Chromecast vs. Apple TV vs. Roku vs. Amazon Fire TV
If you're looking to buy a media-streaming box, it's likely you'll end up choosing between three types: Chromecast, Roku and Apple TV. If you're a frequent Amazon.com visitor, there may be a fourth option intruding into your thoughts:Fire TV. And if you happen to be a hard-core Google fan, you might be considering the Google Nexus Player and Android TV. Related storiesFire TV Stick vs. Chromecast vs. Roku Streaming Stick: Measuring the sticksRoku 3 reviewApple TV (2012) reviewGoogle Chromecast reviewAmazon Fire TV reviewGoogle Nexus Player review These five aren't the only streamers on the market, but they'rethe most popular and for good reason -- they all cost under $100 and offer a lot of value for your money. Whichever one you buy, chances are you'll use it all the time.Simple answer: Just buy the Roku 3 The Roku platform remains our favorite of the bunch, and the best Roku, theRoku 3, won a CNET Editors' Choice Award.Despite being released in March 2013, it still delivers a better overall experience than any of the other boxes or sticks, with the most apps and the best search, as well as a lightning-quick interface.That said, it's not necessarily the best choice for every buyer. Cheaper Rokus are nearly as good, and the Google Chromecast and Apple TV are compelling alternatives. The boxes from Amazon and Google are the newest and have some intriguing capabilities, but among this group we're less likely to recommend them. Then there's the $39 Amazon Fire TV stick, which we really like for the price -- albeit not as much as Roku's stick. So which media streamer is right for you? Let's take a closer look at all of the options. But first, if you're looking for a more granular comparison of the$35-$50 streaming sticks, check out Measuring the Sticks. And if you just want to compare support for major apps, skip down to the chart below.Roku ($50-100) Sarah Tew/CNETWhy it's great: More choice of devices, more apps Multiple hardware and pricing options: CurrentlyRoku has four different players, not counting Roku TV. If I could recommend only one, it would be the flagship Roku 3 ($100). But Roku also has cheaper options: the Roku 2 ($70), the Roku 1 ($50) and the Streaming Stick ($50).Each has its advantages and disadvantages, which I cover in depth in "Which Roku streamer should you buy?" Over 1,700 apps: Roku is the undisputed winner when it comes to content (see the chart below), with a massive channel library that includes Netflix, Amazon Instant, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, MLB.TV, NFL Now, Amazon Cloud Player, Vudu, PBS, TWC TV and, yes, YouTube. Roku is often the first to get new channels, plus the company has a good track record of bringing updates to its boxes and apps. In the latest example, it added Google Play Movies and TV almost the same day the Nexus Player launched.On December 16, 2014, Comcast lifted its long-standing ban on HBO Go and Showtime Anytime, finally allowing Roku to stream the apps to its subscribers. Headphone jack in the remote: Plug headphones into the remote (for the Roku 3 and Roku 2 only) and you can listen to whatever you're streaming, while it automatically mutes your TV so nobody else in the room is bothered. It's a truly killer feature, especially for late-night viewing. Blazing-fast: The Roku 3 has the fastest chip of any of Roku's boxes and it shows, making it feel more responsive than any other streaming box I've used, including the newer Amazon Fire TV. The other Rokus are slower than Roku 3, but still plenty speedy.Best-in-class cross-platform search: No other device in this group offers the ability to search for a title or other keyword across so many services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, HBO Go, Vudu, Crackle, M-Go and Blockbuster On Demand. Roku's search can also save you money by letting you know when you can avoid paying to rent a movie or show that might be available for "free" as part of a subscription. You can also search via voice using Roku's remote app for iOS and Android. Sarah Tew/CNET Content-agnostic: Roku's interface doesn't push you toward one app or service. The platform has a refreshing "come one, come all" vibe that seems more customer-friendly than Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Android TV, which all more or less push you toward the hardware makers' own content. One manifestation of this egalitarianism is that you can move any of the same-sized app tiles in its main interface to any position.Why it's not perfect: Weak mirroring and gamingNo true AirPlay / Google Cast mirroring equivalent: Both Apple TV and Chromecast let you use native apps on your smartphone, tablet or computer to push content to your streaming box. Sometimes it's easier to use a smartphone than a remote, and mirroring can access services that don't have a dedicated app. Roku is starting to offer some of this functionality -- YouTube and Netflix are currently supported, plus you can push photos, music and videos stored on your phone -- but it's not nearly as widely adopted as on the other boxes. The company also added screen mirroring to the Roku 3 and Streaming Stick, but it's a beta feature that only works with recent Android devices, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.See our How To for details. Sparse gaming support: Compared with Android TV, Fire TV and even Chromecast, Roku's selection of games is pretty weak. But hey, it's better than Apple TV's.Google Chromecast ($35) Sarah Tew/CNETWhy it's great: Cheap, simple and small $35 is tough to beat: There's something about the magic price of $35 that makes this the perfect impulse buy. Even if you only end up using it a handful of times, you'll feel like you got your money's worth. And Google seems committed to continuing to offer regular updates to the popular dongle. Stick form is "not a box": All of the pucklike boxes are compact, but the Chromecast is a stickler for small. The dongle hides behind your TV, although it does need power either from your TV's USB port or the included power adapter. Of course, the $40 Fire TV Stick and the $50 Roku Streaming stick offer the same design and include an actual remote. Major apps covered, catalog growing: Since its launch with just Netflix and YouTube, app selection continues to balloon. Chromecast now also works with HBO Go, Showtime Anytime, Starz Play, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Google Music, Plex, Vevo, MLB TV, Crackle, Rdio, Vudu and numerous other apps. The ease of adding "Cast" support to pretty much any existing Android or iOS app has also helped the Chromecast library expand very quickly recently.Why it's not perfect: No true TV interface or remote No onscreen user interface or standard remote: By design, the Chromecast doesn't have a true TV-based user interface. Everything is controlled through your smartphone or tablet, which means you may need to unlock your device every time you want to pause or rewind. The other boxes offer apps for smartphone/tablet control if you'd like, but the Chromecast can only be controlled one way. For the living room, I personally prefer real buttons over virtual ones, especially when combined with a universal remote, but it's somewhat a matter of preference. App selection could still be better: An increasing number of apps offer Cast support, but there are still some significant holes, including Amazon Instant, Vimeo,Spotify and numerous sports apps. Google's open Software Development Kit (SDK) means more apps get updated with the Cast feature all the time, but it will still be a while before it catches up to Roku. In the meantime "unofficial" apps like "Filmeo HD for Vimeo" and "Spoticast" help ease the pain. No cross-platform search: There's no equivalent of Roku's (or Amazon's, or Google's) search capability with Chromecast. While some third-party apps offer similar functionality, I haven't found any that are quite as easy to use as Roku's integrated search. Screen mirroring can be spotty: Screen mirroring or "TabCasting" is a