Galaxy Note 2 Smart Rotation Makes Using Your Device Less Frustrating

We’ve all experienced this before — You’re browsing through your favorite website, checking out that new book a friend told you about or just browsing through a website on your smartphone. Suddenly, you get the desire to lie down but want to continue reading. Everything’s fine at first but then you turn on your side… And the screen rotates. The device keeps doing that with the slightest movement and you just end up being frustrated. Sure, you’re probably laughing right now thinking this another one of those “first world problems” but if you’ve experienced it, you know it’s pretty annoying. The good news is that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 wants to make this petty issue go away with its Smart Rotation feature.

The Galaxy Note 2′s Smart Rotation is similar to the Galaxy S III’s Smart Stay system. It’s a feature that uses the front-facing camera of your device to determine the orientation of your face. It then uses that information to match your screen’s orientation accordingly using a built-in sensor. What this means is that regardless of what angle you’re reading, the Galaxy Note 2 will recognize which direction is the right way up and keep your screen that way. The only catch is that since it needs the front-facing camera to work, some ambient light is necessary for it to detect you and work its camera trickery.
Wondering how you can access this feature on your Galaxy Note 2? All you have to do is go to Settings > Display and voila, you can switch it on or off! Again, it’s not the most life-changing feature out there but I’m sure it’s one you’ll be glad your Galaxy Note 2 has.
Have you tried the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 yet? Is it the best device out in the market? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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T-Mobile and MetroPCS to merge

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS have agreed to merge, joining together two of the nation's largest low-cost wireless carriers.

Both companies have been struggling. Though each remains profitable, their smartphone offerings are lackluster (i.e., no iPhone), they are far behind the curve on network technology, and both are shedding 

The combined company, which will be called T-Mobile, will have 42.5 million subscribers -- 33.2 million from T-Mobile and 9.3 million fromMetroPCS (PCS, Fortune 500).

It will also have annual sales of nearly $25 billion, an easier path to4G-LTE network deployments, and estimated cost savings of up to $1.5 billion per year. The companies said that combining their wireless spectrum, customers and finances will help give the new company the scale and resources it needs to succeed in a market increasingly dominated by AT&T (T, Fortune 500) and Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500).

The deal is complex, complicated by T-Mobile's subsidiary status and the two sides' incompatible wireless technologies.

MetroPCS will send $1.5 billion to its shareholders ($4.09 per share) and then perform a 1-for-2 reverse split of its stock -- meaning that the number of outstanding shares would be halved and the value of each share would double. MetroPCS will then buy all of T-Mobile USA's assets by giving T-Mobile parent company Deutche Telekom 74% of its common stock. That means the German telecom giant will remain in control of the combined company, and will provide financial support through debt and credit offerings.

Customers, though, will continue to deal with two distinct brands operating separately -- at least for now. The two carriers have different network technologies, which means that MetroPCS' phones are incompatible with T-Mobile's network, and vice versa.

That could change eventually, since the new company plans to deploy a 4G-LTE network that will work across both customer bases. Upgrading all customers to that network and discontinue the legacy technologies will be a gradual, multi-year process.

New T-Mobile CEO John Legere will remain at the helm of the new carrier, and MetroPCS' Chief Financial Officer Braxton Carter will stay on as CFO. The companies did not announce plans for MetroPCS CEO Roger Linquist.

The new company will be have its headquarters in T-Mobile's hometown -- Bellevue, Wash. -- with a presence in Dallas, where MetroPCS is based.

Both companies' boards have approved the deal, which they expect to close in the first half of 2013, assuming regulators allow it to go through.

"The T-Mobile and MetroPCS brands are a great strategic fit," René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, said in a prepared statement. "We are committed to creating a sustainable and financially viable national challenger in the U.S., and we believe this combination helps us deliver on that commitment."

