Cyanogen starts search for female volunteers to supply voice samples

Want to be part of developing one of the latest smartphones coming out? Cyanogen Inc. wants help from female volunteers to refine the custom wake-up command of the OnePlus One. The company needs females within the 18-75 age range to supply various voice samples that would help them fine tune the wake-up feature.  Cyanogen has put up more details on their Google+ page for those interested in helping out.

Upstart OnePlus' 'Smash your Phone' gimmick is wasteful and stupid

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

OnePlus is a new Android smartphone manufacturer that has shown a very promising flagship device, but it's gimmick is earning it some notoriety as being a wasteful and stupid. OnePlus is giving 100 of their new "One" smartphones for $1.00 to anyone who smashes their current smartphone.

The idiocy is spelled out as a 3 step process:

1. Apply - Fill out the application form and send it in.

2. Stand Out - We'll choose 100 applicants to be our smashers.

3. Smash & Share - Share a video of your smash on YouTube and the OnePlus One will be yours!

This coming from a fledgling company pushing their first product and which has zero reputation for support and reliability.

The phones the OnePlus hopes interested buyers will 'Smash' include the iPhone 5c, the iPhone 5c, the HTC One and One (M8) and the latest Samsung Galaxies, Sony Xperias and even some BlackBerry devices.

Oh, and you can select your method of destruction which can range from hammer, baseball bat, blender, fire and screwdriver.  How about just giving away phones to lucky contestants? 

Many of these listed smashable phones have a $300-$500 resale value if sold or traded. They can be handed down to family members, donated to charity, sold for cash.  A smashed smartphone is of no use to anyone. 

OnePlus began their promotion of the "One" as an exclusive, by invitation only affair. No one cared so now this is their approach.