Amazon's updated Kindle apps let you seamlessly switch between text and audiobooks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/10/amazon-audible-app/

It's a hulking behemoth now, but let's not forget that Amazon got its start peddling books. It never really forgot those roots, either: somewhere along the way it built its own e-reading platform and snapped up a pricey purveyor of audiobooks. Now the e-commerce titan is trying to blur the lines between those two properties even more thanks to a new update to its iOS and Android Kindle apps. The changelog is a pretty lengthy one, but the addition of Whispersync for Voice is the real standout here -- now book buffs can leap between words on a digital page and a professional audio recording without having to leave the Kindle app proper. The upside for Amazon is clear: if it can make it easier for you to jump back and forth between reading and listening, it's got a decent shot at selling more audio recordings. Synergy, folks! If that somehow improves your reading experience along the way, well, that's just peachy too. Just be warned that not every book available from Amazon's virtual shelves has an Audible equivalent -- the company has said there are about 45,000 book/recording matches out there.

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Source: Amazon

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Formlabs' second-gen pro 3D printer is 50 percent faster

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/10/formlabs-form1plus/

Formlabs' Form1 was a top dog among 3D printers when it first shipped, but others have stepped up their game in the past year. It's about time for an upgrade, don't you think? Appropriately, the company has just unveiled the Form1+, a big improvement to its now-familiar design. The new edition of Formlabs' pro-grade machine is all about raw performance -- a more powerful laser lets it print up to 50 percent faster, and its control system produces finer, smoother sculptures. It should be more reliable, too, thanks to an improved resin tank that better preserves your material.

The new printer costs the same $3,299 as the original, which doesn't exactly make it a casual purchase. However, you shouldn't despair if you're an existing Form1 owner. Formlabs is offering a factory upgrade program that brings your hardware up to spec for a more down-to-Earth (if not exactly trivial) $749. You can order the revamped device today in the US, and Europeans can pick one up in July for €2,799.

Filed under: Peripherals

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Source: Formlabs

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Article: Chromecast support coming to VLC within 4-6 weeks!

Chromecast support is the new trend among popular apps. The HDMI dongle is so well received and popular that it has started to become a standard in any app that can take advantage of it. VLC was taking its sweet time, but the developers have stated Chromecast support is in the works as we speak. ...

http://www.androidauthority.com/vlc-chromecast-support-391378/

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Sony Announces Its Apple TV Killer, PlayStation TV

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-tv-2014-6

Sony just unveiled its answer to the Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

The company announced it will release the PlayStation TV for $99 in the US and Canada this fall during its E3 conference.

Users will be able to play a variety of PS3, PlayStation One, and PSP classic games through Sony's streaming game service PlayStation Now. PlayStation TV owners will also have access music and video streaming services.

If you have a PlayStation 4, the device will connect with it and allow you to play PS4 games on another TV in your home. 

The console isn't a new concept. It was first released in Japan November 2013 as the PS Vita TV.

Consumers will need a PlayStation DualShock 3 controller to use the device that will not come with $99 standalone PlayStation TV.

A $139 bundle will come with a DualShock 3 controller, an 8GB memory card, an HDMI cable, and a voucher for "The LEGO Movie" video game.

Watch the announcement below:

SEE ALSO: You can buy a white PlayStation 4 this fall

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drag2share: Amazon takes on PayPal with subscription-based payments

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/09/amazon-subscription-payments/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

With plenty of third-party sellers populating its online store, Amazon is well accustomed to playing the middleman for processing transactions. Now the e-tailer's taking that middleman role one step further; it will now manage monthly subscription payments for companies such as wireless service provider Ting. It's just the latest move in Amazon's ongoing effort to overtake PayPal.

Amazon users will be able to use their stored credit-card information to make monthly payments at participating sites. For anyone who's used PayPal, the process will be very familiar; you'll see a payment button that will pull in your billing info from Amazon to process a transaction. Beyond Ting, it isn't clear which companies will take advantage of the service, but we'd expect to see digital music services, additional wireless providers and gaming sites.

Naturally, Amazon will get a fee for each transaction. For partners, the benefit comes in the form of Amazon's name, which will theoretically make you feel safer when shopping at little-known web merchants. For many customers, though, privacy concerns remain. VP of seller services Tom Taylor told Reuters that Amazon will only collect the dollar amount of customers' transactions, rather than information about which items were purchased. In any case, it all depends on customer trust - and a long list of partner merchants - for Amazon to make a dent in PayPal's business.

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