The merger is between the nation's fourth- and sixth-largest wireless carriers by revenue, but T-Mobile will not move any farther ahead in the list of largest U.S. cell phone companies. The combined company will still be smaller than third-place Sprint (S, Fortune 500) both in terms of sales and number of subscribers.

T-Mobile accepted AT&T's $36 billion buyout offer last year, but that deal was scuttled by U.S. regulators. 

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Touted heavily at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, ultrabook sales haven't lived up to expectations.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- One year ago, skinny, sleek ultrabooks were being hailed as the great savior of the struggling PC business. The white knight hasn't arrived yet. Ultrabook sales so far have sorely disappointed, and one research firm is slashing its 2012 forecast by more than half.

IHS iSuppli laid out a stark view of the field in a report it cheekily titled "Dude, You're Not Getting an Ultrabook." The research firm now expects about 10.3 million ultrabooks to ship worldwide in 2012. Earlier this year, its prediction was 22 million.

There are two key reasons for lackluster sales of the super-thin and super-fast notebooks, according to IHS iSuppli: "nebulous marketing and unappealing price."

The company also took a shot atIntel (INTC, Fortune 500), the creator of the "ultrabook" category, for its too-strict standards. The company's "increasingly stringent set of definitions" mean that some computers that were once called ultrabooks are now called "ultrathins" -- a new, unfamiliar bit of jargon in a field that already isn't doing well marketing to consumers.

"So far, the PC industry has failed to create the kind of buzz and excitement among consumers that is required to propel ultrabooks into the mainstream," Craig Stice, IHS's senior principal analyst for computer platforms, wrote in the report.

That's even more of a problem considering the marketing blitz around tablets and smartphones. A long list of companies have released shiny new tablets or phones recently: Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500), Amazon(AMZN, Fortune 500), Nokia (NOK), Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) and more.

The report also criticized the $1,000 price point for most ultrabooks, saying that a cut to $600-$700 could spur sales in 2013.

Intel has a lot to lose if ultrabooks don't take off. Consumer demand for PCs continues to slump, particularly in the United States, Canada and Europe. Intel heavily hyped ultrabooks, a word it trademarked, at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, and predicted that ultrabooks would account for 40% of all consumer notebook sales by the end of 2012.

Despite the slashed sales forecast, the ultrabook field still has a few bright spots. Intel is releasing a new microprocessor called Haswell in mid-2013.Microsoft's (MSFT, Fortune 500) new Windows 8 operating system, due out later this month, could be another sales catalyst. It runs on both traditional PCs and tablets and will appear on ultrabooks from companies including Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Fortune 500) and Dell (DELL,Fortune 500).

Those moves could help ultrabooks pull out of their slump next year, IHS iSuppli said in its report, especially if pricing and marketing improve. The company predicted that ultrabook shipments will rise by more than 300% next year and continue growing to 95 million units by 2016. 

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Here's how social boosts the bottom line

At Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, GE's Beth Comstock and NASDAQ Corporate Director Nilofer Merchant advised corporations on how to use social media to innovate -- and boost the bottom line.

By Colleen Leahey

FORTUNE – At a breakfast roundtable Tuesday morning at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, author of 11 Rules for Creating Value in the Social Era Nilofer Merchant kicked off discussion with quite the statement: "Corporate strategy has outlived its usefulness." At her side, General Electric (GE) Chief Marketing Officer Beth Comstock agreed. "The traditional way of corporate strategy is over. [Companies] have to reorient."

Business is social, Comstock claimed. Technology enables companies to connect with customers by creating more collaborative, transparent relationships – but teaching an old dog new tricks isn't easy. "In the beginning, [social innovation] doesn't scale," Comstock warned, citing the difficulty in convincing executives to alter what they've been taught (and put into practice) for the past forty years. "They'll say, 'That's cute,' or 'My kids do that, but it doesn't relate to me."

