Facebook’s Slingshot app missed its mark. So did Riff and Rooms. The social-networking giant has quietly curtailed its Creative Labs, the startup-like initiative that encouraged its employees to design innovative and unusual mobile software. Among the first casualties: Slingshot, an ephemeral messaging service that competed with Snapchat, and Rooms, a group messaging service. As of …
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December, 2015
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7 December
More AT&T customers will soon get access to its fastest broadband option
AT&T is dangling an early holiday gift to 38 new cities: the promise of wicked-fast Internet service in the coming year. New cities where AT&T’s GigaPower service will be available include Detroit and Los Angeles. Marguerite Reardon/CNET The Dallas-based telecommunications giant said Monday it plans to expand its GigaPower service, which uses fiber-optic lines to greatly enhance the broadband speed …
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6 December
Amazon Basics vs. Monoprice: Which HDMI cable to buy?
Amazon and Monoprice offer cheaper HDMI cables than any traditional brick-and-mortar store. When it comes to cheap HDMI cables, two companies dominate: Amazon and Monoprice. Both offer well-reviewed cables of multiple lengths, all for far less money than many other brands. Since all HDMI cables perform the same when it comes to video and audio, what’s the better deal? Who’s …
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6 December
Deals on wheels: OnePlus to sell its X smartphone through taxi hailer app
Uber has made hitching a ride off your smartphone a regular thing. Now, OnePlus is turning the tables, using a taxis to sell its smartphones. Ola, an Uber-like service based in India, on Saturday announced a partnership with OnePlus that would see the Chinese manufacturer sell its X smartphone through Ola’s taxis. “Fans wishing to purchase the OnePlus X can …
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6 December
Battleships and battlefields: WWII Museums from around the world
Some of the ships and planes and battlefields of World War II remain to this day, maintained by diligent museum staff around the world. From the USS Missouri battleship in Pearl Harbor, to the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York, to the beaches of Normandy and more, these museums respect and preserve a legacy of service. Here are photo …
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6 December
Verizon rolls out Wi
Verizon will bring Wi-Fi calling this week to some customers with Android smartphones, making it the last major US carrier to offer the wireless network feature. Verizon said Friday it would push out a software update on December 8 that will allow owners of Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to make and receive calls using a Wi-Fi network. The …
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5 December
Beyond basic TV settings
When we talk about TV setup, most of the time we’re just discussing the basics. The first page of the TV settings menu. But most TVs have many more pages of settings. Some of these have a pretty obvious effect on the picture, others are more subtle. So what are the correct settings, or at the very least, what do …
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5 December
VIP at illegal
The right-hand man of Ross Ulbricht — convicted mastermind of Silk Road, the notorious online bazaar for illegal drugs — has been arrested in Thailand, according to law enforcement officials. The US Department of Justice said Friday that Roger Thomas Clark, aka “Variety Jones,” had been apprehended Thursday and is awaiting extradition to the United States. The Justice Department alleges …
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5 December
Music that’ll tickle your ears (reviews)
I regularly hear from readers requesting lists of great-sounding music, so when I find noteworthy efforts I’m happy to share the news. Granted, personal taste plays a role in defining music and sound quality, but I’m sure there are a few gems here that will click with you. What follows is a roundup of the best-sounding albums I’ve played in …
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5 December
The Audiophiliac’s speaker(s) of the year for 2015
For months I knew my Speaker of the Year was going to be the Magnepan .7. Its see-through transparency, awe inspiring soundstage depth, and treble purity are easily competitive with speakers that sell for two or even three times the price. In the US the Magnepan .7 runs $1,395 per pair, in the UK it’s £1,590, in Australia they’re AU$2,590. …
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