Saturday, May 31, 2014

Friday, May 30, 2014

Backlash over Facebook's 'listening' feature is a problem of trust

An online petition against the feature had 500,000 backers by Friday

Report: Google to announce Android TV platform at Google I/O

Focused on interface and gaming, Google wants to win the living room not with a device, but a platform

Ballin' like Ballmer: 9 other tech luminaries who could buy an NBA team

Steve Ballmer may be in line to snap up the Los Angeles Clippers for a cool $2 billion. But he's not the only tech industry heavyweight with the bankroll and vision to make it big in basketball.

Wearables Right or Wrong? The Samsung Simband is solid tech with a dubious mission

In Episode 3 of his weekly video segment, Jon Phillips digs into Samsung's Simband, Fitbit's market share, and the heartbreaking disappointment of augmented reality smartglasses.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Ballmer wins LA Clippers basketball team for $2 billion

The previous owner was forced to sell the team after allegations of racist remarks

Wearables get the runway treatment at Augmented World fashion show

Not every wearable device has to look as clunky as Google's Glass. A fashion show at the Augmented World Expo in Santa Clara, Calif., this week showed off the glamorous side of wearable tech.

Google Maps 8.1 update for Android brings back terrain view and more

The previously banished terrain view is now back, along with a few other tweaks.

Self-driving cars, medical wristbands, home automation, and oversharing

It's like Johnny Cab without the guy! Google's ride is here, and it's a cute little car. Plus we talk about Samsung's Simband, what an Apple entry into the home-automation market might mean, and Facebook's latest attempt to cut back on the oversharing. With guests Jason Cross and Leah Yamshon.

Help your friend find her lost phone with the latest Android Device Manager update

Google added a "guest mode" that lets other Android users sign in to locate misplaced devices.

Google shows off Android Wear integration for Nest, Google Calendar, more

Tired of waiting for Android Wear devices to hit store shelves? Us too. Check out these notification images in the meantime.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

How augmented reality wants to help you shop

Some companies apply 3D imaging techniques to retail products

Apple officially acquires Beats for $3 billion

After much discussion and many theories, Apple has officially plunked down $3 billion to buy Beats Music and Beats Electronics.

Sense 6 rolling out to Verizon and Sprint HTC One (M7) phones

The latest and greatest version of HTC Sense is now rolling out to both the Verizon and Sprint One (M7)

Lookout's latest feature puts phone thieves on alert

The Theft Alert featured introduced to the Lookout Premium mobile app Wednesday sends an email alert anytime it detects that someone's doing something suspicious with your smartphone.

Asus' audacious PadFone X phone/tablet hybrid priced at $199 subsidized, preorders open June 6

Asus' PadFone line is finally coming to U.S. shores, and AT&T's opening pre-orders on June 6.

Put contact info on your lockscreen in case you lose your phone

This incredibly simple tip could help someone bring your lost Android device back to you.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Nvidia wants to steer its Tegra K1 into driverless cars

Nvidia sees driverless cars as a big opportunity for its new mobile processor

The LG G3 boasts an impressive screen

The 5.5-inch screen, with a 2560 by 1440 pixel resolution, will help set the G3 apart from the competition

Hands-on with the LG G3: Simplicity is key

Or at least, that's what the company wants you think when you glance over at its new 5.5-inch, KitKat-powered Android flagship.

Meet the LG G3, the first U.S. phone with quad-HD display

LG packs top-end specs in a phone aimed at being smarter and simpler.

Spoiler Alert: LG spills all the beans for G3 ahead of launch

We all know the G3 is debuting on Tuesday, but now we pretty much know exactly what to expect.

How to use native screen recording in Android 4.4 - with and without root

Google hasn’t made this awesome feature very easy to find, but we'll show you how.

How Bitcoin can go mainstream

It's a fringe concept at the moment. But bringing the virtual currency to the masses isn't as far-fetched as you might think.

Blumoo review: Control all your home entertainment gear from one app

If it takes you one or two button presses on three separate remotes just to watch a movie, Blumoo is for you.

Monday, May 26, 2014

QuickCoin app lets users send bitcoin through Facebook

This Facebook wallet is designed to be as simple as messaging

How to disable autocorrect on Android

There is nothing wrong with being a sloppy typer.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Friday, May 23, 2014

Samsung has wearables fever and the only prescription is more watchphone

Some executive in South Korea apparently won't rest until his Dick Tracy dream is realized.

Quad-core, $100 HP 7 Plus joins HP's growing army of budget Android tablets

You've seen the $169 Slate 7 and the $89 Intel-based Mesquite. Now meet the $100 7 Plus.

Amazon offering free Fire TV trials to some Prime members

Users can spend 30 days with the set-top before getting charged.

Next generation of gaming consoles could fit in your pocket

Advances in development tools and mobile hardware are making mobile devices a lot more attractive to game makers.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Minor update for T-Mobile Galaxy S5 squashes SMS bug

The update fixes a bug that wouldn't allow GS5 owners to receive SMS or MMS messages.

Nope, ads aren't coming to thermostats, says Nest

Ads might be headed to all kinds of Google-owned products, but not Nest thermostats.

Any.do launches web client that syncs with your mobile app

Because managing your to-do lists is more fun from multiple devices.

5 free Daydream apps that put your charging phone to work

Don't let you phone sit idle while it's charging, make it display useful information.

Wearables Right or Wrong? Epson’s new smartglasses will be a mainstream hit

In Episode 2 of WRoW, Jon Phillips digs into LG's new heart-rate monitor, Google's new Glass chief, and Epson's second-gen smartglasses.

Hands on with LG's HeartRate Earphones, a two-trick wearable that actually works

They play music. They monitor your heart rate. And that's all we ask of them.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Shhh! Secret finally brings its anonymous social network to Android

The interface doesn't deviate from the iOS version, and the secrets are just as gut wrenching.

