05/13, 9:58am
Live Button rolls out to viewers in New York, Philadelphia first
Broadcaster ABC is said to be updating its iOS app to offer live streams of shows from local ABC stations later this week. New options for a "Live" button in the Watch ABC app for iPhone and iPad will mark it as the first major US broadcaster that provides live streams of its channels to app users, with the first markets to gain the service being New York and Philadelphia.
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05/12, 4:00pm
Gaming framework for Android could appear at Google I/O
Google may be revealing an entire gaming framework to developers at Google I/O next week, based on newly-released data. The Google Play Services component for Android includes support for various game-related features in a new update, including synchronizing saved games and various multiplayer components seen in a previous leak.
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05/10, 12:22pm
Apple apparently reticent to add Metro support
"You shouldn't expect an iTunes [Metro] app on Windows 8 any time soon," Microsoft CFO Tami Reller tells CNN Money. "iTunes is in high demand. The welcome mat has been laid out. It's not for lack of trying." The quote may suggest that Microsoft has been talking with Apple about adding Metro support for iTunes, but without any progress.
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05/10, 11:28am
iPad Netflix now cues TV episodes automatically
Yesterday Netflix rolled out the next major release of its iOS app, introducing a new auto-play feature for TV shows. While currently restricted to the iPad users, the new feature brings the software in line with the functionality of the current web and TV app. At the end of a TV episode Netflix will minimize the credits and cue the next episode in the season. If users do nothing, then the episode will will automatically begin playing within 10 seconds. In addition, post play also works for movies by providing users with three recommendations of other movies they may enjoy.
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05/10, 10:07am
Currently offering discounted single-app memberships
Adobe is considering doing a "photographer’s bundle or photography cloud solution" to cater to one of its key markets, the company said in a blog post earlier this week. Under original plans announced on Monday, getting access to the next version of Photoshop, Photoshop CC, will normally cost at least $20 per month. People wanting the companion app Lightroom will still be able to buy a permanent license for that software, but getting access to both Photoshop and Lightroom -- as well as other apps a photographer might want -- could potentially be expensive.
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05/09, 4:36pm
Apple issues minor patch
Apple has posted a new support download for Macs, Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.2. The patch appears to deal solely with stability problems related to Target Disk Mode. The file is 1.22MB, and requires OS X 10.8.3 or later.
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05/09, 1:16pm
'Light Leak' effect simulates broken-down cameras
The developer of Pixelmator has released an important v2.2 update for the image-editing software. Codenamed Blueberry, the update makes several enhancements to the app's shape tools, for instance adding "smart" controls that rapidly adjust outlines. The Shape Style palette has new Fill, Stroke Style, Shadow, and Inner Shadow options, and the Custom Shapes palette now includes dozens of preset objects.
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05/09, 12:58pm
GOG offering 10 additional Mac games
Following its "Massive Mac Games Drop" at the end of April, GOG.com has further expanded its Mac game catalog with 10 new titles. The new batch of games offers titles from various genres, and includes Slipstream 5000, Guilty Gear X2: Reload, Syndicate Wars, Strike Commander, Evil Genius, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, Guilty Gear Isuka, Blake Stone: Planet Strike, Darklands, and Litil Divil. Prices range from $6 up to $15 depending on the title, and every game has been tested to work on Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later.
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05/09, 9:08am
Microsoft said to be responsive to OEM feedback on Windows 8
Acer Chairman J.T. Wang has said that Microsoft is starting to listen more closely to its OEM partners following the troubled launch of Windows 8, reports the Wall Street Journal. Wang indicated that he thought that that Microsoft has had its head in the clouds until recently, “But now the go down to earth and they start to learn how people living on earth think.” Acer President Jim Wong also added that Microsoft is becoming more “considerate” to its partners and has been baking in their suggestions into Windows Blue, the first major update to Windows 8 due later this year.
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05/08, 7:00pm
No noted changes or known issues reported once again
The weekly release of new builds of the forthcoming OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 are continuing apace, with build 12E47 now available for testers -- again with no new changes or known issues, and again asking developers to focus testing efforts on the same areas as before: graphics, Safari and Wi-Fi performance. Earlier builds of 10.8.4 are known to be slightly improving battery life, addressing bugs with Wi-Fi stability and reconnection after waking from sleep, as well as fixing some remaining Nvidia card graphic glitches.