beta feature on the Chromecast and it shows. While being able to project any content from a Chrome tab to your TV sounds great, in reality it doesn't always work well, especially compared with a similar screen-mirroring feature available on the Apple TV and recent Mac laptops. You can TabCast Amazon Instant, for example, but the quality is worse and dropouts common in our experience.Apple TV ($99) Sarah Tew/CNETWhy it's great: An excellent iOS companion It 'just works' in the Apple ecosystem: If you own a lot of music, movies or TV shows on iTunes, the Apple TV lets you access all that content on your TV and connected sound system. And if you use iTunes Match, all your cloud-stored music is available as well. iTunes Radio gives you a free radio option in your living room too. AirPlay mirroring is just awesome: If you have other iOS devices like an iPhone or iPad, or a relatively recent Mac computer, it's dead simple to push music, photos and videos from nearly any app to your Apple TV. It also gives you access to a lot of apps that aren't supported natively by the Apple TV. For example, there's no Pandora app on the box, but it's easy to stream Pandora from an iPhone or iPad. The same goes for Vudu, Plex and SlingPlayer, to name a few. AirPlay also works with web pages, providing access to video-heavy sites like ComedyCentral.com. Catching up with apps: The Apple TV used to get a lot of flak for its limited app support, but it's done a much better job recently, adding high-quality services like HBO Go and Watch ESPN. Aside from Amazon Instant, pretty much every major video app is now available on Apple TV.Why it's not perfect: Showing its age Fewer apps and features than Roku: Roku has (a lot) more apps and a remote with a headphone jack. Those are significant differences, especially when the Roku 3 costs the same amount. No games or cross-platform search: Even Roku's paltry game selection is better than Apple TV's, which has no games at all. Even if you don't care about playing games on your streaming device, you might miss the option to search across different apps for content. Very iTunes-centric: Although it's not as pushy as Amazon or Android TV, the Apple TV interface is still designed to steer you toward iTunes content, with a home screen topped by iTunes movies, TV shows and music. That's not a problem if you're all-in with the Apple ecosystem, but it's not ideal if you prefer to rent and buy content from other online stores, like Amazon or Vudu (neither of which have apps on Apple TV). New model coming soon? One final thing to consider: there's a lot of speculation that Apple may release a new Apple TV soon. Those rumors have certainly circulated before, but considering how old the current Apple TV hardware is, I would be surprised if we didn't see a new box in 2015, perhaps in partnership with a cable company.Amazon Fire TV ($39-99) Sarah Tew/CNET Why it's great: Amazin' for Amazon Choice of stick or box: The newest streaming device here, the Amazon Fire TV Stick, costs just $39. It offers almost all of the functionality of the $99 box, making it one of the best values available in streaming. No wonder it sold out almost immediately, and is difficult to find during the 2014 holiday season. Loads Amazon video content faster: The Fire TV box and stick are both plenty speedy, but the "ASAP" feature--available only with Amazon Instant and Prime videos -- takes fast to another level. Movies and TV shows start almost immediately after selecting them, far faster than any other streamer. The same goes for fast-forwarding and rewinding videos, which can often be clunky on streaming devices. Voice search that actually works: Like the Nexus Player, the Fire TV offers the ability to search by speaking into the remote (with the Fire TV Stick that voice-capable remote is a $30 option, but you can still voice search via the app). Unlike most such features it actually worked well in our tests, so much so that you might actually use it. Since launch Amazon has enabled voice search across numerous other apps too, including Hulu Plus, HBO Go and Showtime Anytime, although results from Netflix are still conspicuously absent. Sarah Tew/CNET The best gaming support: Amazon's Fire TV store is loaded with games that were originally designed for phones and tablets, and both the Fire TV box and the stick allow you to play them on the big screen (the box supports more games than the stick). If you give two shakes about this feature, which far outstrips most other streamers' gaming support, you'll want to invest $40 in the optional controller. The exception is Android TV with the Nexus Player, which also offers robust game support and an optional controller.Why it's not perfect: Pushy interface, fewer apps Pushes Amazon content down your throat: More so than Apple TV with iTunes, the Fire TV puts Amazon Instant video front and center all the time. Many of the menu options (movies, TV, watch list, video library, music) show only Amazon content and the home screen has a large section promoting shows recently added to Amazon Prime Instant. The home screen also doesn't allow you to pin your favorite apps, such as Netflix, for easier access, although the Recent menu helps. Lags behind in apps: Roku and Apple have Fire TV soundly beat in the app arena, and even Chromecast offers more apps. Music app support beyond Amazon music is pretty weak too. That said, the Fire TV platform took a major step forward in December 2015 when Amazon made good on its promise to add HBO Go. The downside? It won't be available on the Stick until Spring 2015.And despite reaching a deal with Roku, Comcast still doesn't allow HBO Go and Showtime Anytime streaming to Fire TV for its subscribers. Neither does Charter.Google Nexus Player ($99) Sarah Tew/CNETWhy it's great: The best voice search, Android openness Conversational voice search: The company behind Google Now gets voice search, and the Nexus Player does it better than even the Fire TV. Not only will it return results for titles and actors, but it can handle complex queries like "Science fiction new releases" with aplomb. Combines traditional native apps and casting: Like the innovative Chromecast, the Nexus player is compatible with Google's Cast service in addition to its (for now tiny) selection of native apps. It also works with TabCast from a Chrome browser and Android phone screen mirroring. Gaming and the potential of Google Play: At launch the Fire TV offers more games, but Android TV and the Nexus Player's selection is a close second, and far outpaces the others. If developers and Google open up more games and apps currently available on the Play store, it will get even better.Why it's not perfect: Pushes Google content, paltry native app selection Tied too closely to unpopular Google Play Movies and TV: With the current Android TV interface on the Nexus Player, Google is even more obnoxious than Apple and Amazon about force-feeding users its own content. Compared with those two ecosystems, the Google Play video service lags far behind in popularity. Voice search only works with Google services: Sure, it works great, but for now voice search only finds results from Google and YouTube. Google says the selection of searchable apps will expand eventually. The smallest selection of native apps: It's early days yet, but so far Android TV had fewer native apps (as opposed to Cast-compatible apps) than any of the other platforms. Since launch only MLB TV and NBA Game Time have been added as major native apps.No Ethernet: All of the other $99 boxes offer a wired Ethernet port, which is great if you don't have reliable Wi-Fi near your TV. The Nexus Player (like the sticks) is Wi-Fi-only. Sarah Tew/CNETThe good news: They're all pretty good All of these streaming devices are capable and affordable, which is one reason they all received at least a "Good" rating in our reviews. A die-hard iOS user can get a lot of functionality out of the Google Chromecast, and an Android fan can get a lot out of an Apple TV. As of now, the Roku 3 is still the best option