The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 bursts forth with a stylish new glass-and-metal design and a matching new design to its stylus, the S Pen. Learning to use this tool in all its glory is one step that’ll help make you a power user of Samsung’s most powerful device. This short video here contains my top …
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August, 2015
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27 August
Apple patent application ups the ante on noise
Enlarge ImageA look at Apple’s wireless headset with untethered earbuds. Apple via USPTO Apple has applied for a patent on bone conduction technology for voice communications, the US Patent and Trademark Office revealed Thursday. Apple’s patent application, filed in February 2014 but not published till Thursday, describes a method of improving voice quality in a wireless headset with untethered earbuds …
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27 August
Former Apple CEO announces new flagship smartphone for the developing world
Obi Worldphone’s new SF1 flagship device. Obi Worldphone Obi Worldphone, founded by former Apple CEO John Sculley, announced on Wednesday two brand new handsets — the SF1 and the SJ1.5. The sub-$250 Android devices look to carry out Obi Worldphone’s mission statement of bringing premium-quality phones to the world’s developing markets (namely Asia, Africa and the Middle East). Sculley described …
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26 August
Amazon reportedly laying off engineers after Fire phone flameout
The Amazon Fire phone did not fair so well. James Martin/CNET Following Amazon’s failed efforts to break into the smartphone space with its Fire handset last year, the company is said to be laying off engineers in the hardware unit responsible for the handset. “Dozens” of engineers have been laid off in recent weeks from within Amazon’s Lab126, the secretive …
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26 August
Drawing the line on acceptable use of cell phones in public
How likely is your cell phone use to offend others? Josh Miller/CNET You generally won’t offend others if you use your cell phone while walking down the sidewalk or on public transportation, but use at the movies or church is definitely out. Those are some of the findings of a new survey by the Pew Research Center on what Americans …
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26 August
Poll: Is 3D TV dead? Do you care?
Courtesy of name.vukki.com When 3D TVs hit the market a few years ago, TV companies predictably said, “3D IS AMAZING, YOU WANT THIS.” We, as TV reviewers, said something between: “Gimmick!” and “It works pretty well, but look at that crosstalk.” Consumers, almost universally, said, “Wait, I still need glasses? Pass.” Most people we know with 3D TVs used the …
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26 August
Use Link Bubble to open links in the background on Android
Link Bubble in action. Nicole Cozma/CNET Some apps can display in-line media (opening links without opening new windows), but this capability isn’t omnipresent across Android. When catching up on one of your feeds, like Twitter, you have to click the link and then wait for it to load in Chrome, then head back to the tweet stream. Link Bubble is …
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26 August
Windows 10 running on 75 million devices, Microsoft says
Windows 10 is settling in. Nate Ralph/CNET Windows 10’s adoption is continuing at a strong pace, according to Microsoft. Within the first 24 hours of Windows 10’s release on July 29, Microsoft said its newest OS was installed on 14 million devices. Two weeks after Windows 10’s launch, 12.6 percent of all unique visitors to ZDNet (roughly one out of …
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26 August
Grim forecast for computer, tablet sales takes a turn for the worse
Hybrid laptops like the Lenovo Yoga line represents the one bright spot in the PC and tablet businesses. James Martin/CNET When was the last time you were excited about a tablet or PC? That’s an enduring question the consumer electronics industry has to grapple with, and the news isn’t getting any better: Research firm IDC on Wednesday forecast that sales …
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26 August
Facebook adds Siri rival to Messenger
Enlarge ImageFacebook hopes its M artificial intelligence technology will attract people to use Messenger even more. Facebook The next time you’re looking for a good burger, why not just ask Facebook? That’s the message behind a new feature for the world’s largest social network that’s being built into its text-like messaging service, Facebook Messenger. The new service, called M, began …
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