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05/08, 12:21pm
Switch to subscription-based software suites could take ten years
Microsoft has laid out the various changes the company will make to Office Web Apps in the future, with a focus on social features, partly confirming a previously leak. It has also revealed that, unlike Adobe's recent announcement of switching focus to providing subscription-based products, Microsoft will continue to release packaged versions of Office for the next few years.
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05/08, 11:01am
Weak security resulted in DRM-free MP3 file downloads
A vulnerability found in Spotify's web player has been exploited, allowing users to download permanent copies of songs from the service. A Chrome extension by the name of Downloadify used the exploit to download MP3 files that were free of DRM, rather than just stream them, something which Spotify has been quick to rectify.
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05/07, 9:05pm
New version brings better mobile integration, enhanced reporting
Retail technologist LightSpeed today announced the launch of StoreMaster, enabling Macintosh users to track real-time data across all sales channels, manage inventory levels, and process invoices and shipments from one control panel. Its new customizable Dashboard delivers up-to-the-minute metrics in easy-to-read graphs, assisting stores in reaching sales goals and performance monitoring.
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05/07, 7:30pm
Patch fixes numerous bugs, requires OS X 10.5.8 or higher
A new update is available for Microsoft Office 2011, the most recent version of the widely-used office suite. Version 14.3.4 addresses numerous issues and bugs, adds a needed font for sharing documents, and most importantly further refines the interoperability of the Office 365 initiative, allowing the option for users to jump to the subscription version of Office if they want. In addition, the new version adds the built-in option of saving files to SkyDrive and SharePoint in Microsoft Word.
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05/07, 6:04pm
Rhapsody adds 'liner notes,' technical info to music files
Music service Rhapsody has implemented a new "liner notes" feature, implementing the RIAA's "Give Fans the Credit" plan for including detailed production information with each digital song, including songwriters, background performers, producers and engineers involved in the production. The rollout, scheduled to take place over the next few months, would allow fans to search for music in new ways, such as tracking songs a specific producer was involved in, or for example finding out which songs featured a specific group of sidemen. The service has already started curating collections of tunes grouped by notable names of either producers, engineers or composers.
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05/07, 4:43pm
Carries over features of mobile apps
VoIP service Viber has released new Mac and Windows versions of its client software. Previously the app was only available for mobile platforms, such as iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone. The Desktop software incorporates all the features of the iOS app, such as instant messaging, contact sync, group chats, and shared histories.
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05/07, 4:00pm
Should pave way for Google Now on OS X
The Chrome OS notification center -- already in the Windows releases of Chromium and Chrome Canary -- is in the process of being ported to the Mac version of Chromium, says Google's François Beaufort. The Chromium evangelist points to a logged Chromium issue titled "[Mac][MC] Implement notification updates and relayouts." He comments that the Mac version of the notification center is still "under heavy development," but that it can already be toggled on by running Chrome with an "--enable-rich-notifications" switch.
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05/07, 3:09pm
YouTube Trends Map shows popular videos in areas of US
Google has created a new map that shows videos trending on YouTube by area. The Trends Map displays the most popular videos being viewed in major markets across the US, with the added option of viewing the top videos in areas by age band and gender. While it is covering the United States initially, the YouTube Trends blog states that there are updates due in future, which could include providing data on regional viewing habits in other countries.
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05/07, 6:46am
Windows 8 passes 100 million licenses, Windows Blue due by holidays
Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer Tami Reller has revealed that Windows 8 licenses sold has now passed the 100 million mark, six months after its launch. This is said to include installations on new PCs and tablets, as well as upgrades to Windows 8. Reller didn’t reveal the breakdown of Windows 8 licenses, which includes Windows RT sales, but did say that there are now 2,400 devices certified to run its controversial new operating system.
