Author Archives: Taylor Martin

PhoneDog’s 100 iPad and Tablet Giveaway!

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Remember back when we originally announced that PhoneDog would be giving away 100 iPads and a trip for two to the Super Bowl? Well, some things have changed since then, a lot of things to be correct. There is no longer a Super Bowl prize but you now have the option to win either an Apple iPad, a Samsung Galaxy Tab, or a BlackBerry PlayBook. Cool, huh? Based on feedback from a poll and comments, the giveaway has been relaunched, but don’t worry the same rules apply and if you have already liked PhoneDog on Facebook and filled out your entry form, your entry is still valid. However, you will not know your ticket number. You can re-apply here, but that does not give you an extra entry.

Out of the door you have the option to have 7 entries by liking PhoneDog and all of its network sites on Facebook, listed below:

  1. facebook.com/winfreeprizes
  2. facebook.com/droiddog
  3. facebook.com/todaysiphone
  4. facebook.com/bberrydog
  5. facebook.com/tmonews
  6. facebook.com/onepawbandit

If that isn’t enough for you, you can invite friends by clicking the “Increase your Chances” tab on the entry app. This will allow you to have up to 35 total entries. And no, inviting friends does not lower your odds of winning. In fact, it increases them because you are getting an extra entry into the contest and for every 5000 entries, one more tablet is being given away. So if there are 100,000 entries, 20 lucky winners will win one of the three tablets of their choice. For more information, visit the official page on PhoneDog, here. Get to likin’ folks! You only have until January 17!

RIM posts surprising Q3 2010 results

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While it hasn’t appeared to be a great year for RIM, thanks to the increasingly popular Android and iPhone, it was still a record year for the company. Their US market share is slipping away, and they are definitely scrambling to make the necessary changes, but RIM is actually showing substantial growth. It appears numbers are up almost across the board.

Some of us were worried about RIM and how they would fare amongst the other popular operating systems. While I’m certain they weren’t destined to stay on top forever, they’re still doing well and holding their own. Given some time to rehash some ideas and pull all of the pieces together (TAT, QNX, etc.), they may have the opportunity to surprise everyone once again. They seem to be very good at that.

Here is the official report:

RESEARCH IN MOTION REPORTS THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported record third quarter results for the three months ended November 27, 2010 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP)

Highlights:

Record BlackBerry® smartphone shipments  of 14.2 million grew 40% over the same quarter
last year
Revenue grew 40% over the same quarter last year to $5.5 billion
Q3 Earnings per share of $1.74 were up 58% over the same quarter last year
Cash increased by $446 million to $2.5 billion at the end of the quarter
Q3 Results:
Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2011 was $5.49 billion, up 19% from $4.62 billion in the previous quarter and up 40% from $3.92 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 82% for devices, 15% for service, and 3% for software and other revenue.

During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 14.2 million devices. Approximately 5.1 million net new BlackBerry® subscriber accounts were added in the quarter.  At the end of the quarter, the total BlackBerry subscriber account base was over 55 million.

“We are pleased to report another record quarter with strong growth in shipments of BlackBerry smartphones leading to record revenue, subscriber additions and earnings. RIM’s business continues to grow and diversify as BlackBerry adoption accelerates in markets around the world,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “With strong results and momentum from our recent product introductions, as well as growing excitement from our partners and customers around upcoming smartphone, tablet, software and service offerings, we are setting the stage for continuing success.”

The Company’s net income for the quarter was $911.1 million, or $1.74 per share diluted, compared with net income of $796.7 million, or $1.46 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $628.4 million, or $1.10 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year

The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $2.47 billion as of November 27, 2010, compared to $2.03 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of $446 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in Q3 was approximately $975 million.  Uses of cash included capital expenditures of approximately $300 million, common share repurchases of approximately $133 million, and intangible asset purchases of approximately $45 million.

Q4 Outlook:
Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ending February 26, 2011 is expected to be in the range of $5.5-$5.7 billion.  Gross margin percentage for the fourth quarter is expected to be similar to third quarter levels.  Earnings per share for the fourth quarter are expected to be in the range of $1.74-$1.80 per share diluted.

Update on RIM’s Board of Directors:
RIM announced today that its board of directors has appointed co-Chief Executive Officers Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis as co-chairmen of the board. John Richardson remains as lead independent director of RIM and will continue to facilitate the functioning of the board independently of management. The board believes these appointments, in conjunction with Mr. Richardson serving as lead independent director, represent an appropriate and effective leadership structure for RIM. RIM also announced today that Jim Estill has resigned his position as a director of RIM due to a business conflict. RIM thanks Mr. Estill for his 13 years of service on the board.

