A Lego-version of a smartphone? Bring it on. We discuss the notion of a modular smartphone built by Google’s Project Ara and ponder whether this is something people really want. If nothing else, it’s a great way to get us excited about the phone business again. Also, we look at the failure of Acadine, yet …
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May, 2016
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23 May
OnePlus 3 phone goes on sale first via Loop VR headsets
Ready and waiting to order a OnePlus 3 phone? You’ll have to get in line — virtually — behind users of the company’s Loop VR headset. In a blog post Monday, OnePlus announced that it’s giving away 30,000 Loop VR headsets until they run out and that OnePlus 3 orders will start in its VR store — inside its virtual …
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23 May
AT&T simplifies its phone financing plans
AT&T subscribers who pay off their phone on a monthly basis will soon have just two plans to decide between. Dubbed AT&T Next Every Year and AT&T Next, the plans are an attempt to simplify the carrier’s lineup of Next installment plans, which currently include four options and may have confused some consumers. With AT&T Next Every Year, you have …
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23 May
Pulses rise as Fitbit defends accuracy of fitness trackers
A study of Fitbit heart monitors has set pulses racing. The San Francisco wearables company on Monday defended the accuracy of its fitness trackers after a study conducted by researchers at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, found its PurePulse technology didn’t correctly monitor heart rates. The study was commissioned by lawyers representing a group of customers who are suing Fitbit …
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23 May
Buy your ‘X
“X-Men: Apocalypse” arrives in theaters on Thursday, but starting Monday fans can get a jump on the box office by purchasing tickets directly through the Snapchat app. All week long, Snapchatters will see a video ad for the movie in the Discovery section, hidden among the other media brands. Clicking the “Show Now” button at the bottom of the ad …
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23 May
The iPhone 7 might be doubling up on speakers
A new alleged iPhone 7 leak is showing off some new — and unusual — features for Apple’s upcoming flagship phone. Images posted to French tech website Nowherelse.com show off the potential chassis for the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, supposedly taken from a promotional video by an Italian case manufacturer. The chassis boasts an extra pair of speaker grilles along the …
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23 May
Artificial intelligence: Getting as good as the real thing
Just as electricity transformed everything we do, artificial intelligence — think really, really smart machines — will upend industries from retail to finance to transportation. And that will reshape our world and change our lives, said a panel of experts Monday discussing “The State of AI” at the EmTech Digital Conference in San Francisco. The transformation, though, will rest on …
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23 May
The LaCie Chrome desktop drive blends eye
Depending on how you look at it, the LaCie Chrome is either high-end desktop art for the aspirational classes or a triumph of form over function. Maybe it’s both. The eye-catching desktop solid state drive is made from solid chromed zinc and attaches to the base via neodymium magnets. The enclosure is hand assembled aluminium with a mirror finish. It’s …
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23 May
Google Duo: Knock
Google’s upcoming video-chat app, Duo, has a feature that’s been bothering me since it was unveiled days ago. It’s called knock-knock. Knock-knock is a peek-a-boo video preview of the person calling you. It’s like a video doorbell for your conversation. Stuck in a meeting? Oh, that’s my kids waving to me, maybe I should answer. Waiting on line at Starbucks? …
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23 May
This alcohol monitoring wristband just won a $200,000 prize
Soon, you may be able to strap a gadget on your wrist to keep tabs on your alcohol consumption. It’s called the BACtrack Skyn, and it’s not a breathalyzer. You don’t need to bring it up to your mouth. Instead, the gadget uses an electrochemical sensor to measure your sweat — which, when you’re drinking, will typically contain ethanol. Then, …
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