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We’re back in the saddle after a three-day weekend, and as usual, our weekend recap is jam-packed with chewy goodness that stacked up over the last 72 hours or so. This edition has some nice discounts on iPad Air models for those in the midwest, a big update for the Polaroid of iOS and plenty more, so let’s dig in!
iPad Air $60 Off with h.h.gregg In-Store Pickup Until Feb. 1
Specialty retailer h.h. gregg announced Monday that Apple products ordered online are now available for in-store pickup, including the latest iPhone, iPod, iPad and Apple TV models. Until February 1, h.h. gregg is also one of the cheapest places to grab an iPad Air for up to $60 off the regular price for a 64GB Wi-Fi model, which is priced at $639.99; a 32GB Wi-Fi version is also available for $559.99, a $40 savings. h.h. gregg currently operates 228 retail stores primarily located in the middle of the country, but you’ll need to order online in most locations, since these products are shipped directly to the store.
Polaroid-Licensed Polamatic Hits Version 4.0
Miss the quaint era of snapping a Polaroid photo and watching it develop before your eyes? Thankfully, there’s an app for that, and Polamatic isn’t just some knockoff — it’s actually fully licensed by Polaroid for an authentic experience all the way around, including 36 frames, 36 photo filters and the ability to add text in a variety of different fonts. Late last week, developer Dana Shakiba released Polamatic 4.0, the latest version completely rebuilt from the ground up in an effort to become “the most powerful and authentic” app of its kind. Best of all, Polamatic is 99¢, and there are no further in-app purchases required to get all of the latest and greatest filters and frames.
T-Mobile Expands ETF Switcher Program to Regional Carriers
Re/code reported Thursday that T-Mobile has racked up more than 80,000 “breakup letters” from customers ditching their AT&T, Verizon or Sprint contracts since last week’s announcement. The fourth-placed U.S. carrier will soon expand its program to pay up to $350 in early termination fees (ETF) for customers looking to switch by expanding the offer to U.S. Cellular “and more than a dozen other small carriers” with similarly restrictive two-year contracts. T-Mobile will also begin accepting damaged phones as part of its trade-in program, although the value to customers will be lessened as a result.
VLC for iOS Updated with Cloud Storage Integration, iOS 7 UI
Open-source media player VLC for iOS received a big update on Monday, with an iOS 7-style UI overhaul and the addition of streaming from cloud storage providers Google Drive and Dropbox. The free, universal app now includes a variety of multitouch gestures for navigation, an improved library for TV shows and audio files, better UPnP integration which now includes the ability to download files, new streaming formats and protocols, improved privacy for the Passcode lock and a tutorial at startup to get new users up to speed quickly. VLC for iOS 2.2.0 is now available from the App Store.
Amazon Wants to Start Prepping Orders Before They’re Even Made
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Amazon has filed a patent for something called “anticipatory shipping,” which the e-tailer claims “may dissuade customers from buying items from online merchants” by predicting what they’ll next purchase and preparing it for even faster shipment. The concept promises to slash delivery times by having items already packed up and waiting when the customer actually clicks the Buy button on the website. It’s important to note that this is just a patent filing — there’s no indication that Amazon has yet implemented technology to make this a reality, but the impatient part of our brain certainly wouldn’t complain if packages arrived even earlier.
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