Conference Call and Webcast
A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 5 pm ET, December 16, 2010, which can be accessed by dialing 800-814-4859 (North America), 416-644-3414 (outside North America). The replay of the company’s Q3 conference call can be accessed after 7 pm ET, December 16, 2010 until midnight ET, December 30, 2010. It can be accessed by dialing 416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4310313#. The conference call will also appear on the RIM website live at 5 pm ET and will be archived at http://www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.ue.

via: PhoneDog | BGR

RIM’s Playbook is likely to hit shelves in March

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Jive about the upcoming RIM tablet has really slacked off quite a bit over the last month. That could be partially due to us knowing that we won’t be able to get our hands on one until the new year, but we have no clue as to when we will see it beyond that. During the earnings call yesterday, RIM not only showed that they have in fact surpassed some estimates, they hinted at the PlayBook being shipped at the end of Q1 of the next fiscal year, which is March. They also said the expect to see revenue from the PlayBook in Q1 of the company’s fiscal year, which begins in March. That doesn’t really give them a whole lot of time to see numbers on the PlayBook, but revenue is revenue.

March is great and all, but I want my PlayBook now. What about you guys and gals? Can you wait until march to get your paws on the upcoming PlayBook? Will it be worth the wait?

via: PhoneDog | Engadget

New Verizon flyer touts BlackBerry 6

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If you’re a Verizon BlackBerry user patiently awaiting BlackBerry 6, this may interest you quite a bit. A new Verizon BlackBerrry poster has posed for the camera, and it’s BlackBerry 6 talk along with it. Most of us have given BlackBerry 6 a go, and it’s a nice upgrade that’s definitely worth sticking around for. Unfortunately, the poster doesn’t give any dates, so it’s still just a waiting game. The good thing is that with Verizon ad kits hitting brick and mortar stores, the update is surely just around the corner. Hey, maybe Big Red will get into the holiday spirit and give BlackBerry 6 as a Christmas present to us all. Hang tight, and we’ll let you know as more information comes.

via: CrackBerry

RIM files lawsuit against Kik for patent infringement

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Well folks, it doesn’t look like the Kik storm is about to die down. This morning, RIM filed a lawsuit against Kik, the popular cross-platform Instant Messaging client, for patent infringement. RIM pulling an application from App World doesn’t happen everyday. The first time I used Kik, I was using an Android device, and my first thought was, “This feels like BBM, a lot like BBM.”

I have no doubt in my mind that Kik’s ideas were inspired by RIM’s native messaging client, but whether it infringes on any patents will have to be determined by the courts. According to BerryReview, Ted Livingston, CEO of Kik, is a former RIM employee. This gives Livingston ample opportunity to have used RIM’s own technology to power what users have wanted for well over a year now, BBM for all. If he did in fact use RIM’s patented technology, Livingston will get more than a slap on the wrist. The current lawsuit was filed in Canada, but I’m sure we can expect on here in the States in a few days too. You can view the court filing here.

via: BerryReview

Updated BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK released for PlayBook

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With RIM’s very own tablet looming over our heads, taunting us every time we hear more news of it, the hype is bound to grow. RIM wants to keep developers in the loop and have application support rolling by the launch of the PlayBook. If you’re a developer and patiently waiting for the PlayBook from RIM, this is something that might interest you. RIM has released an updated version of the Tablet OS (by QNX) SDK for your developing pleasure. The update added support for 64-bit Windows, Linux, and Adobe®Flash Bulder 4.5. BerryReview also pointed out that there is a note on the Tablet SDK page stating:

Coming soon: support for content and applications using Adobe Flash 10.1 and HTML5 with the BlackBerry PlayBook Simulator with the BlackBerry® Browser.

If you’re interested in downloading the SDK, you can go ahead and grab it here. If you try it out, let us know how it is.

via: BerryReview

Like BBerryDog on Facebook for your chance to win one of 100 iPads!

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You may recall two weeks ago when PhoneDog announced the 100 iPad Big Game Sweepstakes. The Grand Prize winner takes home two tickets to the Super Bowl, round-trip air fair for two, and three nights in Dallas. On top of that, they’re giving away up to 100 iPads, one for every 10,000 entries.

So, how do you enter? You like PhoneDog on Facebook, then click the Sweepstakes button on their Facebook page and fill out the entry form. Presto! You’re entered to win. But wait, there’s more! Last week, DroidDog‘s Facebook page was added to the mix and you could fill out a second entry. This week, Today’s iPhone and yours truly was added on top of that, making third and fourth entries to the sweepstakes. All you have to do is follow the same instructions. Like DroidDog, Today’s iPhone, and BBerryDog on Facebook, and fill out the entry form for each. Count ‘em. That’s four entries so far, and more to come. So stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted as more possible entries are added.