for most buyers, but it's a quickly evolving space, as the Chromecast, Nexus Player and Amazon Fire TV continue to add more apps, and the rumors intensify about a newer, better Apple TV. Sarah Tew/CNET The Chart: Major apps compared RokuApple TVAmazon Fire TVGoogle ChromecastGoogle Nexus PlayerNetflixYesYesYesCastYesAmazon InstantYesAirPlayYesTabCastTabCastYouTubeYesYesYesCastYesHulu PlusYesYesYesCastYesHBO GoYesYesYes*CastCastShowtime AnytimeYesYesYesCastCastVuduYesAirPlayNoCastCastFlixsterYesYesYesCastCastCrackleYesYesYesCastYesPBSYesYesYesTabCastTabCastPBS KidsYesYesYesCastYesFXNowYesYesNoNoNoDisney ChannelsYesYesYesTabCastTabCastTime Warner Cable TVYesNoNoNoNoSlingPlayerYesAirPlayNoCastCastSky NewsYesYesYesNoNoStarz PlayNoNoNoCastCastBloomberg TVNoYesYesCastYesWatch ESPNYesYesYesCastCastMLB.TVYesYesYesCastYesNFL NowYesYesYesCastCastNBA Game TimeYesYesYesCastYesPandoraYesAirPlayYesCastYesSpotifyYesAirPlayYesTabCastTabCastRdioYesAirPlayNoCastCastBeats MusicNoYesNoNoNoRhapsodyNoAirPlayNoCastCastVevoYesYesYesCastCast"Radio" & iTunes radioNoYesNoNoNoTuneInYesAirPlayYesTabCastTabCastiHeartRadioYesAirPlayYesCastCastAmazon MusicYesAirPlayYesNoNoiTunes contentNoYesNoNoNoGoogle MusicNoNoNoCastYesGoogle Play Movies and TVYesNoNoCastYesPlexYesAirPlayYesCastYes*HBO Go is available now on the Fire TV box, but not coming to the stick until Spring 2015. Other chart Notes: Apps were selected based on editorial discretion. All of these devices support additional apps beyond those listed here. "Yes" means the device supports the app natively; "AirPlay," "Cast" and "TabCast" mean the device supports the app using that mirroring function instead of natively; "No" means the device does not currently have the app or did not fully support it via mirroring in our tests. The list applies only to the U.S. market; app selection varies in other countries worldwide. App selection is current as of December 19, 2014.
Report- Apple using Nuance voice tech in data center
Report: Apple using Nuance voice tech in data center
The goings-on within Apple's new North Carolina data center remain largely unknown, though a new report suggests Apple is using at least part of the facilities to power an enhanced voice services platform that will be unveiled early next month.In a report this afternoon, TechCrunch claims that Apple is running voice software, and "possibly" even hardware from communications company Nuance in its data center. The end result is said to be improved voice technologies in the next major version of Apple's iOS, which is expected to be unveiled at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. Burlington, Mass.-based Nuance is the maker of Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software, as well as Nuance Recognizer, a recognition tool for businesses that the company claims is the industry leader in recognition accuracy. Nuance has four voice-powered apps on Apple's platform, including one that lets users do speech to text dictation to send out as social-networking status updates. During an interview last November, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak incorrectly let loose that Apple acquired Nuance, before correcting the mention in a follow-up interview. As Reuters noted at the time, an acquisition by Apple would mean competitors who were using Nuance's technology would drop it and go elsewhere, potentially giving Apple a competitive edge, though squashing Nuance as a business. Citing an anonymous source, TechCrunch adds that on the road to making the deal with Nuance, Microsoft was "pushing" Apple to use its own voice recognition technology in iOS. "That attempt was rebuffed, apparently," the outlet said. Microsoft uses its own speech recognition services, which are powered by TellMe (a company Microsoft acquired in 2007), in its Windows Phone 7 OS. Apple's had speech recognition and voice control in iOS since the iPhone 3GS. Since then, it's been expanded onto the iPod Touch, though not the iPad. Apple's current implementation has users searching for songs, contacts, and managing music playback controls using their voice, but over the years the feature set has remained unchanged. By comparison, competitor Google has built voice-powered Web search, application launching, and transcription tools into its Android OS. Seven months prior to the Wozniak incident, Apple had purchased virtual assistant tool Siri. A report from March (also from TechCrunch) said that Apple was currently in the middle of "deeply integrating" the voice technology from that acquisition into iOS in an attempt to make a voice platform for developers to build voice recognition tools into their games and apps. During Apple's annual shareholders meeting earlier this year, the company said its North Carolina data center was on track to go live in the "spring" and would be used to support its iTunes and MobileMe services. The expectations remains that Apple will bolster both of those efforts to offer features like a storage locker for music and an enhanced suite of Web apps and services.
The goings-on within Apple's new North Carolina data center remain largely unknown, though a new report suggests Apple is using at least part of the facilities to power an enhanced voice services platform that will be unveiled early next month.In a report this afternoon, TechCrunch claims that Apple is running voice software, and "possibly" even hardware from communications company Nuance in its data center. The end result is said to be improved voice technologies in the next major version of Apple's iOS, which is expected to be unveiled at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. Burlington, Mass.-based Nuance is the maker of Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software, as well as Nuance Recognizer, a recognition tool for businesses that the company claims is the industry leader in recognition accuracy. Nuance has four voice-powered apps on Apple's platform, including one that lets users do speech to text dictation to send out as social-networking status updates. During an interview last November, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak incorrectly let loose that Apple acquired Nuance, before correcting the mention in a follow-up interview. As Reuters noted at the time, an acquisition by Apple would mean competitors who were using Nuance's technology would drop it and go elsewhere, potentially giving Apple a competitive edge, though squashing Nuance as a business. Citing an anonymous source, TechCrunch adds that on the road to making the deal with Nuance, Microsoft was "pushing" Apple to use its own voice recognition technology in iOS. "That attempt was rebuffed, apparently," the outlet said. Microsoft uses its own speech recognition services, which are powered by TellMe (a company Microsoft acquired in 2007), in its Windows Phone 7 OS. Apple's had speech recognition and voice control in iOS since the iPhone 3GS. Since then, it's been expanded onto the iPod Touch, though not the iPad. Apple's current implementation has users searching for songs, contacts, and managing music playback controls using their voice, but over the years the feature set has remained unchanged. By comparison, competitor Google has built voice-powered Web search, application launching, and transcription tools into its Android OS. Seven months prior to the Wozniak incident, Apple had purchased virtual assistant tool Siri. A report from March (also from TechCrunch) said that Apple was currently in the middle of "deeply integrating" the voice technology from that acquisition into iOS in an attempt to make a voice platform for developers to build voice recognition tools into their games and apps. During Apple's annual shareholders meeting earlier this year, the company said its North Carolina data center was on track to go live in the "spring" and would be used to support its iTunes and MobileMe services. The expectations remains that Apple will bolster both of those efforts to offer features like a storage locker for music and an enhanced suite of Web apps and services.
