BlackBerry Bribing iPhone Users To Trade In iPhones For Passport

If somebody told you to trade in your iPhone for something else you would probably call them crazy, yet that's exactly what BlackBerry is trying to do. The mobile company is attempting to convince iPhone users to switch to the BlackBerry Passport. The incentive? Money. A rather large sum of money to be more precise.

This promotion, which starts on Cyber Monday, promises as much as $550 to iPhone owners who trade in their handsets in favor of BlackBerry's Passport. The actual trade-in value will depend on which iPhone you have, however. The iPhone 4S only warrants $90 with the iPhone 6 being worth $400. Unfortunately (and surprisingly) the iPhone 6 Plus is not eligible for the trade. If that isn't enough incentive, BlackBerry is increasing the deal by throwing you an additional $150 as a topper for each iPhone. 

The deal will end on February 13 and it is only valid in North America, which is limiting. In addition to that, users mys also buy the $599 to $699 unlocked Passport phone through either BlackBerry's website website or through Amazon. The trade in amount comes in the form of a Visa prepaid card and you will still have to fork over some of your own cash to cover the complete cost. 

BlackBerry is trying desperately to increase its global market share, which now stands below 1%. The mobile company, which was once at the forefront of the mobile industry, has been struggling to win back customers and this trade-in program is just the latest attempt at doing so.

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The Passport launched back in September and is the company's first flagship mobile device to come about since John Chen took the mantel of CEO in November of 2013. BlackBerry is targeting the phone to "power professionals", which means business users who prefer a traditional physical keyboard and who focus mostly on email and text. The Passport is available unlocked in the US and got its name because it is about the size of a passport. 

BlackBerry isn't beneath bribery but the real question is whether or not iPhone users will take the bait. iPhone users tend to focus on things other than text and email, like apps and staying connected to everything all the time. BlackBerry has not only lost market share but also confidence among consumers, who worry that the company is incapable of surviving as a mobile phone maker, which is the biggest challenge facing the company. 

The Passport did do well during its initial launch, with 200,000 orders and sold-out stock both at BlackBerry's website and Amazon. The Passport will be going on sale during Black Friday for $499, though that does not include the iPhone trade-in offer starting the following Monday. What do you think? Can you be convinced to trade in your iPhone for the Passport with the incentive of up to $550 to go along with it?

Amazon To Release Their Own Smartphone This Year

Amazon has decided to expand their horizons into the smartphone market. The company has reportedly decided to debut their new handset this fall.

The rumor of this happening has been around for years. There have been supposed leaks and people talking about it, saying they have had information, but you can never really believe it until there is some solid evidence. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal came out and said that Amazon is for sure planning to announce their very own handset some time in June.

The Wall Street Journal also said that Amazon has been showing off their new device to different developers in the Seattle and San Francisco areas for a few weeks, having them meet up at a hotel suite guarded by heavy security. Reports from some of the insiders say that the phone is supposed to be released to the public some time at the end of September. It will feature four different front facing cameras to track your face and your eyes, and will use the technology to offer a 3D viewing experience without the use of any type of glasses.

All of the rumors in the past have mainly focused on silly details that most wouldn't care about, like the online shopping possibilities that may be included. But, these recent reports make us think that this phone may have more to offer than a few silly gimmicks.

Sources have said that the first order for these new phones will consist of about 600,000 units, and that Japan Display has been producing at least one of the phone's components.

Everyone isn't so on board with the idea of this new device though. Lot's of people think that Amazon is getting too far away from it's roots, and that the new device will likely flop. I think that these people are forgetting that this is still the same company who put out the Kindle, which is an extremely successful and popular device. As a matter of fact, the Kindle was responsible for taking away more of the iPad's costumers than any other tablet in late 2013. So if that is any sign of how the phone is going to do on the market, it's actually got a pretty good shot.

Production for the device is supposed to start this month. We should see the first glimpses in June, and we'll be able to see it in person in September. I'm pretty excited to see what it's all about, and see how it does going up against Apple's iPhone 6, which will likely come out around the same time.

CES 2014 To Offer Curved Phones, Curved TV's, And Much More!

So here is the thing. The year is quickly coming to a close and we all know that. Maybe you are done with this year so far as the tech goes. Maybe you are more interested in the what's coming out than what's out now. There is nothing wrong with that. But, if staying up to date with the newest tech trends is your thing, you're going to want to be ready for the CES 2014 convention.

For those of you who may not be familiar with this particular convention, here is a crash course. The acronym CES stands for "Consumer Electronics Show" and basically encompasses all things to come in terms of tech. The CES show had it's first debut in New York City back in 1967, but has since moved its domain to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The average attendance of up to 140,000 over the average 3 day period means that many of the big industry tech leaders will be there showing off what they have in store.

With every year getting more intense than the last, especially with all the advancements that have been made in technology in the past few years, there is a lot to expect.

Well what exactly CAN we expect to see at CES?

Naturally, expect to see the biggest names in the industry right now showing off their advancements for the upcoming year. Companies like Sony, Apple, LG, Samsung, and Microsoft already have big plans and announcements prepared. Everything lies in wait until show time but there may be a few things that are being rumored to be talked about and introduced.

Sony is bringing the big guns with the release of the PS4 only weeks ago. The company has seen more than 2.1 million units sold, so we are likely to see new product accessories for the new gaming console. The company is planning on bringing on the realm of VR (virtual reality) gaming to the PS4 with a head piece modeled after the Oculus Rift VR headset. Sony is also expected to bring forth a new series of phones, as seems the standard for every big company nowadays.

Apple has not announced too much yet, but expect to see a myriad of upgraded iPads, iPhones, and other mobile devices. It has been rumored that Apple may come forth with the new iWatch to compete with the other smartwatches that have been popping up recently.

LG will more than likely be pushing the LG G Flex phone. The big kicker with this new smartphone is that the phone is actually curved, and will be able to be bent without the product actually breaking. They are also working on flexible OLED TV's that may come with remotes designed to curve the TV as you see fit. Definitely not a bad look for LG

Samsung is obviously going full steam ahead with their focus on the mobile market. Be on the look out for the announcement and possible release of the Galaxy S5. It is being rumored that the S5 may be working with a new 64-bit chip processor. It is also slated to have an all metal body casing and a 16 megapixel camera. Samsung is also doing its best to compete with LG's G Flex, with their own curved phone, the Samsung Galaxy Round. Everything up to now have been prototypes, but they may be unveiling the new phone at CES. Samsung is planning on releasing it's own brand of curved TV's as well. Just another way of competing with LG and trying to push the market.

Microsoft is not being looked at as a key player in the CES, but still have plans on making themselves known to convention goers. With the recent release of the Xbox One they, much like Sony's PS4, will be sure to have some type of tech accessory announcement or other large software announcement for the system. Along with the gaming consoles, be ready to see sales numbers for the Surface 2, the Surface Pro 2, and possibly some new info on the Surface 3 as well. They are definitely doing their best to remain relevant, especially in the tablet and gaming front.

CES, is right around the corner, and is dated for January 7th through to the 10th. Expect to see only the biggest and best new products for the 2014 year. 140,000 attendees can't be wrong, and these companies are putting all their cards on the table. This years CES convention is going to be bigger and better than ever.

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