Zach Epstein

@zacharye zach@bgr.com +Zach Epstein

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than a decade, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. As a writer, Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications and he was recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Zach is now Executive Editor at BGR, where he guides the editorial team and contributes reports and analyses with an unbiased viewpoint and a widely respected voice.

Entertainment
February 27, 2015
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House Of Cards Season 3

Watch House of Cards season 3 on Netflix right now

By on February 27, 2015 at 7:00 PM.

Watch House of Cards season 3 on Netflix right now

Netflix’s critically acclaimed series House of Cards is significant for a number of reasons. The show itself is a fan favorite that has won awards and been touted as the first Netflix show to truly rival productions from top networks like HBO. Beyond that, however, House of Cards was Netflix’s first big-budget self-produced show, and it let the world know that the company wasn’t just going to be a portal for dusty old movies and stale TV shows — it was going to be a major digital network.

And now, the hotly anticipated third season of House of Cards is finally here. More →

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Apps & Software
February 27, 2015
by
Android Battery Drain

These are the apps that are killing your phone’s battery life

By on February 27, 2015 at 1:14 PM.

These are the apps that are killing your phone’s battery life

Smartphone battery technology simply cannot keep up with the rate at which other smartphone tech is improving. Some new components are being designed to help extend handset battery life, but it’s not easy to compensate for the newer high-resolution screens vendors are now using.

To compound matters, some of the most popular apps in the world are terrible when it comes to power efficiency, and now they have been named and shamed in a new study from AVG. More →

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Apps & Software
February 27, 2015
by
Featured
Best Free iPhone Apps

8 awesome paid iPhone apps that are free for a limited time

By on February 27, 2015 at 10:41 AM.

8 awesome paid iPhone apps that are free for a limited time

This has been another great week packed full of paid iPhone and iPad apps that were on sale for free. A few from Thursday’s post are still free downloads if you hurry, and now we have a fresh new list for you to enjoy on Friday. Today we have eight nifty paid iOS apps for you, and each and every one of them is on sale for free right now.

As always though, these sales could be over before you know it. More →

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Accessories
February 27, 2015
by
Apple Virtual Reality Headset

And now, it’s Apple’s turn to copy Samsung

By on February 27, 2015 at 10:20 AM.

And now, it’s Apple’s turn to copy Samsung

The Gear VR is probably the greatest thing Samsung has created in a long time. The simple but well-made virtual reality headset blows minds young and old. I have personally shown it to a number of people, and so far I have yet to come across anyone whose jaw didn’t drop. It’s awesome.

And it looks like Samsung’s biggest competitor may be getting ready to launch a rival device. More →

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Mobile
February 27, 2015
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Galaxy S6 Vs. iPhone 6

This can’t be real: Leaked Galaxy S6 earbuds look like blatant Apple EarPod ripoffs

By on February 27, 2015 at 9:30 AM.

This can’t be real: Leaked Galaxy S6 earbuds look like blatant Apple EarPod ripoffs

It’s still much too soon to pass any final judgements and call Samsung’s upcoming new Galaxy S6 handset an iPhone ripoff. Yes, some of the evidence thus far has been fairly damning — this leaked Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6 photo comparison lets you be the judge — but everything is just a rumor until Samsung makes it official during its press conference on Sunday.

After plenty of evidence has piled up to suggest that Samsung took some pretty obvious inspiration from Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 6, a new leak suggests that Samsung’s tendency to borrow from Apple may have just crossed over from flattering to just plain sad. More →

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Entertainment
February 26, 2015
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What's Inside A Magic 8 Ball

Mystery solved: This is what’s inside a Magic 8 Ball

By on February 26, 2015 at 3:20 PM.

Mystery solved: This is what’s inside a Magic 8 Ball

The “Magic 8 Ball” is a perfect example of a toy that has survived generation after generation thanks in large part to its simplicity. Ask a question, give the 8 Ball a shake, and mystic beings will break through from other realms to give you your answer. And of course, if you don’t like that answer, just give the toy another shake.

Not even the Magic 8 Ball’s inventor likely thought that such an inexpensive little novelty toy would have become so popular throughout the years. Even today though, the Magic 8 Ball is Amazon’s No. 1 best-selling item in the “Toy Activity & Play Balls” category. And at $8.00, it’s certainly affordable.

But the real mystery surrounding the toy is this: What’s inside a Magic 8 Ball? More →

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Apps & Software
February 26, 2015
by
Android Apps Search

Did Google just ruin the Android app store?

By on February 26, 2015 at 1:20 PM.

Did Google just ruin the Android app store?