Fanhattan for iOS adds HBO and Cinemax, still trying to be iPad's perfect video app
Fanhattan for iOS adds HBO and Cinemax, still trying to be iPad's perfect video app
Devices like the iPad have become spectacular as repositories for streaming TV apps and video services, but they're not so great at discovery of said streaming shows, which tend to be scattered aroundlike Easter eggs across different apps. The latest version of Fanhattan takes a small step forward in the great Mission To Help iPad Users Find Their Videos, but it's not the perfect app yet.What next-gen streaming video devices need is a better centralized search-and-discovery dashboard. The Xbox 360 has an excellent solution via Bing, where shows can be found via any of the Xbox 360's available video apps (and there are many). Fanhattan on iOS has been offering a similar functionality for a while now with an IMDb-like database of movie and TV show information and a launchpad for videos on various services like Netflix, iTunes, and Hulu Plus, but the selection of video apps that Fanhattan can access isn't quite as extensive.Screenshot by Scott SteinThe latest version of Fanhattan that's available on the App Store today adds HBO, Cinemax, NBC, and CW, showing show availability in searches and launching those apps from within Fanhattan. It's anothersmall but important step forward for the service, and helps make the app a better catch-all video search tool. Also added is a personal Watch List feature that tracks show and movie availability.Screenshot by Scott SteinThis brings the number of video services that Fanhattan can discover up to an impressive tally: Netflix, iTunes, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, PBS, YouTube, ABC/ABC Family, Cinemax, NBC, Lifetime, Crackle, and The CW. And yet, it still lacks plenty of other services: EPIX, Adult Swim, Vudu, and Amazon Instant Video (which doesn't have an iOS app, but works on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) to name a few.I appreciate Fanhattan, but its somewhat odd pane-based navigation still doesn't feel intuitive, and the app artificially splits TV shows and movies into two separate sections. Comparatively, the Xbox 360 with Bing feels like a true centralized launchpad, and offers up many more ways of serving pay video streams (as opposed to subscription services like Netflix and HBO Go), whereas, in the iOS ecosystem, it's iTunes or nothing for rentals (Vudu used to be listed in Fanhattan, but no longer). Fanhattan also lacks any live TV listings for said shows or movies.If you're curious to see how Fanhattan works, watch the video below. It's available for free on the App Store; it's definitely worth your time to download and check out.
Devices like the iPad have become spectacular as repositories for streaming TV apps and video services, but they're not so great at discovery of said streaming shows, which tend to be scattered aroundlike Easter eggs across different apps. The latest version of Fanhattan takes a small step forward in the great Mission To Help iPad Users Find Their Videos, but it's not the perfect app yet.What next-gen streaming video devices need is a better centralized search-and-discovery dashboard. The Xbox 360 has an excellent solution via Bing, where shows can be found via any of the Xbox 360's available video apps (and there are many). Fanhattan on iOS has been offering a similar functionality for a while now with an IMDb-like database of movie and TV show information and a launchpad for videos on various services like Netflix, iTunes, and Hulu Plus, but the selection of video apps that Fanhattan can access isn't quite as extensive.Screenshot by Scott SteinThe latest version of Fanhattan that's available on the App Store today adds HBO, Cinemax, NBC, and CW, showing show availability in searches and launching those apps from within Fanhattan. It's anothersmall but important step forward for the service, and helps make the app a better catch-all video search tool. Also added is a personal Watch List feature that tracks show and movie availability.Screenshot by Scott SteinThis brings the number of video services that Fanhattan can discover up to an impressive tally: Netflix, iTunes, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, PBS, YouTube, ABC/ABC Family, Cinemax, NBC, Lifetime, Crackle, and The CW. And yet, it still lacks plenty of other services: EPIX, Adult Swim, Vudu, and Amazon Instant Video (which doesn't have an iOS app, but works on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) to name a few.I appreciate Fanhattan, but its somewhat odd pane-based navigation still doesn't feel intuitive, and the app artificially splits TV shows and movies into two separate sections. Comparatively, the Xbox 360 with Bing feels like a true centralized launchpad, and offers up many more ways of serving pay video streams (as opposed to subscription services like Netflix and HBO Go), whereas, in the iOS ecosystem, it's iTunes or nothing for rentals (Vudu used to be listed in Fanhattan, but no longer). Fanhattan also lacks any live TV listings for said shows or movies.If you're curious to see how Fanhattan works, watch the video below. It's available for free on the App Store; it's definitely worth your time to download and check out.
The 404 698- Where we pour one out for a real mensch...mazel tov! (podcast)
The 404 698: Where we pour one out for a real mensch...mazel tov! (podcast)
She also tells us about the traditional Jewish wedding chair dance that comes from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. We definitely have a lot to learn from Aunt Jill, and she even helps us decide exactly how much cash moneys to give to the happy couple.Jill's very, very close to attaining her goal of 3,000 Twitter followers before the end of October, and with your help she''ll reach it, so follow her Tweets for daily financial tips that we can't always get to on The 404.Jill always comes prepared with 404 listener questions, and today is no different. Along with advice about automatic routing within bank accounts (PIPs) and travel insurance (get it!), Jill also maps out the three golden rules for financial success:1. Pay down your consumer debt (credit cards, car loans).2. Have an emergency reserve fund that includes 6-12 months of living expenses tucked away.3. Feed as much as you can into your 401k account, at least as much as your employer will match.Most importantly, don't forget to set aside some money every month for your entertainment! This ensures that your binge drinking won't start at 11 a.m. like our friend Wilson this morning. Crossed fingers that we make it through Jeff's absence next week! Keep a lookout for more throwback episodes coming your way this weekend, and don't forget to send Jeff and Stacie your best YouTube video voice mail wishes to the404(at)cnet(dot)com!Episode 698PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
She also tells us about the traditional Jewish wedding chair dance that comes from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. We definitely have a lot to learn from Aunt Jill, and she even helps us decide exactly how much cash moneys to give to the happy couple.Jill's very, very close to attaining her goal of 3,000 Twitter followers before the end of October, and with your help she''ll reach it, so follow her Tweets for daily financial tips that we can't always get to on The 404.Jill always comes prepared with 404 listener questions, and today is no different. Along with advice about automatic routing within bank accounts (PIPs) and travel insurance (get it!), Jill also maps out the three golden rules for financial success:1. Pay down your consumer debt (credit cards, car loans).2. Have an emergency reserve fund that includes 6-12 months of living expenses tucked away.3. Feed as much as you can into your 401k account, at least as much as your employer will match.Most importantly, don't forget to set aside some money every month for your entertainment! This ensures that your binge drinking won't start at 11 a.m. like our friend Wilson this morning. Crossed fingers that we make it through Jeff's absence next week! Keep a lookout for more throwback episodes coming your way this weekend, and don't forget to send Jeff and Stacie your best YouTube video voice mail wishes to the404(at)cnet(dot)com!Episode 698PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Obama releases iPhone recruiting, campaign tool
Obama releases iPhone recruiting, campaign tool
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign launched an iPhone application on Thursday that turns the vaunted device into a political recruiting tool.The most notable feature "organizes and prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, making it easy to reach out and make an impact quickly," according to the software. On my phone, the application ranked contacts in Colorado, Michigan, and New Mexico at the top; at the bottom was a friend whose cell phone has a Texas number, though she actually lives in California.The application anonymously reports back the number of calls made this way: "Your privacy is important: no personal data or contacts will be uploaded or stored. Only the total number of calls you make is uploaded anonymously."The software is the latest effort by politicians to capitalize on technology, joining other examples such as ads distributed through YouTube, Web-based fund-raising, Facebook pages and fan groups, and e-mail recruitment drives.The Obama for America iPhone application is available for download through Apple's iTunes store, said Raven Zachary, an iPhone consultant who's directing the launch effort.A "get involved" feature uses the phone's GPS-based location sensing to find the nearest Obama campaign headquarters, and "local events" likewise pulls up a list of activities sorted by proximity.A "media" section provides links to video and photos, but beware: YouTube showed errors following some of the links. Perhaps the newer videos hadn't been prepared for iPhone display yet.The application also shows Obama statements to the news media and a guide to Obama's positions on various issues.Update 8:50 a.m. PDT: The application shows how many calls have been made nationwide and how many you made. Those statistics are the kind that can motivate people--they can feel like they're part of something bigger. That may sound a bit silly as a motivational tool, but consider that Smule's Sonic Lighter application for the iPhone is popular, despite the fact that it costs 99 cents more than its free competition, likely because people can see where else on the globe people are using it and because the longer you run the application, the bigger your own spot on the map becomes. It's a kind of competition.Update 9:28 a.m. PDT: The campaign added an Obama iPhone app Web site, too.
