Apple is still top dog when it comes to tablet market share, a pretty impressive feat for a company with only 2 tablet models to choose from, however they aren’t sitting quite as pretty as before as their share has slipped while rivals begin to catch up.

When the ‘tablet wars’ kicked off, the Apple iPad seemed all but unbeatable, but times have changed and the iPad mini came a little late to the party giving the likes of Samsung, Amazon, Asus and others the chance catch up with their pint-sized offerings. The shift in market share is quite dramatic with Apple slipping from a 65% share at the start of 2012 to just under 40% this year. In second place Samsung enjoys a 18% market share, with Asus and Amazon making up the rest and Microsoft coming 5th with 1.8%.

From what we have been seeing Apple’s share will continue to slip unless they really do something special with the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2, but even then it won’t be easy, as a new Nexus tablet is expected soon, along with more Samsung tablets on the way.

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Amazon have taken the Android tablet market by storm with their low-cost tablets, and now it appears they are hoping to do the same with smartphones.

It’s long been rumoured that Amazon could be working on an own branded Android smartphone, and indeed makes sense as they have their own app store, online retail network and hordes of happy fans. To further stoke the embers of speculation Charile Kindel, the ex-general manager for Windows Phone, has joined the company and is working on “something secret”. The tip off comes from Kindel himself via his Linkedin profile where he writes that he is working on “something wonderful” at Amazon.

An Amazon Android phone looks like a distinct possibility, but could you see one in your life? Keep in mind it’s possible that this project could be something totally different as well.

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The post Amazon Hires Ex-Windows Phone Exec, Amazon Phone in the Works? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

So, you’ve decided to upgrade your computer to Windows 8 and now you’re finding that you really want to have a touchscreen to take advantage of all those gestures. There are plenty of laptops and tablets out there with touchscreens, but what about your desktop? Thankfully, there are touchscreen monitors too and they can be quite reasonably priced.

One such example is the Viewsonic TD2420 24-inch monitor. This LED monitor is fully multi-touch compatible, so you’ll be able to do all of those Windows 8 things that you want to do. Along with the interactive stylus, the TD2420 is said to be great “as a POS device, information kiosk, or in hospital and classroom environments.”

Naturally, the TD2420 has a 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution. In addition to the screen itself, it also comes with a pair of integrated 2W speakers with SRS premium sound. Input options include HDMI, VGA and DVI, and then there’s the VESA mount on the back if you want to put this on the wall.

Regular price is $552.00, but the ViewSonic TD2420 is on sale for $367.40 through Amazon, representing a savings of nearly $200.

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The Amazon AppStore, launched back in 2011, is turning two years old today. As part of their celebrations this week they introduced a birthday sale offering a variety of games and some apps with discounts. Now, just for today (March 22) some of the most popular Android and Kindle Fire apps which were available as part of the Free App of the Day program will be available from the AppStore in the US, Europe and Japan.

The available free apps (total worth nearly $45) include hits such as Final Freeway, Cubistry, Spectrum Puzzles, Fruit Ninja: Puss In Boots, Bejeweled 2 and more. And furthermore, they will also make available a selection of popular apps and games with discounts starting at 50% through March 23. You can select hits from EA, Gameloft, and more such as Scrabble (50% off), Need for Speed Most Wanted (50% off), Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour (86% off) and more.

Head here if you are interested in checking out the app deals. Check the list and let us know whether it has what you are looking for.

The post Amazon AppStore Giving Away Several Apps Totally Free, Today Only appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

I don’t remember the exact statistic at the moment, but I remember hearing how an increasing number of people are abandoning their traditional cable TV subscriptions and opting for online streaming and on-demand services instead. If you want easy access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and other similar entertainment on your HDTV, the Roku 2 XS is a great option. And it’s on sale too.

The Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player gives you full support of streaming video up to–you guessed it–1080p full HD. You get access to over 600 channels with movies, TV shows, sports, music and more from sources like Hulu Plus, HBO GO and VUDU. Since it’s so universal, it should work on just about any television. There’s an accompanying app for Android and iOS too.

For the Internet connectivity, you’ll probably get the best experience with the provided wired support, but the Roku 2 XS also comes with built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi for wireless connections too. Beyond videos, it even has a “game-ready remote” to handy a full version of Angry Birds. And it’s remarkably tiny to boot.

The regular price is $99.99, but the Roku 2 XS is currently on sale for $79.00 with free super saver shipping. If you activate before January 7, you also get a bonus $5 Amazon Instant Video promo credit.

The post Save $20 on Roku 2 XS 1080p Media Streaming Device appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

You probably have some great tunes kicking around on your smartphone, but your smartphone speaker is hardly the best way to share that music with your friends. You’re far better off using something bigger, yet still portable, in the form of the Jabra SOLEMATE Bluetooth Speaker, on sale now for about $70 off from the original list price.

Naturally, this portable speaker will work with any Bluetooth compatible device, but it also takes on the standard 3.5mm connection for other audio sources too. There are three front-facing speakers, including a powerful sub-woofer that comes backed with a proprietary passive bass radiator for added umph. And it’s a Bluetooth speakerphone too, so you’ll be able to make and take your calls through this device as well.

There’s an effective range of about 30 feet and the built-in rechargeable battery will give you up to eight hours of wireless music time and up to 40 days of standby time. Sound gets up to the 120dB SPL range, so don’t let the smaller size fool you either.