The sweepstakes will run through Jan. 17., which means you have two months to fill out your entries, but don’t wait! Tell your friends about it too. For the full terms and conditions, go here.

PhoneDog’s 100 iPad Big Game Sweepstakes

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Remember a few weeks back when PhoneDog did their first iPad giveaway? Then followed their second giveaway two weeks ago. If you didn’t get in on the fun, or you didn’t win, no fear! PhoneDog’s iPad giveaway is back, and this time it’s huge. PhoneDog is known for giving away phones and other devices through giveaways and the One Pawed Bandit, but this time around it is a 100 iPad Big Game Sweepstakes and here’s how it works:

You have to like PhoneDog on Facebook, then you have to register by filling out an entry form. Once you navigate to the PhoneDog Facebook page, you will see a tab that says, “Enter Sweepstakes.” That tab will take you to the entry form. Once you fill that out, you’re done! It’s as simple as that. Over the next few weeks there will be other pages you can like on Facebook, all with their own entry form. That’s right, you can enter more than once, but only once per page. To show you what I mean, click here and this will be your first “second entry.” One of the main concerns with the previous giveaways was the more people that liked PhoneDog, the lower the odds of winning. That problem no longer exists. For every 10,000 entries, PhoneDog will giveaway one iPad.

You have until January 17th to enter as that’s when the drawing will be announced. The Grand Prize winner will receive two tickets to the 2011 Super Bowl game, two Round-Trip airfares, and three nights hotel stay in Dallas TX. The iPad drawings will begin on the 17th at 8 pm EST through PhoneDog’s live Ustream channel. Ten iPads will be given away the first night, and ten every following night. If there are 1,000,000 entires, ten iPads will be given away every night for ten nights. In any case that I wasn’t 100% clear, the full Terms and Conditions are listed below.

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Poll: Would you buy a Storm 3 with QNX technology?

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It’s no secret that some of us ‘Berry heads around here are growing impatient with the stagnant OS BlackBerry has left us stranded on. I’ll admit, BlackBerry 6 was a nice improvement, but it just doesn’t quite stack up to the competition when it comes to media consumption, applications, and other various features. I still love my BlackBerry, I’m just growing bored. I buy new ones to keep myself occupied, but I don’t really get excited over new BlackBerry models hitting the street. However, the Storm 3 does look nice. If this device hits before years’ end and is running QNX software, I will be on that like a cat on a mouse.

Continue reading →

PhoneDog live iPad giveaway tonight!

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I know we haven’t said much about it this go ’round, but PhoneDog is giving away another iPad. The same rules apply as the last giveaway, but this time a better method to pick the winner will be implemented. So, head on over to the PhoneDog Facebook page and get to likin’. The live giveaway will take place at 7pm EST, you have just under four hours…GO!

The reason behind the winner picking method being changed is when you refresh the Facebook page, the same people tend to hover in the “People Who Like This” section. PhoneDog has since implemented a new randomizer that will definitely pick the winner at random rather than using Facebook’s algorithm. What does all of that mean? It means your odds are higher than before! So head on over to PhoneDog’s Facebook page, like it, and tell your friends!

UK Police force saves £112 million per year thanks to BlackBerry smartphones

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While consumer usage of BlackBerrys is slowing and customer satisfaction isn’t exactly where RIM wants it to be, the UK police forces’ usage of BlackBerry smartphones remains high and satisfaction appears to be quite the same. RIM’s Senior Director of Business Marketing at RIM, Rory O’Neill, told eWeek that one in every six officers in the UK carry BlackBerrys and of the 56 forces around, 44 of them us BlackBerry technology and applications. To me, that is pretty remarkable. Not only do they use their BlackBerrys to make the officers more productive, but many of the officers feel that the BlackBerry is an important tool for them and helps them carry out their duties while mobile.

RIM cited an independent study that showed this project had increased the efficiency of the force: 82 percent of officers thought that the BlackBerry solution assisted them in doing their job and 75 percent said that it would matter to them if the force took away their BlackBerry smartphone. In fact the force experienced a 10 percent increase in the time officers spent patrolling the streets.

The police forces are also looking into utilizing RIM’s upcoming PlayBook to further assist their officers while on the go. The PlayBook comes out-of-box with more security than any other tablet offered, give officers more functionality one the move, and would work well with the BlackBerry handsets the majority of the officers are already carrying. O’Neill also said,

“What is great about the PlayBook is that it is the first high performance tablet and comes with advanced the security features, out-of-the-box, that you associate with the BlackBerry handsets,” said O’Neill. “We are going to be working with all sectors to see how our tablet can work with their solutions.”