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign launched an iPhone application on Thursday that turns the vaunted device into a political recruiting tool.The most notable feature "organizes and prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, making it easy to reach out and make an impact quickly," according to the software. On my phone, the application ranked contacts in Colorado, Michigan, and New Mexico at the top; at the bottom was a friend whose cell phone has a Texas number, though she actually lives in California.The application anonymously reports back the number of calls made this way: "Your privacy is important: no personal data or contacts will be uploaded or stored. Only the total number of calls you make is uploaded anonymously."The software is the latest effort by politicians to capitalize on technology, joining other examples such as ads distributed through YouTube, Web-based fund-raising, Facebook pages and fan groups, and e-mail recruitment drives.The Obama for America iPhone application is available for download through Apple's iTunes store, said Raven Zachary, an iPhone consultant who's directing the launch effort.A "get involved" feature uses the phone's GPS-based location sensing to find the nearest Obama campaign headquarters, and "local events" likewise pulls up a list of activities sorted by proximity.A "media" section provides links to video and photos, but beware: YouTube showed errors following some of the links. Perhaps the newer videos hadn't been prepared for iPhone display yet.The application also shows Obama statements to the news media and a guide to Obama's positions on various issues.Update 8:50 a.m. PDT: The application shows how many calls have been made nationwide and how many you made. Those statistics are the kind that can motivate people--they can feel like they're part of something bigger. That may sound a bit silly as a motivational tool, but consider that Smule's Sonic Lighter application for the iPhone is popular, despite the fact that it costs 99 cents more than its free competition, likely because people can see where else on the globe people are using it and because the longer you run the application, the bigger your own spot on the map becomes. It's a kind of competition.Update 9:28 a.m. PDT: The campaign added an Obama iPhone app Web site, too.
FCC expands mobile-broadband speed test to include iOS users
FCC expands mobile-broadband speed test to include iOS users
With the launch of a new app Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission expanded the scope of its research on US mobile-broadband speeds to include iOS users.The FCC Speed Test for iOS app, released to Apple's App Store today, is designed to collect information about the performance of participating smartphone users' mobile-broadband services nationwide. The agency's hope is that the data collected will help it generate an accurate comparison of wireless carriers' mobile broadband speeds."The iOS release is the latest step in the Commission's efforts to crowdsource mobile-broadband performance data for the mobile Measuring Broadband America program," the FCC said in a statement. "Testing data will provide valuable information to consumers, industry, and the Commission on the deployment of networks across the United States."The app will run on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running iOS 7 or later operating systems but is optimized for the iPhone 5, according to its iTunes description.The iOS app joins an Android app launched in November as part of the research effort. Like its Android counterpart, the iOS app doesn't collect personal or uniquely identifiable information from users. However, unlike the Android app, the iOS version will not run periodically in the background; participants must manually run tests of their cellular and Wi-Fi network performance, the FCC said.The apps measure upload and download speeds, latency, and packet loss, as well as signal strength and the manufacturer and model of the tested device. The FCC is using the data to create an interactive map to help consumers determine whether they're getting the mobile data speeds they expect.
With the launch of a new app Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission expanded the scope of its research on US mobile-broadband speeds to include iOS users.The FCC Speed Test for iOS app, released to Apple's App Store today, is designed to collect information about the performance of participating smartphone users' mobile-broadband services nationwide. The agency's hope is that the data collected will help it generate an accurate comparison of wireless carriers' mobile broadband speeds."The iOS release is the latest step in the Commission's efforts to crowdsource mobile-broadband performance data for the mobile Measuring Broadband America program," the FCC said in a statement. "Testing data will provide valuable information to consumers, industry, and the Commission on the deployment of networks across the United States."The app will run on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running iOS 7 or later operating systems but is optimized for the iPhone 5, according to its iTunes description.The iOS app joins an Android app launched in November as part of the research effort. Like its Android counterpart, the iOS app doesn't collect personal or uniquely identifiable information from users. However, unlike the Android app, the iOS version will not run periodically in the background; participants must manually run tests of their cellular and Wi-Fi network performance, the FCC said.The apps measure upload and download speeds, latency, and packet loss, as well as signal strength and the manufacturer and model of the tested device. The FCC is using the data to create an interactive map to help consumers determine whether they're getting the mobile data speeds they expect.
FBI releases child ID iPhone app
FBI releases child ID iPhone app
The FBI has released the FBI Child ID app, the first mobile app created by the bureau. The app is designed to help parents notify authorities in the unlikely event that their child goes missing. It is currently available only for the iPhone but also works on the iPad and iPod Touch. (A device with a camera is required to use the app to take a photo of the child.) Parents can use the app to record information about each of their kids and take a photo of each kid from directly within the app. There are also fields for the child's name, nicknames, address, date of birth, and ethnicity, and several fields for "identifying characteristics" information.Once you've completed the process, it just sits on your iPhone. In the unlikely event that your child does go missing, there is a Send button that can be used to e-mail the data to authorities. The app doesn't display any e-mail addresses where the data and photos should be sent so parents will need to gather any relevant e-mail addresses. The app emphasizes that the first thing a parent should do in an emergency is to call 911, which you can do from within the app. The app also has a button for parents to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (You can also call 800 THE LOST--800-853-5678). I serve as an unpaid member of the center's board of directors.No data sent to FBI or Apple An FBI poster about the app says, "please be assured, no information about you or your child will be collected or stored by the FBI or iTunes."This is an important point because, for a variety of reasons including immigration issues, some parents are reluctant to provide information about their kids or themselves to authorities.The app also includes safety tips for parents and a link to the National Child Identification Program Kit, which can be used to collect DNA samples and fingerprints.
