Survey: Most smartphone users aren't pleased with their wireless carrier and are ready to switch

Survey: Most smartphone users aren't pleased with their wireless carrier and are ready to switch

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According to a survey conducted by Accenture, the majority of smartphone users are not pleased with their wireless carrier, and are ready to switch. A few years ago, consumers didn't know what they should expect from a wireless provider. But with the number of global consumers sporting a smart device rising from 26% in 2012 to 80% currently, most consumers now know exactly what they should be getting from a wireless carrier. As a result, the survey shows that 60% of those surveyed are not happy "with their connectivity," and are ready to switch.

Other results of the survey reveal that 62% have concerns about the security of their financial transactions. Not surprisingly, a whopping 83% are not happy about ads ruining their mobile experience. It seems hard to believe, but only 47% are concerned with privacy and security on their wireless device.

With smartphone sales growth expected to register a figure under double digits this year, the survey revealed that in 2015 only 13% were planning on buying a new smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC over the coming 12 months. That was a 60% decline from the 33% that were planning on making such a purchase during 2015. 41% of those buying a new phone this year are doing so in order to snag the "newest and most innovative features."

Here is the challenge for carriers in the years ahead. 71% of those surveyed said that they would pay a carrier higher rates for better connectivity. Some might argue that this is Verizon's business plan in the U.S. This shows why Verizon continues to grow despite being one of the costliest wireless providers in the states (if not THE highest priced carrier). And 83% stated that they would buy more products and services from carriers if they could speed up the pace of problem resolution.

Other results of the survey show that 81% are watching online movies, and 69% are playing online games. And Good news for Apple, Samsung, Google and LG. 50% are already using a mobile payment service.

Accenture survey reveals that the majority of consumers are ready to switch to another mobile operator

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source: Accenture

Deal: Unlocked Microsoft Lumia 950 now available for $499.99

Deal: Unlocked Microsoft Lumia 950 now available for $499.99

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Originally released in November, the Microsoft Lumia 950 can be bought in the US via AT&T, as well as unlocked from Microsoft and various retailers. If you want to get the handset unlocked, we're happy to inform you that B&H Photo is now selling it for $499.99. That's $49 off the original price of $549 (which is still in place at Microsoft Store) - not a huge discount, we know, but still a deal that you may want to consider if you're in need of a high-end Windows 10 phone that's not as big as theLumia 950 XL.

With its 5.2-inch Quad HD display, the Microsoft Lumia 950 is about as large as most flagship smartphones of today. The handset is among the first to receive the latest Windows 10 updates (directly from Microsoft), so you will have the newest software on it for a couple of years. Besides the sharp 5.2-inch screen and Windows 10 (with support for Microsoft Continuum), the highlight features of the Lumia 950 include an iris scanner, a 20 MP PureView rear camera, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of expandable storage space. For a detailed look at the handset, check out our Microsoft Lumia 950 review.

Update: an unlocked Lumia 950 XL currently costs $529.99 at B&H.

Microsoft Lumia 950

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Cortana celebrates her second birthday as a personal assistant by adding new features

Cortana celebrates her second birthday as a personal assistant by adding new features

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Blow out the candles on the cake, Cortana is now two-years old. Microsoft's virtual voice-activated personal assistant was introduced on April 2nd, 2014 at the BUILD developer conference. Cortana first appeared on Windows Phone 8.1, handling search requests and certain operations via voice. Since then, she has branched out to Windows 10, Android and iOS, and can now handle cross-platform tasks.

Recently, it was announced that Cortana will be able to keepAndroid users up-to-date about their notifications across various devices. The personal assistant will also help you to send texts from your PC. Other new features include the Cortana Collection, which will appear in the Windows Store. This is a series of apps recommended by the virtual personal assistant. In addition, Cortana will now make suggestions during the course of a day. She will offer to phone in a lunch order for you, or arrange a cab or other form of transportation.

While testing alongside Siri and Google Now usually results in a third-place finish for Cortana, the other two virtual personal assistants are much older and more mature than she is. It is usually considered bad form to broadcast a woman's age, but in this case we don't think that Cortana will mind. And thanks to the iOS and Android apps, and her inclusion on Windows 10 PCs, it appears that Cortana will be around for some time to come regardless of what happens to Microsoft's smartphone business.

source: MSPoweruser

One Drive for iOS receives update; save multiple pictures and videos with one tap

One Drive for iOS receives update; save multiple pictures and videos with one tap

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Microsoft's cloud storage system OneDrive has updated its app for iOS to version 6.13.1. With the update, users can now save multiple photos and videos from their camera roll, using one click. Select the files that you want to store in the cloud, tap share, and you will be given the option to "Save Photos and Videos."

The update also exterminated a bug that played havoc with the VoiceOver and album features. Microsoft also points out that if you're having sync issues, or any issues with the app, all you need to do is shake your phone and a request will be sent to Microsoft engineers to investigate the problem(s).

OneDrive is a freemium app, which means that it is free to download and install, but there are optional in-app purchases you can make to enhance the OneDrive experience on your iPhone or iPad. For example, you can purchase 100GB of cloud storage for $27.99.

To install OneDrive for iOS on your iDevice, click on the sourcelink.

OneDrive cloud storage for iOS receives update

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source: OneDrive (iOS|Android|Windows) via MSPoweruser

How to quickly access display settings on Android Marshmallow and Lollipop phones

How to quickly access display settings on Android Marshmallow and Lollipop phones

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Everyone (probably) knows how to access their Android phone's display settings - and we're not talking just about the brightness slider here. But what if you want to have access to these settings the fastest way possible? Well, if you own a device running Android Lollipop or Marshmallow, you can place a shortcut on your home screen to help you in this regard. With this shortcut that we're talking about, you'll always be able to access display settings (including enabling or disabling adaptive brightness, changing font size from small to huge, adjust screen sleep time, and so on) right from your home screen. Thus, you'll no longer need to access your phone's main Settings menu in order to reach the Display sub-menu.