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05/06, 8:41pm
Basic portfolio service to promote sharing, showcasing work
Adobe's move into a subscription model with its rebranded "CC" suite doesn't mean it is entirely leaving behind users who haven't yet or opted not to join Creative Cloud, the company reports. In its press release heralding the improvements and features of its now fully-integrated Creative Cloud programs, Adobe added that it would continue to offer a non-CC version of Creative Suite 6 for the foreseeable future, and is obligated to support existing software for years to come. In addition, the Behance portfolio feature is available to non-Cloud users as well.
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05/06, 2:40pm
Apps rebranded under Creative Cloud brand
Adobe is focused on its Creative Cloud service this week at its Max conference, where the company has introduced updates to its broad range of software. The new offerings include video-focused utilities Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, Prelude CC, SpeedGrade CC and Adobe Story Plus, along with the audio-production app Audition CC. Many of the new apps will enable users to sync settings between computers and remotely collaborate on videos without downloading the source materials.
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05/06, 2:29pm
Flash rebuilt with 64-bit architecture, Dreamweaver gains CSS Designer tool
Adobe has outlined a large number of changes for its web-development products, as part of its major announcements today. Flash Professional CC has been rebuilt to be more modular and streamlined, Edge Animate CC and Edge Reflow Preview 3 add some workflow improvements, and Dreamweaver CC introduces a visual editing tool for CSS, PhoneGap build support, and other extra tools.
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05/06, 2:18pm
InDesign gets modernized interface, engine
As a part of today's major Adobe announcements, the company has gone into detail for the upgrades present in its design software. Illustrator CC features a new Touch Type tool, which lets people manipulate individual characters in text while still maintaining control over font and other edits. Multi-touch devices have been added as a form of input.
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05/06, 2:18pm
Company continues subscription push
Adobe has introduced a wide range of software updates, dropping the Creative Suite branding as the company continues to embrace its Creative Cloud subscription service. New features have been added to Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash Pro, After Effects, Muse and Dreamweaver, among other titles.
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05/06, 2:18pm
Folds in 3D tools from Photoshop Extended
One of the core pieces of today's Adobe announcements is Photoshop CC, its rebranded and updated photo-editing software. Among new features in the software is Smart Sharpen, which analyzes images and attempts to produce the best-possible sharpening, while minimizing any halos or noise. The process can be tuned as needed.
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05/06, 8:28am
Barnes & Noble discount Nook HD, HD+ for Mother's Day
Barnes & Noble has dropped the price of its Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets as part of a Mother's Day promotion. For the next week, the retailer will be selling the 7-inch Nook HD from $149 for the 8GB and $179 for the 16GB models, while the 9-inch Nook HD+ is priced at $179 for 16GB of storage and $209 for 32GB. The discounts, varying between $50 and $90 depending on model, will apply until May 12th.
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05/06, 7:23am
China launch forms part of 200-country Appstore expansion
Amazon has launched its Android Appstore for paid apps in China, ahead of Google and its Play store. The release of the Appstore in the country now means that Amazon is the first of the two main Android app stores to launch in the region and opens the door to Amazon releasing its Kindle Fire tablets in China and other nearby territories.
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05/03, 8:49am
Mozilla updates Firefox OS simulator to 3.0, adds rotation, geolocation
Mozilla has rolled out a new version of its Firefox OS simulator, in order to help with application development. The emulator update to version 3.0, surfacing just after the first developer devices started shipping, adds a number of features, including rotation simulation, basic simulation of a geolocation API, newer versions of the Firefox rendering engine and Gaia UI, Push to Device, and a number of other bug fixes. The simulator is available to download as a Firefox desktop browser extension.
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05/02, 7:00pm
No details on changes, version now set to 2.3
On Thursday, Apple released updated printer drivers for its supported Xerox printers for users of OS X Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8). Unusually for such a release, there is not yet a list of the specific changed or added models supported by the built-in software. All three versions of OS X support a wide and expanding list of Xerox products, including standalone, all-in-one and wireless printer models, as well as some standalone scanners.
