June, 2014

• 20 June

  Long

  

  Brooke Crothers screen capture/Microsoft Microsoft’s Surface Mini, a smaller version of the company’s Surface Pro tablet, has once again surfaced. Only this time, Microsoft has done the leaking. Long-time Microsoft-tracker Paul Thurrott published a tweet on Friday, saying that “there are Surface Mini references all over the Surface Pro 3 User Guide.” CNET subsequently accessed …

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• 20 June

  Hints of June 24 Nokia X2 smartphone surface

  

  Gee, Nokia, what could you be hinting at? Nokia Microsoft could debut its successor to Nokia’s X smartphone as soon as next week, or so we might infer from Nokia’s Conversations blog, still active after the acquisition. Related Links Nokia X review Leaked ‘Android’ Nokia X2 specs hint at Microsoft’s phone future Why the Android-powered Nokia X is great for …

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• 20 June

  iWatch may sport different styles

  

  CNET Update sums up the top stories, yo: Now playing: Watch this: iWatch may sport different styles 2:51 In this episode of Update: Learn about the latest reports on Apple’s smartwatch. The Wall Street Journal says multiple designs are in the works for October. Get ready for a new type of BlackBerry phone. The Passport arrives in September. See if …

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• 20 June

  Bipartisan Wi

  

  John Moore/Getty Images Two US senators want more spectrum made available for Wi-Fi services, and they’ve introduced legislation that would free up underutilized high-frequency spectrum for such uses. On Friday, Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced the Wi-Fi Innovation Act, which would expand the amount of bandwidth available for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. The legislation proposes making 75 …

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• 19 June

  3D phones and tablets we have known (but not loved)

  

  In addition to the 3D display, the Evo 3D has dual 5-megapixel cameras on back to capture 3D photos and video. Sarah Tew/CNET Related stories Amazon launch teaser? It’s CEO’s favorite childhood book Amazon app store library nearly triples Listen to Amazon Prime Music on your mobile Amazon’s Fire Phone isn’t just the e-tailer’s first attempt at cracking the rock-hard …

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• 19 June

  T

  

  CNET Update has a few new faces: Now playing: Watch this: T-Mobile’s new twist: Free music streaming, iPhone test-drives 2:53 In this tech-news roundup: T-Mobile turns to music apps and iPhone test-drives to attract new customers. Learn how the wireless carrier won’t count music streaming against monthly data limits. Skip the networking side of LinkedIn with a new spin-off app …

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• 19 June

  Amazon Fire Phone’s biggest features: New or not?

  

  James Martin/CNET Amazon’s long-rumored Fire Phone finally debuted yesterday, brimming with features of all kinds. Not surprisingly, easy access to Amazon’s existing services is a centerpiece of the handset, but CEO Jeff Bezos eagerly highlighted other features like 3D effects and a camera with image stabilization. Yet while Amazon is new to the smartphone game, are the Fire Phone ‘s …

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• 19 June

  BlackBerry beats earnings expectations thanks to cost

  

  Jason Cipriani/CNET Sales are still shrinking at phone maker BlackBerry, but cost-cutting measures buoyed the company’s earnings for its fiscal first quarter, the company said Thursday. BlackBerry, which has been trying to reinvent itself under new leader John Chen, reported a narrower loss than analysts had expected for the quarter, largely attributed to pruning of expenses. But sales continued to …

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• 19 June

  Surface Pro 3 sales begin Friday, but is it a MacBook Air replacement?

  

  The Century City Los Angeles Microsoft Store’s Surface Pro 3 display. Note the MacBook Air comparisons. Brooke Crothers/CNET Surface Pro 3 sales will finally launch on Friday. But should Microsoft be marketing it as a MacBook Air replacement? Consumers who preordered the Core i5 model (starting at $999) can pick it up at Microsoft stores on Friday. (The entry-level Core …

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• 19 June

  Amazon’s Fire Phone could fuel $2 billion in sales

  

  Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos holds up the Amazon Fire Phone. James Martin/CNET Amber Corbin of Broken Bow, Neb., is a loyal Amazon Prime customer who has been a fan of the company’s devices since the very first Kindle e-reader in 2007. She’s bought hundreds of e-books, raves about Prime’s two-day shipping, and owns several versions of the Kindle Fire tablet. …

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