Instagram has started a beta program for Android users wanting to test out the photo sharing network’s upcoming features before they hit the mainstream. As with every beta program, the goal here is to collect a wide variety of feedback on the new features and their funtionality.

If you’re interested in becoming a tester, join the Instagram Beta Group and opt into the beta program. Read more »

Netflix will begin streaming Sony’s controversial movie ‘The Interview’ this Saturday, on January 24. The content delivery giant delivered the new in its Q4 financial report.

The above new means that Netflix will be streaming the movie a month before it is available on DVD and Blu-ray. Read more »

Sure, by now even the HTC One (M8) is getting pretty old, but on the other hand this is a pretty sweet deal. Best Buy has decided to drastically cut the price of its blue, contract-free units of the original HTC One, also known as One (M7).

So now you can grab one of those for just $199.99. And again, this is without a long-term contract requirement. Read more »

Quite a long time after the Android version of Chrome got its Material Design makeover, it’s now finally time for the iOS iteration to get the same treatment. Google has published a new version of Chrome in the iTunes App Store today, and the main new feature it comes with is Material Design.

But that’s not all. Aside from now adhering to Google’s newest design guidelines, Chrome for iOS also got optimized for iOS 8 and received support for bigger phones. Read more »

Panasonic has made the latest member of its GF line of cameras official today. It’s the Lumix DMC-GF7, and it comes with a few selfie-oriented features that should make it quite interesting for the selfie-obsessed who want to use something better than a smartphone for those shots.

The GF7 comes with a 3-inch screen which you can flip around (as seen in the image above). When you do that, the camera instantly turns into selfie mode. Oh, and you can even activate the shutter from a smartphone, through the GF7′s built-in Wi-Fi. Read more »

HP launched today a plethora of new tablets running either Android or Windows OS. A diversity of user scenarios seems to be what HP had in mind prepping those gadgets and it sure looks like it succeeded.

There are six new slates introduced today – the Android-powered HP Pro Slate 12, Pro Slate 10 EE G1 and Pro Slate 8, joining the Windows-running HP Pro Tablet 408, Pro Tablet 10 EE G1 and Elite X2 1011. Read more »

HP today wasn’t content with just announcing a few new Android tablets – instead, the company also took the wraps off a couple of Windows-based slates, and a convertible tablet / laptop hybrid for good measure. The tablets are even supposed to become available before the end of the day.

The Pro Tablet 10 EE G1, which you can see above, is the Windows equivalent of the Pro Slate 10 EE G1, which runs Android. This device is going to be targeted primarily at schools, it seems. Read more »

LG is definitely no stranger to flashy commercials and visually impressive promos and the Korean giant seems to be going all out for the LG G Flex 2 – the latest addition to its device lineup. The recently released video is somewhat of an extended version of the clip show at CES 2015 when the smartphone was announced.

The minute and a half promo is nothing short of spectacular. Visuals are gorgeous and it is full to the brim with impressive renderings of the device and dramatic animations. The emphasis is on the interesting features that the LG G Flex 2 brings to the table. Read more »

The ever-growing number of subscriptions and site registrations that the Internet has brought upon us in recent years has meant that a pile of usernames and passwords need to be remembered. Apparently, many users take the easy route and pick simple passwords, which has meant that the top 25 most common ones, that have been exposed, are chosen by as much as 2.2% of users.

Topping the list of most widespread passwords of 2014 is longtime favorite “123456″, followed closely by the most natural of all, “password”. Read more »

Alleged screenshots hinting of an upcoming WhatsApp web client have surfaced. Shared on Google+ and shortly removed, the post shows WhatsApp settings screen prompting to pair with a web browser and a trusted computer for a secure connection.

The web client itself hasn’t leaked yet. Sadly, there’s no further information when we can expect WhatsApp to expand beyond smartphones. Read more »

Meizu, one of the top ten smartphone manufacturers in China has announced today that it is joining forces with Haier, which most probably hints at an upcoming array of connected home appliances. Haier Group has a long tradition of developing, manufacturing and selling a wide array of consumer electronics, ranging from air conditioners, microwave ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, all the way to mobile phones, computers and televisions.

The partnership seems perfectly in tune with Meizu’s recent announcement that their upcoming launch event on January 28 will revolve around a “Connected” life. Furthermore the push towards connected appliances and smart homes has been steadily gaining momentum with massive group ventures, such as project Thread leading the way. It was only a matter of time before the rest of tech world adopts the new aspiration and Meizu appears to be next in line to usher forth a new way of life, along with the likes of Google and Samsung. Read more »

If you have run short on file-sharing options on your Windows Phone, fret not, as the the new MEGA app is now available. The cloud storage service heir to controversial Megaupload had been available on Android, iOS or BlackBerry, but is now finally being brought to the Microsoft platform.

It’s a version 2.0.0.0 Beta, meaning the rough edges have been dealt with, but still requires some polishing. Read more »

In an effort to expand its presence in India, Twitter has made it first acquisition in the country, gobbling up a Bengaluru-based startup ZipDial, which offers services like missed calls for user verification and alerts to its customers. Although the financial details of the deal were not revealed, a TechCrunch report pegs the monetary value at around $30-$40 million.

Founded in 2010, ZipDial assigns companies special phone numbers that they associate with their brands and use in their print or TV commercials. Users just have to make a missed call, one that disconnects before the other party answers, to these phone numbers following which they begin receiving inbound content and further engagement on their phone in real-time through voice, SMS or an app notification. Read more »

Humble Bundle, the company that offers large bundles of games for whatever price you want to pay, has released a new bundle for Android, bringing a nice assortment of games to the table. Dubbed Humble Mobile Bundle 10, the latest bundle offers three pay-what-you-want titles: Buddy & Me, LYNE, and Doodle Kingdom, which are normally priced at $2, $2.50, and $3, respectively.

However, if you’re willing to pay higher than the average, which as of writing sits at $3.90, you’ll also be able to access Sorcery 2, King of Dragon Pass, and OTTTD, normally priced at $5, $10, and $5, respectively. Read more »

Bangladesh has blocked instant messaging and VoIP apps in the country, according to officials in the country. This includes the top five services in the country, namely, WhatsApp, Viber, Tango, LINE, and mypeople.

Out of these, Viber and Tango had been previously banned until January 21 midnight but that list has now been expanded to include WhatsApp, LINE, and mypeople as well. The ban is enforced by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) over security concerns by the government. Read more »