It’s great to hear people utilizing BlackBerrys to their greatest potential and prospecting future business with RIM and their future products. How does your BlackBerry help you through the day? Does it help you at work, or is it more of a distraction?

via: CrackBerry

Source: eWeek

Sprint BlackBerry Oxford 9670 (clamshell) launching October 31

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The BlackBerry Oxford 9670 (also referred to as the clamshell and Style) is definitely a piece of hardware that makes a lot of people question RIM and others rejoice. I’ve never been a huge fan of clamshell devices, or anything that flips or slides for that matter, but some people are rejoicing at the fact that RIM is accommodating for those who do enjoy different styles of smartphones, but I digress. The boys over at BGR have been forwarded a slide from a reputable Sprint contact with juicy information on the Oxford.

On October 31st, the Oxford will release in a gray variation at $99.99 with a $100 mail-in rebate. The Oxford sports a 5MP camera, EVDO Rev A, BlackBerry 6, full QWERTY keyboard with trackpad, WiFi and GPS, microSD card slot, and stereo Bluetooth. These specs are on par with all of the other BlackBerry devices launching these days, so we’re not seeing anything especially new here other than a late 90′s form factor. According to the slide, a purple variant is also “coming soon.” What say you folks? Who’s down with a flip smartphone and who plans on getting one on the 31st?

via: BGR

A red BlackBerry Bold 9780 for Rogers found on Craigslist

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If you’re willing to pay a small fortune for a pre-release version of the 9780, here’s your chance! A red Bold 9780 ready for use on Rogers has been spotted on Craigslist and can be yours for a mere $950. It’s very rare to see a pre-release model in color variations, but I suppose it’s perfectly plausible. Like Bla1ze of CrackBerry stated, it could just be aftermarket housing. I know the battery door doesn’t look OEM, but who knows, RIM loves changing battery doors on us. One thing is for sure though, it is a BlackBerry 9780. So, if you feel like coughing up the money for what may not even really be a true red 9780, head on over to Craigslist and email the seller. Also, if you’re here in the states, this one will be shipping out of Vancouver, so you may need to ask about shipping first.

via: CrackBerry

Verizon Wireless holding an ‘interactive launch’ for BlackBerry 6 Oct. 14

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It seems as if the boys over at BGR have done it again. This time around they received word of an “interactive launch” of BlackBerry 6 from Verizon later this week. What does that mean? Nobody really knows at this point, but it does means that Big Red has been diligently working on getting RIM’s latest piece of software out to its customers stat! The word “interactive” leads Andrew of BGR to believe that it will not actually be the launch of the actual software for download by users, but that’s definitely what we’re all hoping for.

Personally, I’m a little confused. Verizon has axed the Storm2 refresh, but the screenshots of BlackBerry 6 on the invitation are of a portrait screen (either Storm series or Torch). The only BlackBerrys on Verizon that are slated to get BlackBerry 6 at this time are the Bold 9650 and the Curve 3G. You would think that the screenshots they put on the flyer would be of the actual software that will be launching, but it’s no secret that the people who design flyers and promotional ads aren’t always on top of things. Anyway, stay tuned pups, and we’ll keep you up-to-date on any additional information the Verizon BlackBerry 6 launch.

via: BGR

UAE and BlackBerry resolve security concerns before deadline

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As you all know, BlackBerry and the United Arab Emirates haven’t exactly been seeing eye to eye for the past few months now. The UAE had concerns of national security due RIM’s BlackBerry data being handled through servers outside of the country. UAE was threatening to cut off BackBerry data services for over 500,000 users if RIM did not comply to their requests. It’s promising to see RIM is willing to work with nations and organizations worldwide to help meet their needs. We all know RIM isn’t exactly the most lenient company, but they’re not exactly in a spot where they can take the blow of losing over 500,000 subscribers. For the full story, hit the source link below.

via: Reuters

Subject line commands in emails, BlackBerry just got nerdy again

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This is actually news to me too, folks. The guys over at BBGeeks just clued us in on a pretty neat trick. There are three commands that you can enter into the subject line within the Compose Email screen on your BlackBerry that will yield some pretty cool results. It’s nothing major, but it does get you in touch with your nerdy side.

<confirm> – If you don’t like your email delivery confirmations being on for every email, you can enter this into the subject of the email to confirm delivery on certain occasions.

<$RemoveOnDelivery> – This one is pretty cool as it will delete the message from your inbox as soon as the delivery is confirmed.