The FBI has released the FBI Child ID app, the first mobile app created by the bureau. The app is designed to help parents notify authorities in the unlikely event that their child goes missing. It is currently available only for the iPhone but also works on the iPad and iPod Touch. (A device with a camera is required to use the app to take a photo of the child.) Parents can use the app to record information about each of their kids and take a photo of each kid from directly within the app. There are also fields for the child's name, nicknames, address, date of birth, and ethnicity, and several fields for "identifying characteristics" information.Once you've completed the process, it just sits on your iPhone. In the unlikely event that your child does go missing, there is a Send button that can be used to e-mail the data to authorities. The app doesn't display any e-mail addresses where the data and photos should be sent so parents will need to gather any relevant e-mail addresses. The app emphasizes that the first thing a parent should do in an emergency is to call 911, which you can do from within the app. The app also has a button for parents to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (You can also call 800 THE LOST--800-853-5678). I serve as an unpaid member of the center's board of directors.No data sent to FBI or Apple An FBI poster about the app says, "please be assured, no information about you or your child will be collected or stored by the FBI or iTunes."This is an important point because, for a variety of reasons including immigration issues, some parents are reluctant to provide information about their kids or themselves to authorities.The app also includes safety tips for parents and a link to the National Child Identification Program Kit, which can be used to collect DNA samples and fingerprints.
Samsung teases Galaxy S3 mini for October 11 launch
Samsung teases Galaxy S3 mini for October 11 launch
Smartphone buyers who think the Galaxy S3 is too big could see a smaller version launch as early as next week.An invite sent out by Samsung for an October 11 launch event touts a smaller product on the horizon with the headline "The size may be small" and the subheading "and so small can be big," according to Google Translate. The text from Samsung's German branch is also translated as "that's how big small can be," says TechRadar. However you translate it, Samsung is teasing a big announcement about a small product.The notable Galaxy phone "S" logo appears in the background of the invitation, clearly indicating that the smaller device will be part of the Galaxy S lineup.Related storiesSamsung Galaxy S III reviewSamsung Galaxy S3 sales hot despite iPhone 5Samsung: Galaxy S3 sales to surpass 30 million this yearColor me prettier: Galaxy S3 display outdoes iPhone 5'sWith a screen size of 4.8 inches, the Galaxy S3 seems a likely candidate to get a smaller brother. Such Android phones have spurred huge demand.But some consumers have complained that their overall size is too large, making it difficult to hold the phone in one hand.With the iPhone 5, Apple increased the display size to 4 inches from 3.5 inches. So it's unlikely Samsung would go smaller than 4 inches. A 4-inch Galaxy S3 would also pose a challenge to the iPhone 5, especially among users who don't like their smartphones too big.CNET contacted Samsung for comment and will update the story if we receive any information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Smartphone buyers who think the Galaxy S3 is too big could see a smaller version launch as early as next week.An invite sent out by Samsung for an October 11 launch event touts a smaller product on the horizon with the headline "The size may be small" and the subheading "and so small can be big," according to Google Translate. The text from Samsung's German branch is also translated as "that's how big small can be," says TechRadar. However you translate it, Samsung is teasing a big announcement about a small product.The notable Galaxy phone "S" logo appears in the background of the invitation, clearly indicating that the smaller device will be part of the Galaxy S lineup.Related storiesSamsung Galaxy S III reviewSamsung Galaxy S3 sales hot despite iPhone 5Samsung: Galaxy S3 sales to surpass 30 million this yearColor me prettier: Galaxy S3 display outdoes iPhone 5'sWith a screen size of 4.8 inches, the Galaxy S3 seems a likely candidate to get a smaller brother. Such Android phones have spurred huge demand.But some consumers have complained that their overall size is too large, making it difficult to hold the phone in one hand.With the iPhone 5, Apple increased the display size to 4 inches from 3.5 inches. So it's unlikely Samsung would go smaller than 4 inches. A 4-inch Galaxy S3 would also pose a challenge to the iPhone 5, especially among users who don't like their smartphones too big.CNET contacted Samsung for comment and will update the story if we receive any information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung still smartphone king despite market share dip
Samsung still smartphone king despite market share dip
Samsung kept its firm lead over Apple in the smartphone arena last quarter, though both companies saw their shares drop.For the second quarter, Samsung's slice of the global smartphone market inched down to 30.4 percent from 32.2 percent a year ago, IDC said in a report released Thursday. However, shipments jumped to 72.4 million from 50.3 million over the same period.The surge in shipments came hot on the heels of the debut of the Galaxy S4. But the Galaxy S3 also picked up buyers thanks to price discounts ahead of the launch of its successor, IDC said.Apple's smartphone market share last quarter fell to 13.1 percent from 16.6 percent for the prior year's quarter. Shipments rose to 31.2 million from 26 million, marking the company's second-lowest year-over-year iPhone growth rate in almost four years.IDC pegged the slower growth on buyers holding off on purchases ahead of the iPhone 5S. IDC expects shipment growth to rise once Apple kicks off its rumored low-cost iPhone and expands into prepaid markets later this year.Other smartphone makers, such as LG, Lenovo, and ZTE, saw growth in both market share and shipments.IDC"While Samsung and Apple accounted for significant share of the overall market, they were not the only vendors active in the high end of the market, and recent device introductions and upcoming launches signal more vendors targeting this space," Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's mobile phone team, said in a statement. "Comparisons will certainly be made to the flagship Galaxy and iPhone models, but clearly the competition refuses to be shut out altogether.Overall, 237.9 million smartphones shipped last quarter, a 52 percent gain from the 156.2 million shipped during the same quarter in 2012.
Samsung kept its firm lead over Apple in the smartphone arena last quarter, though both companies saw their shares drop.For the second quarter, Samsung's slice of the global smartphone market inched down to 30.4 percent from 32.2 percent a year ago, IDC said in a report released Thursday. However, shipments jumped to 72.4 million from 50.3 million over the same period.The surge in shipments came hot on the heels of the debut of the Galaxy S4. But the Galaxy S3 also picked up buyers thanks to price discounts ahead of the launch of its successor, IDC said.Apple's smartphone market share last quarter fell to 13.1 percent from 16.6 percent for the prior year's quarter. Shipments rose to 31.2 million from 26 million, marking the company's second-lowest year-over-year iPhone growth rate in almost four years.IDC pegged the slower growth on buyers holding off on purchases ahead of the iPhone 5S. IDC expects shipment growth to rise once Apple kicks off its rumored low-cost iPhone and expands into prepaid markets later this year.Other smartphone makers, such as LG, Lenovo, and ZTE, saw growth in both market share and shipments.IDC"While Samsung and Apple accounted for significant share of the overall market, they were not the only vendors active in the high end of the market, and recent device introductions and upcoming launches signal more vendors targeting this space," Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's mobile phone team, said in a statement. "Comparisons will certainly be made to the flagship Galaxy and iPhone models, but clearly the competition refuses to be shut out altogether.Overall, 237.9 million smartphones shipped last quarter, a 52 percent gain from the 156.2 million shipped during the same quarter in 2012.
