Chromecast First Look; LG G2 Expected in Sept.; Epic Apple Store Tantrum

Topping tech headlines on Thursday was Google's new $35 Chromecast dongle. In PCMag's first look, we found that if you've got an HDTV, a Wi-Fi connection, and a smartphone or laptop, there's simply not a whole lot of reasons for not buying the device.

Consumers seem to be heeding that advice. The dongle is reportedly so popular that Google is no longer offering a promotion that provided three months of free Netflix to Chromecast buyers.

For more from Google, check out our rundown of what's new in Android 4.3.

Meanwhile, a Korean newspaper reported that LG's new G2 smartphone will get a September launch in the U.S., with Verizon among its carrier partners. The paper quoted LG Electronics CFO, David Jung, saying that the as-yet-unveiled device will go on sale in South Korea in early August, followed by North America and Europe in September, before a global rollout by October. LG is expected to reveal its G2 handset during an Aug. 7 event in New York City.

In other news, the latest viral Internet sensation is a Vine clip of a temper tantrum that a woman threw in an Apple Store. Caught on six-second looping video by actress Porscha Coleman, the unidentified woman screams in a high-pitched voice, while banging a stroller with her hand: "I was told by Apple Care that I could walk in the store and get the part!"

Also making headlines Thursday:

• TCL Announces 50-Inch 4K HDTV for $999: TCL has revealed a 4K HDTV available for under $1,000, making it the cheapest 4K screen yet.
• Apple Warns Users in China to Only Use Official Chargers: Apple has posted a guide on the Chinese version of its website, urging users to use only official chargers to juice up their iOS gadgets.
• Buy Drinks With Your Phone Via NFL Player's BarEye App: Your local watering hole might soon get a little more high tech.
• EU, Penguin Reach Deal on E-Book Price Fixing: The European Commission announced a deal with publisher Penguin over e-book price-fixing accusations.
• Cablevision Boosts DVR Cloud Service, Android Support: Cablevision's cloud-based DVR service got a boost this week, with three times more storage than previously offered by the cable provider.
• Lomography Strikes Kickstarter Gold Again with Petzval Lens: Forget Instagram ? Photographers can bling out their SLR camera and take effects-heavy pictures with the reinvented Petzval Lens from Lomography.
• T-Mobile Brings MetroPCS to 15 New Markets: T-Mobile is making good on a promise to expand the number of cities with access to MetroPCS, bringing its prepaid wireless service to 15 new markets.
• GeeksPhone Taking Pre-Orders for Firefox OS Peak+ Smartphone: Spanish smartphone startup GeeksPhone is prepping its third Firefox-based device ? the Peak+, now available for pre-order.
• 5 Hackers Charged in 'Largest Known' U.S. Data Breach Scheme: Five Russian men were indicted in New Jersey for their involvement in what prosecutors are calling the largest-known data breach scheme in U.S. history.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422324,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000992

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