Available in your choice of black or white, the Jabra SOLEMATE Bluetooth Speaker is discounted down to $129.99 on Amazon, including free super saver shipping.

The post Daily Deals: Save $50 on Jabra SOLEMATE Bluetooth Portable Speaker appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Most of us know that if you want a relatively inexpensive Android tablet, you have several options. The Galaxy Tab series can be affordably priced and then there’s the Nexus 7 that starts at $199. But what if you want something bigger, perhaps with a 10-inch screen? Those usually cost more.

If you’re in the market for a 10.1-inch Android tablet and you don’t want to make any real sacrifices on quality or performance, the Asus MeMo Pad Smart ME301T-A1-BL could be just the thing. The tablet sells for just $299.99, making it $100 cheaper than the Google Nexus 10. For that money, you get the 10.1-inch IPS display and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, along with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. Like the entry-level Nexus 10, this also has 16GB of flash memory, but there is a microSD slot in there for expanded storage.

Rounding out the main specs are the 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 1.2MP front camera, and the usual array of wireless radios, sensors and inputs. As an added bonus, Asus is providing 5GB of free WebStorage for life. The slick package weighs in at 1.28 pounds and is 0.39 inches thin.

It only officially launched earlier this month, so head over to Amazon.com to buy the Asus MeMo Pad Smart now. You can get it in your choice of pink or blue for the same $299.99 price point, including free super saver shipping.

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When it comes to the world of audio, one of the most respected brands out there has to be Bose. If you’re looking for a nice Bose speaker dock for your iPhone or iPod, you can now save up to $100 off the regular price of Bose SoundDock music systems.

There are three Bose SoundDocks on sale, all of which are designed to work with 30-pin iPhones and iPods. They generally also take a standard 3.5mm auxiliary input too, so you can connect just about any other audio source. If you have a new iPod nano or iPhone, you can get a Lightning to 30-pin adapter to use the dock too.

The least expensive of the trio is the Bose SoundDock Series II speaker dock, available in your chocie of black, silver or gloss white. It normally lists for $249, but it’s now on sale for $199. Alternatively, you can go up to the Bose Music-to-Go Package that includes the digital music system, as well as a spare lithium-ion battery and a custom travel bag. That normally sells for $459.95, but it’s now on sale for $100.95 off.

Head over to the Amazon sale page to take advantage of this deal. It expires on March 9. All the Bose speaker docks come with free super saver shipping too.

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Hulu is already not as popular as rival Netflix and there will be more competition from Amazon and the Redbox Instant service, and now the future of the service itself has become uncertain due to problems from the inside.

According to available info, News Corp. and Disney, the two companies which each own roughly a third of Hulu, have started discussing the future of the service and their own stakes in the company. The two companies have plans to purchase the other’s stake or sell it to an outside company. Apparently, they have disagreements regarding the direction in which Hulu should go.

Currently, Hulu offers a free version and also a Hulu Plus subscription service and both the offerings include ads. The disagreement between the two companies is that Disney prefers an ad-supported strategy, while News Corp. feels that the focus should be on subscriptions. In the case of subscriptions, Hulu with just 3 million subscribers is nowhere near Netflix’s 27 million.

Hulu’s CEO Jason Kilar and CTO Tom Rich earlier announced their plans to step down from the company. So the future of the service might only be decided after its new CEO and CTO are announced, possibly along with new owners as well. Till then uncertainty surrounds Hulu.

Do you use Hulu regularly? Do you subscribe to Hulu Plus?

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If you’re looking for a greener way to sustain your digital lifestyle, then you may want to consider the assortment of solar power products that are on the market. Here are seven such examples that all happen to be on sale. Save money and energy!

We start off with two add-on solar charging panel extensions for the ReVIVE series solar ReStore XL external battery pack. This allows you to triple your solar charging speed. It’s on sale for half price at $24.99.

Of course, you’ll need the actual ReVIVE Solar ReStore XL battery itself to use those extra panels. It’s on sale too as part of a package that includes the 6000mAh universal USB battery, a flashlight, and the rapid charge adapter panel. Pick it up for $59.99, which is $90 off the regular price.

If you want to go smaller, the 4000mAh ReVIVE Solar ReStore XL is also on sale, giving you that same universal USB charging port to support iPhones, MP3 players, e-readers and all sorts of other portable products. Get it for $49.99, down from a list price of $109.99.

Switching gears, we have the Goal Zero 19006 Guide 10 Adventure Kit. This includes the Nomad 7 solar panel and a Guide 10 power pack, which bundles in four AA rechargeable batteries too. There’s a built-in LED flashlight to boot. It’s on sale for $99.95, a savings of $60.

Keeping time can be green too. The Casio AWGM100B-1ACR G-Shock Tough solar power atomic watch is a pretty nifty product. Naturally, the watch side of the equation is up to snuff too with quartz movement, three sub-dials, and luminiscent hands and markers. Get it for $149.00, including free shipping.

Going on a trip and need some power? Consider the Instapark SPCC-30W mono-crystalline solar panel with 12V solar charge controller. This should retain 80% efficiency even after 25 years of continuous use. Buy it for half price at $99.70 with free super saver shipping.

Last but not least, we have something completely different. It’s the OWI Frightened Grasshopper Kit. It’s a little toy bug that happens to be solar powered and it’s a great “built-it-yourself educational solar hobby kit for the first time science experimenters with little or no experience.” It’s on sale for only $3.99, down from $14.99.

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