Apple’s iOS App Store is an interesting place. It houses more than 1.3 million apps that combine to make up the best mobile app ecosystem on the planet. It also features what may very well be the absolute worst search technology on the planet. Finding good apps using the App Store’s in-built search function is next to impossible, which is a big part of the reason we spend so much time here at BGR sharing great iPhone apps with our readers.

The Google Play app store for Android is a different story… for now, at least. More →

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Apps & Software
February 26, 2015
by
Featured
iPhone Apps Free

7 awesome paid iPhone apps you can download for free right now

By on February 26, 2015 at 11:45 AM.

7 awesome paid iPhone apps you can download for free right now

After giving you our biggest list of the week on Wednesday, we’re back with another great list of paid iPhone and iPad apps that are currently on sale for free. There are still a few nice apps available for free in yesterday’s list if you hurry, but today we have a fresh new batch of sales for you to enjoy.

Just remember, these great deals could end at any time so be sure to get a move on if you want to take advantage of them! More →

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Apps & Software
February 26, 2015
by
Featured
Best Free Android Apps

Download 145 paid Android apps for free from Amazon for a limited time

By on February 26, 2015 at 10:45 AM.

Download 145 paid Android apps for free from Amazon for a limited time

Here at BGR, we cover paid iPhone and iPad apps that go on sale for free all the time. Why? It’s simple: we love sharing great deals with our readers and iOS apps go on sale all the time. Unfortunately, the same just isn’t true of Android apps. Big Android app sales are sadly few and far between, but we always try to cover them when they do come around.

And you might have guessed, a huge sale on Android apps has just popped up and it’s definitely worthy of your attention. More →

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Mobile
February 26, 2015
by
Featured
Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6

Is the Galaxy S6 really an iPhone ripoff? Leaked comparison photo lets you be the judge

By on February 26, 2015 at 9:55 AM.

Is the Galaxy S6 really an iPhone ripoff? Leaked comparison photo lets you be the judge

Samsung has managed to make quite a name for itself over the years — in more ways than one. The company practically came from out of nowhere and skyrocketed to the top of the smartphone market in just a few short years, quickly becoming the No. 1 vendor in the world by shipment volume. Of course, the company borrowed a lot from Apple along the way, and it made a reputation for itself as a copycat as a result.

Companies borrow from each other all the time, of course, but Samsung was probably a bit more blatant about it than it should have been — see this secret 132-page guide to copying the iPhone that Samsung made back in 2010 for an example.

And now, it looks like Samsung might be back to its old tricks with the upcoming new Galaxy S6. More →

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Mobile
February 26, 2015
by
Galaxy S6 Photo

You can make your Android phone (or iPhone) look like a Galaxy S6 right now

By on February 26, 2015 at 7:45 AM.

You can make your Android phone (or iPhone) look like a Galaxy S6 right now

There’s plenty of buzz surrounding recent leaks and rumors suggesting that Samsung’s next-generation flagship phone, the Galaxy S6, is shaping up to be another iPhone copy from the South Korean electronics giant. Nothing is certain until the handset is unveiled this coming Sunday, of course, and if the new S6 is an iPhone copy, we’re not so sure that’s entirely a bad thing.

Speaking of copying, still have some time to wait between when the Galaxy S6 is announced and released, but anxious fans can make their current smartphone look like a Galaxy S6 right now. More →

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Mobile
February 25, 2015
by
Galaxy S6 Photos

These are Samsung’s best Galaxy S6 teasers yet

By on February 25, 2015 at 2:45 PM.

These are Samsung’s best Galaxy S6 teasers yet

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge may very well be the most talked-about Android phones in years ahead of their upcoming debut at the annual Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, Spain. The two Samsung flagship phones for the first half of 2015 are shaping up to be the Samsung phones we’ve been waiting for, with designs and premium materials to match their cutting-edge specs.

Samsung has issued several teasers in the lead-up to next week’s unveiling, but its best one yet was just published on Wednesday. More →

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Internet
February 25, 2015
by
House Explosion Video

Insane video: Dash cam captures NJ house explosion

By on February 25, 2015 at 1:12 PM.

Insane video: Dash cam captures NJ house explosion

Dash-mounted video cameras in police vehicles are extremely important tools for a number of obvious reasons. They also tend to capture crazy footage from time to time, also for obvious reasons — police officers are called upon to respond to situations where danger is imminent.

Sometimes dash cameras catch things that are even crazier than normal for police officers, and that footage often ends up finding its way to the Internet. Such is the case with a massive house explosion that was caught on camera on Tuesday. More →

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