Merchant chimed in, referring to the oft-taught business definition of marketing: a way to capture value. "It's a bit of a war metaphor – capture," she laughed. "The new [marketing] metaphor is much more relational." Social shouldn't be used as a popularity contest, Comstock added, or "you'll probably lose." Instead, it should be used as a tool that allows collaboration between consumers and companies. "You're giving up a certain amount of control, but getting much more back," Merchant said, adding that every definable problem can be solved by engaging a larger group in the discussion.

MORE: The one thing banking regulators should do now

The admission from a company that it doesn't have all the answers can be tough, Comstock said. But doing so via social yields innovative (and bottom line-boosting) results. GE engages entrepreneurs and experts through competitions, like its Ecoimagination Challenge. "You have to create a platform that invites [innovative ideas]." Merchant nodded her head, saying that companies will see much more engagement if they co-create initiatives and ideas with consumers. "Sharing almost feels unnatural, but it's the best way to have new ideas." A closed fist around data will harm, not help, companies.

Open conversation doesn't mean answering questions via Twitter or Facebook (FB); that no longer "makes a company socially savvy," said Comstock. "Data is out there, and [companies] have to use data to enhance the experience with the customer." Merchant cited website Patients Like Me, which allows friends to share personal medical history and stories to help one another, as an example of a community larger companies can emulate to increase discussion and solve problems (whether they be in health or any other subject).

Though inspiring, the idea of sharing customers' personal information is jolting. But Merchant said hoarding intellectual property is not the answer – it's in the execution of getting a creative use of that IP to market reality quickly. The exchange of IP creates a relationship with the created community – and therefore the brand. Understanding the worry that sharing data can hurt a company's competitive edge, Comstock added: The customer tells you what's valuable. Know your competitive advantage," and build on that.

MORE: How Jessica Alba beats the odds 

McAfee saw a 5% contribution to its bottom line, said Merchant, by creating a network of peer-to-peer customer support. Other accountant customers answer 74% of customer questions at Intuit; the company is peripheral and supporting. These active consumers aren't being paid – they're simply passionate about the brand or subject. "Every company has a mission and we're judged by how transparent we are," Comstock said. "People want to see all sides of you as a brand, not just the good stuff."

By creating an honest dialogue with consumers through social, the brand is strengthened, innovation is sparked, and customer engagement – due to loyalty and interest in the company's mission – can reach profitable highs.________________________________________________________________

Today in Tech: How Facebook is selling access to your data

Also: Zuckerberg visits Russia, Paul Allen weighs in on Windows 8, and Sean Parker talks Airtime.

Facebook sells more access to its members[THE WALL STREET JOURNAL]

To amp up the effectiveness of its ads, Facebook in recent months has begun allowing marketers to target ads at users based on the email address and phone number they list on their profiles, or based on their surfing habits on other sites.

It has also started selling ads that follow Facebook members beyond the confines of the social network.

"Like eating glass": Sean Parker on Airtime's bumpy launch, exec departures and more[ALL THINGS D]

Along with executive turmoil — including the upcoming stepping back of tech lead Eric Feng and Shawn Fanning, Parker's Napster co-founder, who was the CEO and driving force behind Airtime while Parker was focused on Spotify last year — there has also been a very weak launch in getting Airtime off the ground.

Zuckerberg meets with Medvedev in a crucial market [THE NEW YORK TIMES]

Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Medvedev talked about Facebook's role in politics, though only jokingly in reference to its importance in the American presidential campaign, according to Mr. Medvedev's press office.

They also discussed copyright rules and high-tech business. Mr. Zuckerberg gave the Russian leader a T-shirt; the meeting lasted about 20 minutes.

Paul's take on Windows 8 [PAUL ALLEN]

I did encounter some puzzling aspects of Windows 8. The bimodal user experience can introduce confusion, especially when two versions of the same application – such as Internet Explorer – can be opened and run simultaneously. Files can also be opened in either of the two available modes.

