BlackBerry intros Q5 smartphone for emerging markets

BlackBerry announced their third BB10 handset at BlackBerry Live in Orlando today. The budget friendly Q5 is expected to be their bet on the emerging markets as well as the youthful and fun sector that can't afford the $700 no contract price of the recently released Q10. The Q5 offers a less premium QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry 10 handset  for the rest of us and while it might not have all the features of the flagship Q10, it is certain to be more than enough to replace those ageing BlackBerry Torch and Curve models of yesteryear. No date or pricing for Canada has been announced.  Hit jump for the full PR from BlackBerry.

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BlackBerry OS 10.1, Skype now available for Z10 smartphone

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

BlackBerry Z10 owners get a little love today in the guise of a new 10.1 software update plus the availability of Skype, two features that shipped with the BlackBerry Q10 a few weeks ago. Announced today at the BlackBerry Live keynote in Orlando, BlackBerry 10.1 features a number of tweaks such as an enhanced Hub, personalized notifications, improved camera functionality with HDR and various bug fixes. The Z10 finally catches up with the rest of the smartphone world as it can now run  a preview version of Skype natively. Hit jump for the full press release.

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Converse like a local with ABBYY PhraseBooks for iOS

Want to be a smooth operator in six different languages or at least be able to ask someone where the bathroom is when traveling? ABBYY has released the illustrated digital PhraseBooks app for iOS devices.

It helps tourists communicate in various languages—English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian—and learn common phrases they would need on their trips. PhraseBooks divides content into 11 topics with special Useful Words section for each group. You’ll hear the phrases being pronounced by native speakers and view rather amusing visuals that describe the phrases. The ABBYY PhraseBooks is available for $9.99 USD on the App Store and you can learn more information about the app here.  

Netflix updates player on the Sony PS3

We all want to move on to the Sony PlayStation 4 but that’s light years away from arriving (okay, just a few months away). So, in the meantime, let's settle for PlayStation 3 updates. One such update is the new version of the Netflix player for the PS3.

Its design is now more consistent with the other platforms. It is much easier to manage Audio & Subtitles section, which can now be controlled directly in the player without needing to return to the browse experience. If you use the social features, you now also have the option to disable sharing of the current title you are watching. Lastly, they have improved scanning while in the play mode. Images load much faster in this “trickplay” mode to make your search faster. You can even return 10 seconds at a time by pressing the left arrow button once on your controller or remote control. These updates are said to arrive soon on selected Smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

Sony Canada announces prices of new 4K UHD LED TVs

Proudly proclaiming that they are the first to offer 4K Ultra High Definition TVs in Canada, Sony has officially announced today the prices of their new 4K UHD TVs that were unveiled at CES in January. The 55-inch XBR-55X900A and the 65-inch XBR-65X900A retail for $5,499.99 and $7,699.99, respectively.

They are available on Sony Canada’s site, Sony Store retail locations, and other participating retailers across Canada. Listed below are some of the key features of the new 4K UHD models:

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QuickerTek launches Quicky Junior 3 for Apple MacBooks

QuickerTek promises an extra boost of power from a more compact device with the Quicky Junior 3. This third generation Wi-Fi adaptor expands to the ‘a’ spectrum of the 802.11 band to give older computer users access to newer access points.

The Quicky Junior 3 comes with the small USB Wi-Fi adaptor and redesigned antenna that folds into its body. It will give those who need an easy power boost by increasing the MacBook’s internal antennas threefold. The plug-and-play device can also be used to add other desktop computers to a network without adding cables. The Quicky Junior 3 is priced at $79.95 and you can read more about it on the product page.