Microsoft’s Surface tablets should have been ‘Nexus’ devices

Microsoft’s Surface tablets should have been ‘Nexus’ devices Microsoft execs have made no secret of their frustration over the years with its hardware OEMs. Every time a Windows PC lost out to a Mac in an ad campaign or review, they cringed and cursed their reliance on hardware partners to showcase what they believed was possible with Windows. Getting left in the dust in the red-hot tablet segment by the iPad seems to have been...

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Samsung produces first 3D NAND, aims to boost densities, drive lower cost per GB

Samsung produces first 3D NAND, aims to boost densities, drive lower cost per GB Samsung has announced the mass production of the first 3D NAND chips — and with them, the beginning of a manufacturing initiative that will push solid-state cost-per-GB ever closer to magnetic storage territory. It’s been over a year since we first previewed the advances from capital equipment manufacturers like Applied Materials. Samsung’s new V-NAND (vertical...

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The future: Upgradeable smartphones

The future: Upgradeable smartphones The consumer electronics market is converging. Where you once had a work computer, a home computer, a game console, a TV, a DVD player, and a mobile phone, in 2013 it is not unusual to simply have a laptop and a smartphone, or perhaps a smartphone and a tablet. This has led many people to believe, including me, that the PC will eventually die out, replaced by smartphones that are infinitely more portable...

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LG G2 announced: 5.2-inch 1080p, first commercial Snapdragon 800 phone (updated live blog)

LG G2 announced: 5.2-inch 1080p, first commercial Snapdragon 800 phone (updated live blog) LG has announced its new flagship phone, the LG G2, running the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 ARM chip. It continues the tradition of big phones and big numbers. However, LG has changed up some of the traditional smartphone design conventions with a rear-facing button that serves multiple functions. In fact, that’s the only button on the phone. LG is taking...

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New Kindle Fire HD vs. Nexus 7: Who will win the 2013 mini tablet war?

New Kindle Fire HD vs. Nexus 7: Who will win the 2013 mini tablet war? It’s now been almost a year since the Kindle Fire HD was released, and as surely as fall follows summer, Amazon is preparing to launch an updated line of tablets to compete against the rejuvenated Nexus 7 and the (assumed) iPad Mini with Retina display. According to “trusted sources,” Amazon will be releasing new versions of the 7- and 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD and the entry-level...

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North Korea’s first smartphone and $200 tablet run Android, are shrouded in mystery

North Korea’s first smartphone and $200 tablet run Android, are shrouded in mystery North Korea is a land of mystery, the details of which only a select few non-North Koreans like Dennis Rodman are familiar with. The nation infamously doesn’t have normal internet access, but its citizens do have access to a nationwide intranet. Now, it appears the supreme leader has graced his disciples with a domestic smartphone and tablet, generous though...

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Who’s Winning ‘Mobile Wars’

Who’s Winning ‘Mobile Wars’ As mobile devices – smartphones and tablets – grow roots ever deeper into our personal and professional lives, publishers may feel forced to choose sides in the various wars and battles raging among Apple and Samsung, iOS and Android, and various other players and platforms. But a leading developer of mobile apps and related technology solutions for publishers sees a way to make peace with the many mobile wars....

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Where is this “Cloud”?

Where is this “Cloud”? I’ve met people that take “data cloud” a little too literal. They believe that information in the cloud lives in a kind of vaporous, ethereal state. This usually comes up in data security discussions, e.g. since everything is hanging around in a big cloud, it is less secure than it being in a terrestrial environment. This comment might inspire some of the biggest eye-rolls in history, but it’s actually worth saying:...

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2014 Ford Fusion hybrid review: Best midsize hybrid in a crowded field

2014 Ford Fusion hybrid review: Best midsize hybrid in a crowded field The Ford Fusion Hybrid nicely balances fuel economy, passenger comfort, and big car technology in a midsize sedan with few compromises. The lithium-ion batteries don’t steal much trunk space and fuel economy is 40 mpg or better. Few midsize cars — hybrid or not — offer lane departure warning, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, and automated parallel parking....

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iPhone fingerprint scanner and randomized keypad would greatly increase security

iPhone fingerprint scanner and randomized keypad would greatly increase security . . . Smartphones and tablets are filled with personal information, and the only barrier between the public and your data is a skimpy four-digit passcode. While enabling complex passwords and limiting the number of entry attempts are your best security bet for the moment, the introduction of fingerprint scanners and randomized keyboards have the potential...

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Element 115: How chemists discovered the newest member of the periodic table

Element 115: How chemists discovered the newest member of the periodic table By AKSHAY PRAKASH Thanks to the work of chemists at Lund University in Sweden, a brand new element has taken a seat at the periodic table: Element 115, or ununpentium (Uup) as it is currently known. Ununpentium (which is sadly just the Latin/Greek for “115,” not a homage to the Intel CPU) is one of the heaviest elements ever created, extremely rare (it probably...

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Apple launches iPhone trade-ins

Apple launches iPhone trade-ins Apple retail stores are accepting customers' old iPhones for credit toward new ones. The company is expected to unveil the latest iterations of the iPhone at an event next month. 83Comments Faceb Apple's New York City Upper West Side retail store. (Credit: Apple) Apple has begun a long-awaited iPhone trade-in program at its retail stores, ahead of an event that is widely expected to include the unveiling of the new iPhone on September 10. Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette told CNET that the program launched...

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Google plunges deeper into smartwatch wars with WIMM

Google plunges deeper into smartwatch wars with WIMM With Samsung on the brink of a big smartwatch reveal, Google confirms that it snapped up smartwatch maker WIMM Labs. . . (Credit: Sarah Tews/CNET) Google, oft rumored to be working on a smartwatch, quietly bought WIMM Labs last year to light a fire under the effort. A Google spokeswoman confirmed to CNET that Google has acquired smartwatch maker WIMM. The...

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Leap Motion’s Struggles Reveal Problems with 3-D Interfaces

Leap Motion’s Struggles Reveal Problems with 3-D Interfaces It may take years for 3-D gesture-control to catch on with consumers and app developers. Wave hello: Leap Motion enables 3-D gesture controls on your computer, but appears to have stagnated since its July launch. Hype surrounding Leap Motion, an $80 3-D gesture-control gadget touted for its exceptional finger-tracking accuracy, reached fever pitch in the weeks before...

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