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05/02, 12:11pm
Google adds remote desktop feature to Google+ Hangouts
Google+ users can now remotely control a desktop in Hangouts, something suggested by the company to help in long-distance technical support. The feature uses the same background tech from Chrome Remote Desktop, according to Google staffer Daniel Caiafa in a Google+ update. When enabled from the Apps section, Hangouts Remote Desktop will ask permission to allow the other user to control the computer, while still allowing both sides to talk and see each other throughout the control session.
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05/02, 12:07pm
Developer promises app-wide speed boosts
Flying Meat has released Acorn 4, an upgrade of its Mac photo-editing utility. The update adds several major features, such as non-destructive filters and a curve editor, which offers more precise control over shadows, midtones and highlights. The new Merlin HUD lets users control the radius and center points of a filter while still on the canvas.
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05/02, 3:05am
Nine apps valued at over $400 for $49 in latest bundle deal
Another Mac-centric shareware bundle deal has popped up, with Nova Development offering a new Mac SuperBundle deal celebrating Spring. The offer includes nine commercial and shareware programs with a total value of $413 for $49. The most prominent program in the bundle, Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac, sells by itself for $80 at retail. Other programs include TextExpander (normally $35), RapidWeaver 5 (normally $80), Circus Ponies Notebook ($50) and other Mac software.
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05/01, 10:00pm
Ambitious update said to make over look, add features to mobile OS
Following on the heels of rumors that Apple reassigned engineers from other projects (including the next OS X release, 10.9) in order to help ensure completion, a new report from unnamed sources has said that iOS 7, the forthcoming major update to the company's mobile platform, will ship on time despite pressures. Anonymous informers told AllThingsD that while the extra help was needed, the update "will ship on time" and debut as scheduled at this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC).
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05/01, 6:19am
Minute-long video explains adjustment, basic navigation
Google Glass will have at least one app for it upon its consumer release, following reports that a Twitter client is being worked on for the device. The news of the app comes at the same time as the search company releases a video explaining to future users how to use the wearable computing system, with a heavy emphasis on controls via the touchpad.
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04/30, 6:30pm
'New normal' weekly cycle stays mum on changes, fixes
Another six days have gone by, and thus another pre-release beta of the forthcoming 10.8.4 Mountain Lion has been seeded to developers for testing. The new build, 12E40, again lists no new changes or known issues, and asks developers to focus on the same areas as before: graphics, Safari and Wi-Fi performance. While not mentioned in the notes, the upcoming update adds support for the emerging 802.11ac wireless protocol.
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04/30, 11:56am
Skype in Outlook.com accompanied by Windows client update
Microsoft has added the ability to make Skype calls within the Outlook.com e-mail service. The site, which left beta in February, will allow Outlook users in the United Kingdom to access their Skype contacts, make calls, and communicate using instant messages, all from within the browser instead of launching external applications.
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04/30, 11:46am
Express Dock now available for purchase
After months of delays Belkin has finally made its Thunderbolt Express Dock available for purchase through its online store. First announced at CES 2011, the Express Dock was originally expected to be launched in September 2012. However, various setbacks and revisions continually pushed this date back until Belkin finally began accepting pre-orders this past February. The final revision is being sold for $300 and features eight ports, one FireWire 800, one Gigabit Ethernet, three USB 3.0, one 3.5mm audio-in, one 3.5mm audio out, and one Thunderbolt port, that can simultaneously be connected to a computer through a single Thunderbolt cable.
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04/30, 1:27am
App-based messaging overtakes SMS texting for first time ever
Research company Informa says that app-based messaging -- such as Apple's own Messages app or the popular What'sApp for mobile devices -- has surpassed traditional SMS-based text messaging for the first time. While SMS usage will continue to thrive, particular as long as "feature phones" remain viable in less-affluent markets, non-SMS messaging should reach 50 billion per day by 2014 -- more than double the projected level of 21 million SMS messages by the same year.
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04/29, 10:32am
New OS expected to be evolutionary upgrade
The next major upgrade of OS X, v10.9, will concentrate on "power-user" features while bringing in more concepts from iOS, say sources for 9to5Mac. In the former category, several improvements to Finder are expected, such as tagging and tabbed browsing. Fullscreen apps should finally remain open on secondary monitors, and Safari is expected to get a new version with a new backend, improving performance and efficiency.
