apple pie

Ben Lovejoy Oct 23 2014 - 4:48 am PT

5 Comments

File photo of employees working inside a Foxconn factory in the township of Longhua

iPhone assembler Foxconn is apparently hoping to move beyond its relatively low-margin work into more profitable high-end component manufacturing in order to take a bigger slice of revenue from Apple, reports the WSJ.

Apple Inc.’s major assembler Foxconn is in preliminary discussions with a provincial government in northern China for an investment in a new factory that would make high-end screens for iPhones and other mobile devices, people familiar with the talks say.

Foxconn already manufactures some iPhone components, but currently only low-margin ones like metal casings and cables …
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Supply-chain report claims Apple rejected Samsung displays for Apple Watch

Ben Lovejoy Sep 17 2014 - 4:57 am PT

3 Comments

apple-watch

A DigiTimes report is claiming that Apple has rejected Samsung as a supplier of displays for the Apple Watch, and that all of them will be made by LG.

LG Display will supply Apple AMOLED panels for the Apple Watch, with shipments expected to reach about five million a month in 2015, according to sources at LG Display.

The company had been expected to split display production between the two companies, and the usual caution needs to be applied to DigiTimes stories, which rely on anonymous supply-chain sources.

The report claims Apple is hoping to sell upwards of 50 million smartwatches in 2015. Analyst estimates for sales of the Apple Watch range from 10M to 37M.

Apple has not yet given a launch date for the new device, stating only that it will go on sale “early next year.” The entry-level model will cost $349, but Apple has not revealed pricing for more expensive models. The top-of-the-range Edition models featuring solid gold cases are expected to go well into four figures.

Apple Watches will contain NFC chips that allow them to be used for mobile payment via Apple Pay with older iPhones. You’ll need to authorize the watch when you first put it on in the morning, and it will then remain validated for payment for as long as it remains in constant contact with your wrist.

Samsung and LG unveil more smartwatches ahead of alleged iWatch/iBand debut next month

Chance Miller Aug 27 2014 - 7:44 pm PT

33 Comments

: Gear S

: G Watch R

Just a few hours after yet another report emerged claiming that Apple would be taking the wraps off of its new wearable at an event next month, both LG and Samsung have announced new wearable devices tonight.

LG has officially unveiled the G Watch R this evening, which features a 1.3-inch Plastic OLED display that is a full 360 degrees, unlike the Moto 360, which has an area of dead space at the bottom of the display. Motorola claims that the reason for the dead space on its watch is for the ambient light sensor and other display drivers. It’s unclear how LG managed to avoid having a dead area with its circular watch.

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9to5Toys Last Call: LG 42″ LED HDTV $300, WD 2TB portable HDD $85, Belkin Bluetooth adapter $24, more

Aug 22 2014 - 9:01 am PT

0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

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Last Call Updates:

Satechi’s latest wireless keyboard can sync with up to five Bluetooth devices at once
Fashion: Banana Republic 40% off sitewide, American Eagle shorts from $10, more
D-Link Wireless 750 Mbps Cloud App-Enabled Dual-Band Router $50 shipped (Reg. $80)
Garmin Fenix 2 GPS training watch w/heart rate monitor $350 shipped (Reg. $450)
Aros smart window air conditioner $177 shipped (orig. $300), Quirky 25% off sitewide
Home Deals: Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker $70 (orig. $185), French Press $40 (orig. $70), more

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LG 42-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV $300 shipped (orig. $550)

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Storage Deals:

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive $85 shipped (orig. $130)
Samsung 840 EVO Series 1TB 2.5″ SATA III SSD $380 shipped (orig. $550)
Samsung 840 EVO Series 250GB 2.5″ SATA III SSD $118.99 shipped (orig. $150)

belkin-song-stream-bluetooth-music-receiver-sale-01

Belkin Song Stream Bluetooth Music Receiver $24 Prime shipped (Reg. $40+)

reversible-iphone-lightning-usb-cable-buy Reversible USB Lightning cable available for purchase ahead of its potential launch alongside iPhone

iphone-5c

Apple Deals:

iDevices on sale at Staples: iPad mini 32GB $289, iPod shuffle $39, more
Walmart temporarily cuts 16 GB iPhone 5c price to $.97, iPhone 5s now $79
Apple iPad mini for $199 (33% off) goes live at Target stores
Apple giving out five Newsstand magazines a day till Aug. 22 in the UK
Apple cuts prices of all Beats by Dre products by 10% through Aug. 23rd
The Apple Store now sells an $89 refurbished iPod touch and it may actually be worth your time/money

Other new deals:

Today only, Stargate Atlantis – The Complete Series on Blu-ray for$44.99 or DVD for $29.99 http://t.co/n1GHUFPHa0 pic.twitter.com/Vdk3eFcxnZ

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 22, 2014

New! Games/Apps: PlayStation 4 bundle $400 ($460+ value), DualShock 4 $40, more
New! Daily Deals: Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone: $49, Geneva WorldRadio: $95, more
New! Sony aims to up your tennis game with new racket sensor

Powerline kits: TRENDnet 500AV Nano $25 shipped (Reg. $40+), Linksys 4-port kit $40 shipped (Reg. $56+) http://t.co/rMJ2sw5kRr

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 22, 2014

More tech deals still alive:

Hitman GO for iOS/Android now available at 60% off: $2 (Reg. $5)
Logitech speaker systems (refurb): Z506 $41 (orig. $100 new), Z323 $26 (orig. $70 new)
SNK Playmore 20th Anniversary $0.99 Sale: The King of Fighters ’97, Metal Slug 1-3, more
Pro Tools 11 + Mbox Pro interface $760 shipped ($240 off), more
Case-Mate sitewide sale: 60% off with free shipping, iPhone cases $6, more
Samsung 48″ 1080p Smart HDTV 120Hz $600 shipped (Reg. $1000)
iRig PRO Audio/Midi interface for iOS and Mac $118 shipped (Reg. $150)
iClever 360 dash mount and dual USB Charger $13 (Reg. $19)
Media: Captain America early iTunes/3D Blu-ray, Chuck series Blu-ray $67, more
Foscam Wireless Pan and Tilt Network Camera $50 shipped (orig. $150)
Jabra REVO Corded Stereo Headphones: $70 shipped (orig. $200)
Brother Laser Multi-Function $100 (Reg. $149), Brother 4-in-1 $50 (Reg. $100)
Nike clearance extra 25% off: save on NFL/MLB fan gear, sports apparel, more
Monitors: Samsung SD590 Series 24″ $199/27″ $243 (Reg. $260/$300), more
WD 4TB My Cloud Mirror personal cloud storage $300 shipped (reg. $400)
Bowers & Wilkins Z2 AirPlay speaker w/ Lightning dock $200 shipped (orig. $400)

Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:

Home Deals: Smartphone controlled scale $23, kitchen items, vacs, more
Amazon fashion coupon 20% off clothing, shoes, watches, and more

New products/ongoing promos:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK available for $179 w/ 10% discount & $200 in content
Samsung introduces new Level Box mini Bluetooth speaker w/ 25 hours of battery life
TCL Roku-enabled HDTV available today for pre-order
DSTRUX iOS app makes it safe to share risqué photos on Facebook
LEGO Fusion brings your physical creations to life inside of companion mobile apps
Award-winning MacLovin’ Bundle $40
Review: Omaker MOMI Ultra Portable Metallic Wireless BT Speaker: $16 (Orig. $80)
Philips introduces new $30 iOS/Android-controlled Hue bulb, now available for preorder
New LED laden shower head packs a waterproof Bluetooth speaker

Google/Microsoft/misc tech:

Amazon Coins 20% off: save on Android apps/games
Google Play Music offering free songs from Nirvana, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, more

Hoping for a curved Apple Thunderbolt Display? Check out this LG 21:9 beauty

Ben Lovejoy Aug 18 2014 - 6:42 am PT

19 Comments

I’ve never been greatly convinced that curved TV screens are anything but a passing novelty. Watching TV is a social experience, so optimizing the viewing angle for just one person seems odd. But a curved monitor makes much more sense to me, enabling more comfortable viewing from a fixed position at your desk – especially as monitors get larger.

LG has just announced that it will formally launch the 34UC97, “the world’s first curved monitor with an extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio,” at the IFA in Berlin next month. The 34-inch ultra-wide monitor offers a 3440×1440 resolution, and – appealingly for Mac users – supports Thunderbolt 2 …
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LG’s new Connect SDK helps bridge the gap between mobile apps and TVs

Sarah Guarino Apr 17 2014 - 8:45 am PT

0 Comments

LG today announced a new system to help bridge the gap between a range of televisions and mobile software. The Connect SDK is an open-source, multi-platform tool that developers can use to make their mobile apps compatible with different TV set-top boxes and smart TVs. In a press release, Samuel Chang, LG Electronics USA vice president and head of the LG Silicon Valley Lab said:

Connect SDK is breaking down barriers to enable apps and devices to work together harmoniously. The screen size, capabilities and social nature of Smart TVs enable experiences that consumers will absolutely love.

Connect SDK is designed to address the problem of connecting apps with a second screen, the TV, which still serves as a main point of content consumption for many households. The company has released versions of the SDK compatible with devices on both iOS and Android.

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New report corroborates rumors of LG iWatch display, multiple display sizes, late 2014 release

Dom Esposito Apr 15 2014 - 12:57 am PT

6 Comments

According to a recent report from Korean publication Naver, LG is once again rumored to be the sole supplier of flexible displays for Apple’s upcoming iWatch. First discovered by GforGames, the report seems to back up a rumor from January suggesting that LG would be supplying a 1.52-inch plastic OLED display for Apple.

Naver also indicates that Apple will launch its iWatch in both 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch sizes, which corroborates previous rumors that the device will ship in different sizes for men and women. Naver goes on to report that Apple intends to sell up to 9 million iWatch units and plans to launch the device later this year.

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iPhone 6 displays could go into mass production next month, 5.5-inch model reportedly delayed

Mike Beasley Mar 31 2014 - 11:12 pm PT

21 Comments

Reuters is reporting that the displays for the next-generation iPhone could go into mass production as soon as May, with Japan Display, LG, and Sharp all said to be working on them. Previous reports indicated that the iPhone 6 would be available in two different sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. According to today’s new report, however, the larger model could see delays of several months due to manufacturing difficulties.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 later this year.

The updated smartphone will run a new version of the company’s iconic iOS software that—as reported by 9to5Mac—will feature a new focus on health and fitness; better iCloud tools for developers; Preview and TextEdit companion applications; changes to Messages and Game Center; and improvements to the Maps application, including public transit directions and better 3D support.

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