Jolla Finnish smartphone manufacturer Jolla has successfully taken to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo to seek funding for its new Jolla Tablet. The campaign hit its $380,000 goal in just over two hours of going live. Although the first batch of the 7.9-inch tablets have sold out at a price of $189, a small number of $199 …

Matt Elliott/CNET Google yesterday released its first 64-bit browser for OS X with Chrome 39. (For those scoring at home, specifically it’s version 39.0.2171.65.) In addition to the usual security fixes, the latest version of Chrome promises improved stability and performance over its 32-bit predecessor. Chrome 39 will arrive via automatic updates if you have such things enabled. If not, …

Fluid apps for Gmail, Feedbin and Facebook in an OS X dock. Jason Cipriani/CNET On a computer, the benefit of running an app over launching a full-fledged is two-fold. First, every time open your browser you run the risk of getting distracted and winding up on some random website reading stories evaluating if The Wizard of Oz myths are real. …

Don’t mention the Internet: What would Fawlty Towers proprietor Basil Fawlty think of TripAdvisor? BBC What’s worse than a horrible hotel? A horrible hotel that hits you with a massive fine when you tell the world just how bad it is. A hotel described as a “rotten, stinking hovel” in a review on TripAdvisor has hit the critical couple with …

Samsung and Microsoft are in a bitter battle over patent royalties. Kent German/CNET Samsung had been angling to postpone a lawsuit with Microsoft until after an arbitration hearing in Hong Kong, but those hopes have been dashed. US District Judge Jed Rakoff said in a ruling Tuesday that the lawsuit between Samsung and Microsoft will go on, despite the arbitration, …

Network equipment maker Huawei and Russian network operator MegaFon announced a memorandum of understanding to test 5G networking in 2018. Huawei Fourth-generation networking has only begun its slow global arrival, but Chinese network equipment maker Huawei and Russian carrier MegaFon plan to test a 5G network in 2018. The companies announced the 5G deal Wednesday, saying they plan to build …

Uber passengers request rides with a smartphone app. Uber Car-ride provider Uber is investigating a top executive over allegations that he had a BuzzFeed reporter tracked without her knowledge, a new report claims. Josh Mohrer, Uber’s New York general manager, is accused of tracking reporter Johana Bhuiyan by using a feature known as “God View” that is available to Uber …

A full-length film has been released for the Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset. The film, called “Banshee Chapter,” was designed specifically for the Oculus Rift — making it the first of its kind. The thriller follows a reporter in search of a missing friend who was involved with secret government experiments. Oculus is one of the most high-profile names in a …

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has been asked to explain his company’s policies. Stephen Shankland/CNET Recent reports of Uber’s lack of regard for user privacy has raised the attention of Sen. Al Franken, who has sent a letter to Travis Kalanick that asks the ride-sharing service’s CEO to address the allegations. The Minnesota Democrat, who chairs the Subcommittee On Privacy, Technology, …

James Martin/CNET Xbox is pushing digital purchasing back into the bricks and mortar world with the announcement that Australians can now buy digital redemption codes for games and content through JB Hi-Fi stores. According to Xbox Australia, JB Hi-Fi stores across the country have started stocking redeemable digital codes “for select game add-ons, season passes, consumables and full game downloads …

T-Mobile makes it even cheaper to call Nana back home in Italy. T-Mobile T-Mobile, perhaps getting a jump start on holiday deals, announced Wednesday a pair of options for customers who make calls to international countries. Related Links T-Mobile CFO: We’re not in an all-out price war T-Mobile impresses with Q3 customer growth as competition heats up T-Mobile’s turn to …

TFY This is an update of a post from last year — exactly one year ago to the day, in fact. But this time the mount is universal, able to work with any tablet — not just iPads. Tablets are great for car travel, especially those lucky buggers in the back seat who get to kick back and watch movies …

The Boost Mobile View 5.0. Boost Mobile Boost Mobile is making a strong push into the smartphone space and targeting the budget-conscious youth market with a new device at an aggressive price point — billing its latest smartphone release as the first 5-inch model under AU$100. Targeting younger consumers, the View 5.0 (manufactured by Alcatel OneTouch) is geared towards heavy …

CNET If you like big phones then Huawei has you covered with the Mate 7. The 6-inch Full HD screen sits on top of an octacore processor of Huawei’s own design. The 4,100mAh battery promises 2 full days of use, but the Mate 7 is still just 7.9mm thick and only 185g. And did we mention the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner? …

Now playing: Watch this: Make your own ring light for portraits 2:11 Using a ring light or ring flash helps to produce nice, even light across your subject’s face. It is an ideal tool for portraiture or close-up work because there are no shadows cast from the light. However, a traditional ring light or ring flash can be an expensive …