Krispy Kreme wants to give you and a friend free doughnuts.
Using the Foursquare app, check in at a Krispy Kreme shop this Wednesday, May 15, and you and a friend will each get a free Key Lime doughnut. Your choice of cake or filled.
Check in again on Wednesday, May 22, and you'll score more free doughnuts.
The following North Carolina locations are participating:
SquareTrade, who sells extended warranties for consumer gadgets and appliances, produced this infographic. Does this help them sell more warranties somehow? Maybe, but if you give them the benefit of the doubt it appears the new Samsung Galaxy S4 is somewhat more prone to being damaged than its predecessor and its chief rival.
If Otterbox were to make an Ironman case, it could be based on its Armor Series. The Armor Series is overkill for most folks, but if you need a rugged case, this Otterbox is an easy recommendation.
The BlackBerry Z10 doesn't shift the smartphone paradigm, but it does offer unique functionality and innovation for a small piece of the smartphone market.
If you've flown in the past decade you've witnessed the call to cease use of electronics while the plane is taxiing, talking off, and landing. A sore spot with many travelers, there are signs the Federal Aviation Administration may introduce a more lenient set of rues this year.
According the NYT's Bit's blog, "…the FAA is taking a fresh look at the use of personal electronic devices, other than cellphones, on aircraft.” This would seem to allow tablets and ereaders. This could possibly include gaming devices and music players.
The ban was set to prevent any interference from electronics from disputing critical flight systems. The FAA has never offered any evidence that this could occur.
Note that the current rules actually allow airlines to request use of electronic devices, but the requirements are so burdensome that carriers can't realistically consider that route.
It's no secret that smartphones have been hot sellers. Nor is it much of a surprise that they are popular among thieves. We've heard numerous stories of users who recovered their device with device tracking software, but it seems the chances of getting back a stolen gadget are declining as more stolen phones are making their way overseas.
The major players of the wireless industry created a national registry of stolen smartphones. This should make it more difficult to activate a stolen phone in the U.S., but doesn't do much for black market phones outside the nation.
The FCC needs other countries to share data, but other than with Mexico they haven't had much traction.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions. Find My iPhone from Apple and Prey for Android devices do continue to produce successful recovery stories.
One other simple piece of advice is to not let your smartphone blind your situational awareness.
Meet the tough guy in AT&T's lineup. As its name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro is built to be rugged. It is a 4-inch screened Android smartphone with brawn and brains.
Samsung built the Galaxy Rugby Pro to survive military specification tests. It's MIL-SPEC 810 rating includes protection from water, dust, and shock.
The Pro is rugged, has reasonably fast performance, and good battery life.
HTC unveiled what may be its final Hail Mary to save its stake in the smartphone game. On the HTC One, the struggling company has taken some risks that could make or break HTC.
Ever experience battery anxiety? Lilliputian Systems has the cure. The company's Nectar Power fuel cell charger provides about 10 full charges for a smartphone. That is roughly two weeks of power for most users. But outlet-free charging doesn't come cheaply. It will set you back $300, and the butane fuel cartridges that plug into the charger cost $10 each.