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04/29, 10:12am
Microsoft update for Windows 8 Weather app includes ski resort data
Microsoft has updated its Weather app for Windows 8. The changes include new interactive and dynamically-moving weather maps for cities and regions, satellite images, temperature and precipitation levels, cloud cover, and radar pictures. The Bing blog also notes that weather details for ski resorts in 31 countries around the world are also provided in the update.
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04/28, 4:31pm
Code released after hackers gained root access to headset
Google has released the kernel GPL source code for Google Glass, in an effort to provide developers more information on how Glass actually functions. The download, measuring in at around 65 megabytes, comes in the wake of hardware hackers successfully gaining root access to a developer edition of the device within hours, by using already-existing Android exploits.
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04/26, 3:21pm
Support for non-Gmail accounts also a possibility
An iPad edition of Mailbox is in development, as are Android and desktop versions, tweets by the app's development team indicate. The iPad app is said to be "coming soon," while the Android and desktop apps are on a longer-term roadmap. Support for other platforms may also be possible.
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04/26, 8:09am
Vine confirms Android version of video app in the works
Popular video app Vine will be headed to Android in the future. Co-founder of the Twitter-owned app Dom Hofmann confirmed to The Verge it will be ported, following its successful launch on iOS devices. The app, which allows users to create six-second video clips for sharing on social networks, is also reportedly going to include the ability to tag friends to a clip, in order to foster more sharing between users.
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04/26, 6:01am
Policy change to affect Facebook, other independently-updated apps
Google has updated its Play store with a small change to its developer program policies, to prevent malicious code appearing on devices. The small change now forbids applications supplied through the Google Play store from receiving updates using another process, in an effort to improve the overall security of apps provided to Android users.
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04/25, 11:00pm
Arment said project had outgrown his ability to keep it up-to-date
Popular Mac punditry figure, developer and publisher Marco Arment has announced that he has sold a majority share of his web-article saving and syncing app Instapaper to Digg owners Betaworks. Under the deal, Betaworks will "take over the operations, expand its staff and develop it further," says Arment, while he will continue advising the project "indefinitely." He admitted in the blog post that he had "had trouble" keeping up with the needs of the service for the past year, while rivals such as Pocket and Readability could devote more resources.
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04/25, 3:27pm
Sandboxes files to prevent malware
Google has released a beta Office Viewer extension for the Mac and Windows editions of Chrome. The add-on requires either the Chrome 27 beta or the latest Canary release, but enables viewing Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files within Chrome instead of separately. To protect against trojan attacks the extension is sandboxed, limiting the reach of any malicious code hackers might insert into a document.
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04/25, 2:39pm
Photo sharing made easier
Twitter has released an update for its official Mac client, v2.2. The update is Twitter's first for the software in years, and adds several awaited features, such as Retina support for the MacBook Pro. Another is support for a much wider number of languages, including Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and simplified and traditional Chinese.
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04/25, 2:10pm
Instant messenger connects to Yahoo, adds location broadcasting
Nokia has updated its instant-messaging service for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8-based Lumias and Asha smartphones. Previously used on Symbian and Series 40 devices before being replaced by Ovi services, Nokia Chat refreshes the app with a modern interface, along with a number of other social aspects as seen in other messaging systems.
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04/25, 12:26pm
Amazon cuts Kindle, Paperwhite price by $10 in Canada
Amazon has dropped the price for some of its Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite e-readers in Canada. The standard Kindle has dropped from $89 to $79, while the Paperwhite version, with its lighter screen and built-in light, sells for $129 instead of $139. The 3G-enabled version of the Kindle Paperwhite remains at $199.
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04/25, 11:49am
Mariner discounts software by 50 percent
In celebration of its 23rd anniversary, Mariner software is currently offering a 50 percent discount on all non-upgrade, desktop products. The promotion will run through April 30 and can be activated by using the coupon "MARINER23" at checkout. Additionally, the company is running an iPad mini giveaway that can be entered by filling out an online registration form and sharing a post on either Facebook or Twitter.
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