Samsung still rules U.S. mobile market
Samsung still rules U.S. mobile market
Samsung continues to reign over the rest of the mobile-phone industry in the U.S., according to the latest stats from ComScore.Looking at the three months ending with November, Samsung won 26.9 percent of all mobile subscribers in the U.S., a 1.2 point gain from the prior three-month period. Apple took home second place with 18.5 percent of the market, a gain of 1.4 points.Samsung continues to wear the crown, but its share hasn't grown much from a year ago. In contrast, Apple has slowly been rising up the ranks. For the three months ending with November 2011, Samsung's U.S. mobile share was 25.6 percent. At the same time, Apple was in fourth place with a share of just 11.2 percent.Samsung has enjoyed huge demand for its Galaxy S3 smartphone. But the iPhone 5 has given Apple a big boost. Some analysts predict higher sales than initially expected, especially since supply of the new iPhone caught up with demand in November.The other top three mobile players haven't fared as well, all watching their market share inch down for the three months ending with November 2012. In third place, LG grabbed 18.2 percent of the market, followed by Motorola with 11.2 percent and HTC with 6.3 percent.ComScoreAmong smartphone operating systems, Android was the top dog as usual with 53.7 percent of the market, a gain of 1.1 points. Apple's iOS was second with a 35 percent share, up slightly less than a percentage point. And the other platforms continued to see their shares go down.RIM's BlackBerry OS grabbed third place with a 7.3 percent share, followed by Microsoft's Windows Phone with 3 percent and Nokia's Symbian with half a point. For the three months ended with November, 123 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones, accounting for 53 percent of all mobile-phone ownership.
Samsung continues to reign over the rest of the mobile-phone industry in the U.S., according to the latest stats from ComScore.Looking at the three months ending with November, Samsung won 26.9 percent of all mobile subscribers in the U.S., a 1.2 point gain from the prior three-month period. Apple took home second place with 18.5 percent of the market, a gain of 1.4 points.Samsung continues to wear the crown, but its share hasn't grown much from a year ago. In contrast, Apple has slowly been rising up the ranks. For the three months ending with November 2011, Samsung's U.S. mobile share was 25.6 percent. At the same time, Apple was in fourth place with a share of just 11.2 percent.Samsung has enjoyed huge demand for its Galaxy S3 smartphone. But the iPhone 5 has given Apple a big boost. Some analysts predict higher sales than initially expected, especially since supply of the new iPhone caught up with demand in November.The other top three mobile players haven't fared as well, all watching their market share inch down for the three months ending with November 2012. In third place, LG grabbed 18.2 percent of the market, followed by Motorola with 11.2 percent and HTC with 6.3 percent.ComScoreAmong smartphone operating systems, Android was the top dog as usual with 53.7 percent of the market, a gain of 1.1 points. Apple's iOS was second with a 35 percent share, up slightly less than a percentage point. And the other platforms continued to see their shares go down.RIM's BlackBerry OS grabbed third place with a 7.3 percent share, followed by Microsoft's Windows Phone with 3 percent and Nokia's Symbian with half a point. For the three months ended with November, 123 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones, accounting for 53 percent of all mobile-phone ownership.
Samsung ships 52.1 million smartphones in Q2, doubles iPhone
Samsung ships 52.1 million smartphones in Q2, doubles iPhone
Samsung's total second-quarter shipments dwarfed Apple's, according to new data from Juniper Research.The research firm reported today that during the second quarter, Samsung shipped 52.1 million smartphones worldwide, doubling Apple's 26 million tally. Samsung's shipments also easily outpaced RIM's BlackBerry, which could only muster 7.4 million shipments during the period. Nokia shipped 10.2 million smartphones worldwide, according to Juniper.But before we go too far with the Samsung-killing-Apple rhetoric, it's important to point out that the "shipments" Juniper is citing for the iPhone are actually sales. Shipments, on the other hand, do not necessarily mean that all devices are sold. In Apple's case, all of the so-called "shipments" by Juniper were actually sales.Still, it's hard to doubt Samsung in the mobile market. Over the last several quarters, the companies have been flip-flopping over which would take the lead. Back in the third quarter of 2011, Samsung nabbed the top spot with 23.6 million smartphones shipped. In the fourth quarter, Apple took the lead with 25 percent market share. In the first quarter, Samsung regained the crown.The success and competition between the companies have extended into the courtroom, as well. Both Samsung and Apple have charged the other with patent infringement in both smartphones and tablets. Both companies are vying to have their opponent's devices banned from sale. Whether one company will eventually secure a definitive victory, however, remains to be seen.According to Juniper, the worldwide smartphone market is growing quite rapidly. Last quarter, 132.9 million smartphones shipped, up from 105.2 million in the same period last year.
Samsung's total second-quarter shipments dwarfed Apple's, according to new data from Juniper Research.The research firm reported today that during the second quarter, Samsung shipped 52.1 million smartphones worldwide, doubling Apple's 26 million tally. Samsung's shipments also easily outpaced RIM's BlackBerry, which could only muster 7.4 million shipments during the period. Nokia shipped 10.2 million smartphones worldwide, according to Juniper.But before we go too far with the Samsung-killing-Apple rhetoric, it's important to point out that the "shipments" Juniper is citing for the iPhone are actually sales. Shipments, on the other hand, do not necessarily mean that all devices are sold. In Apple's case, all of the so-called "shipments" by Juniper were actually sales.Still, it's hard to doubt Samsung in the mobile market. Over the last several quarters, the companies have been flip-flopping over which would take the lead. Back in the third quarter of 2011, Samsung nabbed the top spot with 23.6 million smartphones shipped. In the fourth quarter, Apple took the lead with 25 percent market share. In the first quarter, Samsung regained the crown.The success and competition between the companies have extended into the courtroom, as well. Both Samsung and Apple have charged the other with patent infringement in both smartphones and tablets. Both companies are vying to have their opponent's devices banned from sale. Whether one company will eventually secure a definitive victory, however, remains to be seen.According to Juniper, the worldwide smartphone market is growing quite rapidly. Last quarter, 132.9 million smartphones shipped, up from 105.2 million in the same period last year.