<$SuppressSaveInSentItems> – This one only works on BES, but if you want to keep your sent items folder neat and trim, throw this in the subject line and presto!

I know it doesn’t seem like much, but little easter eggs throughout the OS always spice it up a little bit. Do you guys know of any more? If so, let us know! I’m always looking for more!

via: BBGeeks

BlackBerry 6 Universal Search about to get voice activated

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One of the most highlighted features in RIM’s new BlackBerry 6 is the Universal Search, and rightly so. At DevCon last week, some word was dropped about voice input being added to Universal Search.  Personally, this is no huge improvement as talking to technology never gets me very far. My voice is apparently incompatible with voice input. Regardless, I know voice search is a big thing for a lot of people. Coming from TechRadar:

At the BlackBerry developer conference last week, RIM announced even more search features. “With BlackBerry 6, I never look for the icons anymore,” RIM technical product manager Bhavuk Kaul said; “I just search for the name of the app.”

With a future update to BlackBerry 6, you won’t even need to search. Kaul said RIM would be adding voice input to Universal Search, so you’ll be able to tell your BlackBerry what you’re looking for. Voice search will be an extra search provider, and it will be an API that other apps can use.

Kaul is definitely en pointe, having Universal Search is definitely nice when launching an application. Slide, type, launch. It’s quick, easy, and extremely convenient. This seems to be the beginning of RIM trying to level the playing field with iOS and Android. Not that something as simple as voice search will do that, but it’s a step in the right directions. Baby steps, RIM. They have always focused on the little things that make you faster with your device, and it appears that RIM is trying not to deviate too far away from the original game plan.

What say you folks? Is voice activated universal search going to be a big feature for you? Will you use it often? Sound off below.

via: BBLeaks

Source: TechRadar

PlayBook having technical difficulties, will not arrive before next year

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One thing us ‘Berryheads have been long awaiting with bated breath is official word of the BlackBerry tablet. We got what we wanted last week with the announcement of the PlayBook, but the only true effect that had was make us all foam at the mouths and struggle to stay in our seats. Now that RIM has our undivided attention and has restored our waning faith, an unwanted tidbit of information has made it to our impatient hands. Ashok Kumar, a Rodman & Renshaw analyst, says that RIM has cancelled plans for a 2010 BlackBerry PlayBook launch due to “technical issues.” According to word from Barron’s:

In a research note, Kumar contends the company’s new QNX Neutrino software platform “was not ready for prime time.” He also says that the Marvell Armada 610 applicationprocessor the company had planned to use was “bug ridden.” Kumar says the company has “jettisoned” Marvell from the PlayBook in favor of a processor from Texas Instruments.

One thing we have all learned over the past year is that this modern technology market is fast paced and doesn’t slow down for stragglers. I want RIM to succeed with the PlayBook, and I would rather them release it right and not botch another device release (Storm). However, they were already going to be slow to the market by launching at the end of this year, “early” next year may be too late. Let’s hope by early they mean a January or February release, we know how RIM loves to use the term “early” when it comes to setbacks.

via: RIMarkable

Mysterious hidden image BBM avatars appearing in your friends list?

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This isn’t the first time we’ve found some easter eggs in RIM’s favorite, BBM. But this is a first that the easter eggs weren’t supplied by RIM itself. The new Avatars that have been popping up left and right are downright cool. Nobody really seems to know the true source of these, but each avatar looks basic and plain when unselected. When highlighted, a hidden image is revealed, one that turns your avatar from drab to potentially epic with anything from Superman to Zorro. To get your very own hidden image avatar, hit the source link and head on over to the CrackBerry forums.

Image courtesy of Ben Pike

via: BerryReview

Source: CrackBerry Forums

RSVP to PhoneDog’s iPad giveaway!

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As you all should know, today is the day of the PhoneDog iPad giveaway! We would like for anyone that will be tuning in for the live giveaway to RSVP here. The RSVP is not a requirement, but we would love to have anyone and everyone tune in for the giveaway! The rules are simple, like PhoneDog on Facebook and you are entered to win and Apple iPad. You have until 8 PM ET tonight to like the page and enter yourself into the giveaway. I would also like to add that this contest is not limited to our United States fans, International pups are welcome too. If you plan on tuning in, go here, http://bit.ly/PhoneDogLive, at 8 PM ET (5 PM PT). Noah will be live video chatting with everyone, and at 8 PM he will refresh the PhoneDog Facebook page. Whoever is in the #1 spot in the “People Who Like This” box will be the winner. More giveaways will be announced during the live broadcast today as well, so be sure to tune in! Good luck to you all and get to likin’!

To view the full terms and conditions of the giveaway, click here.