How long can BlackBerry’s phone business survive? (The 3:59, Ep. 67)

BlackBerry continues to drop the ball. The embattled phone maker reported results Thursday that saw continued declines in its phone business, confirming the sentiment shared by AT&T earlier this month. It may be only a matter of time before BlackBerry scraps the hardware business as it continues its transformation into a business software and services …

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Samsung selling dual

Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and LeEco could soon be offering phones featuring dual cameras, much like the Huawei P9, the Korean Herald reports. What’s more, Samsung Electro Mechanics will be supplying the dual-camera modules to both smartphone makers in July, sources told the publication. “Samsung Electro Mechanics will offer a true dual camera to the market in the second half …

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Internet tunes in to watch giant balloon take an explosive powder

Who doesn’t like watching things blow up? And who doesn’t like watching others make a gigantic mess that you don’t have to clean up? Following their April stunt where employees wrapped hundreds of rubber bands around a watermelon until it exploded in a satisfying juicy mess, BuzzFeed staffers on Thursday staged a similar event. This time, they filled a white …

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Apple plans to retire aging Thunderbolt display

Apple is planning to discontinue sales of its Thunderbolt Display, a well-liked but aging monitor. The monitor, which was introduced in 2011 but never updated, is still available in the Apple store until the inventory runs out. The move leaves Apple without a branded monitor to offer Mac users. “We’re discontinuing the Apple Thunderbolt Display,” Apple said in a statement. …

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The best IFTTT recipes for international travelers

It’s officially summer — aka vacation season. There’s no better way to vacation than with streamlined, barely-there tech. IFTTT, or “IF This, Then That,” is an online automation service that connects apps and services so that certain actions can be set up to automatically trigger other actions. I know that sounds complicated, but it actually makes your life less complicated …

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Google Fiber buys Webpass to speed up broadband deployment in cities

Now playing: Watch this: Google Fiber expands with acquisition of Webpass 1:32 Google Fiber will soon have a new tool in its toolbox to bring ultrafast 1Gbps broadband service to millions of people in cities throughout the US. Webpass could give Google Fiber an expansion boost. Google On Wednesday, Webpass, an internet service provider that uses point-to-point wireless to deliver …

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Facebook brings reaction emojis to 360

You will soon be able to share your feelings about 360-degree videos viewed on Gear VR goggles. Facebook said Wednesday it will begin rolling out support for its Reactions emojis for 360 videos watched on Samsung’s virtual reality goggles. Users will be able to add one of Facebook’s five emoji reactions — such as “like” or “love” — to videos …

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The budget

I didn’t check the price before I opened the 1More Mk801 box. Looking over the sturdy design and admiring the look, then donning the headphones and listening to a few tunes I guessed the Mk801 would sell for $150-$175 (£105 to £122). Then I checked the 1More site and saw they list for $80/£68, sweet! They’re also available from Amazon …

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What if the iPhone were 16 and kinda snotty?

If the iPhone were a person, what would it look like? What about a Samsung Galaxy phone, or even Android software? CNET’s talented summer video intern, Bailey Whitehead, reimagined today’s top phone brands and software as teenage girls hanging out in front of their high school lockers. And ohmigod, it’s like, pretty freaking awesome. Now playing: Watch this: If phones …

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HTC and former chief Peter Chou officially sever ties

Former HTC CEO Peter Chou, who built the Taiwanese company into a notable smartphone brand, has officially exited the company. HTC on Wednesday confirmed that Chou is no longer an advisor to the company and has not been for several months. “HTC can confirm that Peter Chou retired from the company after assuming the chairmanship of Digital Domain in September …

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How long will Google offer updates to your Nexus phone?

All good things must come to an end. That’s true even for smartphone-software updates. Google On Tuesday, Google updated its Nexus handset-support page to detail when certain models of its Nexus smartphones will stop getting software updates. This means that after a particular device is “retired,” Google won’t update it with the latest version of Android, its mobile operating system. …

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​Go inside ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’

Hold on to your lightsabers. Star Wars fans will get a treat this Friday, when the new issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine appears, featuring more details on the latest tale set in a galaxy far, far away: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Entertainment Weekly posted a first look at its “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” magazine cover on …

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How to make your Galaxy S7 feel more like stock Android

While Samsung has spent the last two years toning down the amount of changes it makes to Android with its proprietary TouchWiz interface, it can still be a little too much for some. Whether you love Samsung’s hardware but hate the software, or you simply want a stock Android experience on the S7 or S7 Edge, it only takes a …

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Phone

You don’t have to know the name “Mobile World Congress” to appreciate what the annual blockbuster conference means for anyone who loves phones, tablets, smartphones, and really, anything that has to do with the wireless world. After all, it’s at this trade show each February that Samsung typically unveils its flagship phone, like this year’s Galaxy S7. Starting September 2017, …

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See the original Ghostbusters meet Luke Skywalker as proton flies

Three original Ghostbusters and a Jedi walk into a hotel. It sounds like the setup for a bad joke, but it’s the premise behind a short mashup video that brings the phantasm-fighting world of “Ghostbusters” together with Star Wars. Related stories See ‘Ghostbusters’ director Paul Feig get slimed The clever mix of footage follows proton pack-wearing Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman …

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