Samsung shipped record 320M smartphones in 2013
Samsung shipped record 320M smartphones in 2013
Samsung shipped nearly 320 million smartphones in 2013, the largest ever in one year by a single vendor, according to new data released Monday.Overall, handset makers shipped a record 990 million smartphones worldwide in 2013, a 41 percent increase over the previous year, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics. However, the 41 percent growth rate was a slight retreat from the record 43 percent recorded in 2012, due largely to heavy saturation in major markets such as the US, according to Strategy Analytics senior analyst Ken Hyers.The South Korean electronics giant captured 32.3 percent of the global smartphone market last year by shipping 319.8 million smartphones,more than twice the 15.5 percent market share held by No. 2 Apple during the same period. "Apple grew a sluggish 13 percent annually and shipped 153.4 million smartphones worldwide for 15 percent market share in 2013, dipping from the 19 percent level recorded in 2012," Neil Mawston, an executive director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement. "Apple remains strong in the high-end smartphone segment, but a lack of presence in the low-end category is costing it lost volumes in fast-growing emerging markets such as India."Apple revealed Monday that it sold 51 million iPhones during its fiscal first quarter, its most ever for a single quarter and a 6.7 percent increase over the 47.8 million it sold in the year-ago period.Huawei, LG, and Lenovo captured the remaining three spots in the top five for 2013, shipping 50.4 million smartphones (for a 5.1 percent market share), 47.6 million units (4.8 percent), and 45.5 million (4.6 percent), respectively. All other manufacturers combined for 373.3 million, Strategy Analytics found.
Samsung shipped nearly 320 million smartphones in 2013, the largest ever in one year by a single vendor, according to new data released Monday.Overall, handset makers shipped a record 990 million smartphones worldwide in 2013, a 41 percent increase over the previous year, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics. However, the 41 percent growth rate was a slight retreat from the record 43 percent recorded in 2012, due largely to heavy saturation in major markets such as the US, according to Strategy Analytics senior analyst Ken Hyers.The South Korean electronics giant captured 32.3 percent of the global smartphone market last year by shipping 319.8 million smartphones,more than twice the 15.5 percent market share held by No. 2 Apple during the same period. "Apple grew a sluggish 13 percent annually and shipped 153.4 million smartphones worldwide for 15 percent market share in 2013, dipping from the 19 percent level recorded in 2012," Neil Mawston, an executive director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement. "Apple remains strong in the high-end smartphone segment, but a lack of presence in the low-end category is costing it lost volumes in fast-growing emerging markets such as India."Apple revealed Monday that it sold 51 million iPhones during its fiscal first quarter, its most ever for a single quarter and a 6.7 percent increase over the 47.8 million it sold in the year-ago period.Huawei, LG, and Lenovo captured the remaining three spots in the top five for 2013, shipping 50.4 million smartphones (for a 5.1 percent market share), 47.6 million units (4.8 percent), and 45.5 million (4.6 percent), respectively. All other manufacturers combined for 373.3 million, Strategy Analytics found.
William Friedkin Tells Us 'Killer Joe' and 'To Live and Die in L.A.' TV Shows Are in the Works
Earlier today Movies.com had the great privilege of sitting down with William Friedkin and picking his brain for an hour straight. Suffice to say, the director of The Exorcist, The French Connection and many others gave us a ton to think about. We;ll be posting more of our interview with him next week, but today we wanted to share one particular part of the conversation that stood out: William Friedkin is kind of obsessed with TV. But Friedkin doesn;t just think TV shows like Fargo and House of Cards are regularly beating the big screen for his attention as an audience member, but also for him as a director. Not only do two of his movies (To Live and Die in L.A. and Killer Joe) currently have TV adaptations in development, but his interest in directing theatrical movies is quickly dwindling. Hearing the 78-year-old filmmaker talk about TV as a new frontier for filmmakers is strangely inspiring, and even more evidence that the small screen really is poaching some of the big screen;s biggest talents. Movies.com: Do you still have the same compulsion to make movies today that you did 30 years ago? William Friedkin: Only for cable television and the streaming services like Netflix. Did you see The Normal Heart? It’s a masterpiece. I think it’s a masterpiece in every way. The story, the direction... if that were a theatrical film, it would win every major award. Acting, directing, writing, cinematography, and yet it’ll never be seen in a theater. It was on HBO. The only thing I’m interested in now is long form, which is what you’d call television. Movies.com: Is that something you’re actively pursuing? Friedkin: Yeah, I’m about to do a couple of pieces for long form. I don’t want to make a feature film, because I don’t want to make a movie about a guy in a mask and a spandex suit flying around and saving the world. I don’t want to see that movie, so why would I make it? And if you do make a serious film today, the chances are it won’t have a bright future in theaters. It could maybe take on an afterlife in home video and cable. Have you seen Fargo on television? It’s fantastic! It’s intelligent. In fact, it assumes the audience is smart and can follow a strange, ambiguous story all about evil figures with the exception of the young woman - who is not a raving beauty, she’s just a great, offbeat actress. I can’t wait for the next episode of Fargo. It has the same vibe as the movie, but totally different characters. Different storyline, but the same vibe. The Coen brothers have some connection to it, approval maybe, though I don’t think they did any writing. But it has their vibe and I love it. I just can’t wait to see the next episode. Movies.com: Earlier you mentioned this elaborate screening room you have, but it sounds like you don’t even have interest in using it. Friedkin: Oh, I watch basketball on it and some live TV. I watch the news, and occasionally I’ll watch one of these shows on the big screen. Every weekend we have our guests over for a buffet and a new movie before it’s come out. I don’t even go in the room anymore. We have about 14 or 16 people who watch the films, and they know I’m not even curious. I did decide to go in and watch the latest Spider-Man. I watched two minutes of it, and it was a clear assault on my senses. It’s just not for me. It’s for millions, but it’s not for me. MGM is trying to develop a television series on To Live and Die in L.A.. It won’t be that story at all, but it will be that vibe. Movies.com: Are you involved with that? Friedkin: Yeah, I’ll have approvals, and if I like the pilot I may direct it. They’re also trying to do a series on Killer Joe. A Dallas detective who is a hired killer. It will not be the same story, but it will be very edgy, not unlike Fargo. Movies.com: Do you even take meetings on movies anymore or have you shifted your interests? Friedkin: I do have a meeting with some guys about a project on the 17th, but I don’t know whether I’ll wind up doing it or not. But I do have a couple of things that are being scripted now. One of them is for HBO. I don’t have any interest in doing a superhero film, and the handful of serious movies that get made for theaters these days are fewer and further between and they can’t possibly get that same kind of mass audience that a superhero movie can get. I shouldn’t speak about their quality. I’m not saying they’re bad, I just don’t even watch them. If I know that Spider-Man and f**king Superman are going to come out of these things victorious, I have no empathy, no investment. It’s like opium for the eyes. William Friedkin is currently in Austin, Texas to present screenings of Sorcerer and To Live and Die in L.A. at the Alamo Drafthouse. Tickets are still available for both. Get yourSorcerertickets here. Get yourTo Live and Die in L.A.tickets here.
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