WWDC, Surface Pro 3, stolen passwords and shared pictures

Getting ready for Apple's developer conference, Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 3, eBay gives away all its passwords to hackers, and the proper role of photo-sharing apps. We've got it all covered, with guests Serenity Caldwell and Brad Chacos.

How Netflix streams movies to your TV

The company operates its content delivery network with 1,000 homegrown, high-density storage systems

Official specifications for LG G3 outed

The continuous leaks of the G3 leave little mystery to LG's flagship smartphone.

Xbox One getting external hard drive support in June

Users will be able to tack on any USB 3.0 drive with at least 256 GB of storage.

SideControl is an app for Android that makes multitasking work on your terms

Set up gestures, make taps fly in and out of nowhere, and add some extra functionality to Android for free.

Moto E review: Redefining the budget smartphone

With a modest set of specifications and even more modest price, does the Moto E hit the sweet spot in the budget phone market?

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Google+ for Android gets a fresh new coat of red paint

The new interface might also be a glimpse at Android UI standards to come.

MacBook Air review: A little faster, a little slower, a little more affordable

The new 2014 MacBook Air offers a small speed increase in processor speed, but it's still a good value. (This review has been updated to include the $1099 11-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of flash storage.)

Google+ bets on photos with new features that do all the work for you

Google’s social network is honing in on its reason for existing: Automatic photo features like the newly launched Stories.

Comcast and Time Warner rank dead last in satisfaction as merger looms

A combined company would probably be even worse, according to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.

Direct-to-Drive attachment saves added to Gmail for Android

Now you don't have to download that attachment to your Android phone! Send it directly to Google Drive instead.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Wearables and design will be big at Google I/O

Best practices around design, specifically for wearables, will be a focus at the developers' show

Netflix dreams of a channel-free future, built on recommendations

The streaming video giant wants to eventually do away with the massive list of things to watch.

Customize your Android lock screen with DashClock

DashClock offers an incredibly flexible lock screen widget to get at-a-glance information from a wide variety of services

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

Google's new Glass boss begins job by asking existential smartglassy questions

Sure, the world's most famous wearable assumes a physical form, but Ivy Ross reminds us that Google is still more interested in what-ifs than blunt, definitive absolutes.

Bill reminders land in Google Now

It can remember where you parked, alert you to in stock items, and now Google Now can remind you when a bill is due.

Halo 5: Guardians announced, coming to Xbox One fall 2015

The Xbox One's first major new Halo game gets a subtitle and a timeframe.

Wearables Right or Wrong: Is now the right time to buy Google Glass?

Welcome to Episode 1 of our new video series. It’s time for honest talk about a hardware revolution that filled with so much promise -- and hype.

Fun + Thunderbolt = Funderbolt!

Thunderbolt is a technology that you can put to practical good use. This article isn't about those practical good uses.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Meet Cider, the platform that puts iOS apps on Android

Columbia University's Cider project aims to bring cross-platform functionality to mobile ecoystems. We talked to one of the students involved in the project.

Google encourages more users to wear Glass in public with new travel apps

Google's smartglasses are indeed useful for an always-ambulatory lifestyle. But will new FourSquare, TripIt and OpenTable apps convince users to wear the polarizing wearable in public?

Skylock prevents theft while letting you share your bike

The smartest bike lock on the block pairs with a smartphone app for security, sharing, and even crash detection.

HTC's One Mini 2 is another smaller phone with lesser specs

HTC strips the cool camera features and more from the smaller version of its flagship phone.

AI system reads novels, then writes music for them

Works are assigned emotional density scores and interpreted in major or minor keys

Flappy Bird will flap again in August, creator says

Add another big title to this summer's blockbuster releases: Flappy Bird is coming back to smartphones.

8 great Android 4.4 features you may have overlooked

Dive into KitKat’s full potential with its less prominent functions.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

How to hook up a USB flash drive to your Android device

Bear in mind you'll have to have a rooted device for this to work.

Personal clouds, tablet skeptics, and cheap phones

We bash at tablet skepticism, puzzle out Apple's potential purchase of Beats, discuss LG's new heart-rate headphones, and wonder about the role super-cheap smartphones can play. With guests Jon Phillips and Blake Stimac.

Report: Samsung gearing up to challenge Google Glass with its own face wearable

Because every major mobile manufacturer must apparently have something "smart" for your face and wrist.

Prep your Android phone to help you during a disaster

Thanks to smartphones and social networks, disaster prep is easier than ever.

The 4G mobile hotspot you can drive: The 2015 Audi A3 is all about data

This car's first-ever 4G LTE data plan spoils everyone. Passengers can stay online, and the driver gets some impressive data services from the MMI infotainment system and Audi connect.

Why the Kinect-less Xbox One signals the death of Microsoft's grand console ambitions

The vision is gone, and Microsoft is left with Frankenstein of a console, pieced together from the putrid remains of an old Xbox 360 carcass and the shining vision-on-a-hill of what the Xbox One was intended to be.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Google Glass once again on sale for all U.S. residents (this time with no time limit)

It's still the Explorer version, and not the final consumer release, but now regular-old U.S. residents can buy Glass again, as long as supplies last.

Hands-on: Motorola goes even lower-end with the adorable Moto E

Motorola's entry-level smartphone that makes us wish we could tolerate barebones performance and features just for its cuteness alone.

Airbnb adds instant booking for sponteneous LA and SF trips

The feature, which will be added to more cities soon, is aimed at simplifying the booking procedure for mobile users.

Up close with Motorola's would-be feature phone slayer, the Moto E

Motorola wants to convince feature phone users to make the leap to smartphones. Does the $129 Moto E offer enough to convince them to do that?