Nest unveils its next device [FORTUNE]

Fadell's homage to Apple and Jobs goes beyond theatrics. The new Nest, which replaces the old Nest and still sells for $249, is thinner ("20% thinner," Fadell says), one piece of stainless steel rather than two, has more connectors than the first version, and even has a neater back side. This last bit is a nice nod to the Jobs obsession with the inside of the early Macintosh, the part consumers wouldn't see. The back of a Nest goes up against the wall. Get it?

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Whitman: HP won't buy BlackBerry

CEO Meg Whitman says HP needs a smartphone but she has no interest in buying BlackBerry maker Research In Motion.

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IPhone 5 WiFi bug leads to giant cellular data overages

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Scores of iPhone 5 users hit Apple's support forums over the past week to exchange anecdotal reports on a scary bug: Their phones appeared to be sucking down cellular data even when they were connected to a Wi-Fi network, resulting in big overages as they blew through their monthly data caps.

Apple hasn't publicly commented on how widespread the bug is, but the company confirmed its existence on Sunday when it pushed out a software update aimed at fixing it for customers on Verizon's network.

The software update "resolves an issue in which, under certain circumstances, iPhone 5 may use Verizon cellular data while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network,"Apple wrote in a posting on its support website.

Verizon Wireless customers "will not be charged for any unwarranted cellular data usage," a company spokesman told CNNMoney on Monday. The company declined to comment further on the issue.

It's unclear if carriers beyond Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) are also affected. Some on Apple's discussion board have reported similar problems on AT&T's network.

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) and AT&T (T, Fortune 500) did not reply to requests for comment on the issue. A Sprint (S, Fortune 500)spokeswoman said CNNMoney's call late Friday was the first time the company had heard of the issue.

Sporadic reports of slow, inconsistent and buggy Wi-Fi connectionshave plagued Apple's iOS 6 -- the operating system that powers the iPhone 5 -- since its release 12 days ago, but the cell-data problem adds a nasty new twist to the issue. Carriers are using carrots and sticks to move customers away from unlimited data and toward metered billing plansthat cap customers' data use and charge them for overages. Any bugs in how data use is charged will hit customers hard on their monthly bills.

As one customer on Apple's board put it: "When I first noticed the issue, I actually felt sick."

Two CNNMoney readers said their problems appear to be with the iOS 6 software, not the iPhone hardware -- and they indicated that it's a problem on AT&T's network, too.

Gary Milkis said his daughter's iPhone 4 (which had been upgraded to iOS 6) experienced the data glitch, and that he was forced to shut off cellular data to avoid overage charges. AT&T retroactively increased the data limit for last month to make up for the overage, he said.

Another reader, Frank Passalacqua, said AT&T recently informed him that he had gone over his 200 MB monthly data limit.

"This comes as a shock to me because in the two years I had my plan, I never once went over. The funny thing is, I got this message from them the day after I downloaded iOS 6," he wrote in an email. "I just don't think it's right that I'm being charged an extra $15 for going over when I know for a fact I didn't."

Related story: Apple's biggest apologies

A long trail of iPhone 5 users have posted messages on Apple's website expressing surprise at how quickly they seem to be hitting their caps.

"I somehow managed to burn up 1.8gb of data over 5 days on my iphone 5," user Malc Mitch wrote last week on one Apple discussion board. "This had never happened in my past 4 years of owning an iPhone ... I can't believe I'm about to hit my full months data limit in 6 days when I connected to wifi 75% of the day."

Commenters on many other threads reported similar problems.

"My son's phone used 161 MB of data in one setting while he was in class and on the Wi-Fi network," Apple customer Curtis Sandberg wrote in an email to CNNMoney on Friday. "I'm hoping that Apple will acknowledge and respond to the issue."

Apple has already issued one mea culpa about the iPhone 5. CEO Tim Cook released a public apology on Friday in response to widespread complaints about Apple's new Maps app, which "fell short" of Apple's commitment to "make world-class products," Cook said. 

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