On Tuesday Microsoft published a blog post detailing how those interested in helping the company test Cortana, its personal assistant similar to Siri, on an iOS device. Cortana is currently available on Android and of course Windows 10. Those interested in testing Cortana on iOS can sign up by filling out this survey, detailing how …
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November, 2015
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3 November
Microsoft to discontinue Windows 7 and 8.1 next November
Still want to buy a PC that comes with Windows 7 or 8.1 from the get-go? You’ve got less than a year. Updated late October, Microsoft’s “Windows lifecycle fact sheet” shows October 31, 2016, as the “end of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled” for both Windows 7 Professional and Windows 8.1, a change spotted by CNET sister site ZDNet. …
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3 November
Microsoft issues fix for Surface Book, Surface Pro 4 screen flicker
Running into screen flicker woes with your new Surface Book or Surface Pro 4? Microsoft’s latest patch should fix the problem. Some owners of the new Surface devices had been complaining that their screens would flicker. Even those who installed the latest updates, including Microsoft’s October firmware update, said they were seeing the problem. Now the company says it has …
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3 November
Free phone service FreedomPop to offer Wi
Budget phone service FreedomPop will expand its smartphone lineup with a new phone that can use Wi-Fi for mobile voice, text and data. Los Angeles-based FreedomPop is one of a number of companies looking for new ways to offer cheap phone service. T-Mobile, Cablevision and other companies also offer Wi-Fi service and hotspots to help keep costs low and lure …
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3 November
Samsung debuts new media
Samsung is known for its cutting-edge premium Galaxy S line of smartphones, but it’s prepared a different flavour of device for India and China. The South Korean electronics behemoth on Tuesday unveiled its new line of On smartphones via a webcast in India. The 5-inch On5 and 5.5-inch On7 are being marketed as multimedia-focused smartphones sold at the budget prices …
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3 November
How to force restart the new Apple TV
With any device that runs software, be it a smartphone, tablet, or computer, sometimes the easiest way to fix an issue is to restart the device. Apple’s latest set-top box is no different. We’ve already shown you how to force-close problematic apps using a multitasking interface that’s reminiscent of iOS 8. But if you find your Apple TV is suffering …
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3 November
Google makes email smart enough to answer for you
DUBLIN — Google doesn’t presume to know what you’re thinking, but the Internet giant will offer its best guess with a new email feature called “smart reply.” Unveiled Tuesday, the smart-reply feature in the Inbox by Gmail app analyzes the text of incoming email and offers three tailored responses that you can ignore or customize. Smart reply should arrive this …
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3 November
Monitor your Mac with Monity
My MacBook Pro’s battery is living on borrowed time. It has experienced a whopping 1,044 cycles, which puts it over Apple’s maximum cycle count of 1,000 for my early-2011 model. Thanks to the Monity widget, I can monitor my MacBook Pro’s battery cycles along with a boatload of other system information. Monity usually costs $4.99, £3.99, AU$7.99 but is currently …
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3 November
Fund this: Trivoly turns your regular watch into a smartwatch
You know that watch you love? The one that looks cool and never needs winding? Too bad all it does is tell time. You could get a smartwatch, sure, but then you’d have to abandon the watch you really like for one that, maybe, you aren’t so fond of. Kickstarter project Trivoly aims to turn “dumb” watches into smart ones. …
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3 November
How to rename your Apple TV
AirPlay allows Apple TV owners to mirror an iOS device’s display on a TV, or stream videos and photos from an iOS device or Mac to a larger screen with the press of a button. For homes with only one Apple TV, renaming the small black box isn’t a big deal. But for those using more than one Apple TV …
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