Microsoft finally creates ad that doesn’t poke fun at Apple

It is certainly refreshing when tech companies talk about the merits of their devices instead of talking down their competitors. Microsoft has released a new ad for Surface Pro 3. It makes use of reviews from The Verge, Stuff.tv, and TIME Magazine. It also features K-Pop group 2NE1’s song “I Am The Best” as the commercial’s background. Do you prefer this straightforward ad instead of one that takes jabs at their competitors? Let us know.

Source: GeekWire

VLC to make its comeback again on iTunes next year

It wasn’t really clear why VLC decided to pull its app shortly after iOS 8 was released. Now, it would seem the media player is making a comeback on iTunes App Store in the coming year. Lead developer Felix Paul Kuehne posted on VLC forums that the updated version of the app has been approved by Apple and will be coming back early next year.  There is an existing iTunes Connect holiday shutdown so they can’t post it at the moment. But you just have to wait a bit more and you can get the popular media player app back.

Source: Ubergizmo

Apple dominates device activations over the holidays

According to data from mobile analytics firm Flurry, Apple’s still quite a popular as a gift to others or for yourself. Mobile device activation of Apple devices accounted for over half of all new activations. It was 51.3 percent, to be exact. Flurry reached this conclusion by tracking data of over 600,000 applications over the week leading up to Christmas including Christmas day.

Samsung took a distant second place at 18 percent, Nokia at six percent, Sony at fourth with 1.6 percent, and LG at fifth with 1.4 percent. Brands like HTC, Huawei, and Xiaomi, came in under one percent but these brands focus more on the Asian market where holiday gift giving isn’t as popular.

Source: Ubergizmo

Contest: Win a Cricut Explore: Personal Electronic Cutting Machine!

We've got a great holiday contest with an awesome Cricut Explore personal electronic cutting machine. Cricut Explore (SRT $599) is a design-and-cut system for making amazing, affordable DIY and craft projects. It’s the easiest way ever to turn an idea into a finished project! 

Featuring Cut Smart technology, the Smart Set dial for easy material settings, and the ability to upload your own designs, Cricut Explore is our easiest and most innovative design-and-cut system yet. Use Cricut Explore with Cricut Design Space, the free cloud-based software, to make your ideas a reality. 

TO ENTER: 

Follow us on Twitter @CReviewer

And use this tweet to tell why you want this......

"Hey @CReviewer I want to win the Cricut Explore Electronic Cutting Machine because....."

...and use hashtag #FSholidaytech

Contest closes: December 31, 2014 at 12:00 noon EST. WINNER will be selected at random and will be contacted via Twitter so make sure you're following us!