May, 2014

• 13 May

  Google Glass Explorer program finally opens to public

  

  Get ready for Glass everywhere…maybe. Video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET Good news! Now that Google Glass has become something of a punch line or a pariah, and word is out that the markup on the cost of building each unit could be as high as 1,000 percent, the beta program to test out the wearable …

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• 13 May

  Spotify revamps Windows Phone app, delivers missing features

  

  The new Windows Phone Spotify app. Spotify Streaming-music company Spotify said Tuesday it has totally redesigned its Windows Phone app, overhauling its look and feel to resemble its Android alternative. The app delivers an entirely new design, a first since its launch in 2011. The app now includes easier access to search and playlists, and is a bit more visual …

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• 13 May

  Minuum to bring its gesture

  

  Minuum works with Google Glass. Minuum Minuum is bringing its compact keyboard to your face. The app’s developers have announced support for Google Glass — and a few other wearable devices — in a proof-of-concept video. It promises to make typing on devices with no discernable keypad fast and (more importantly) intuitive. I like Minuum — I said as much …

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• 13 May

  New report echoes Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime June launch date

  

  The Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime is a rumor that refuses to die. Josh Miller/CNET You know that premium version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone that Samsung doesn’t want to talk about? Chances are good that we’ll see it within the next few weeks, or so says a new report (translate) out of Korea. Related Links Samsung to launch Galaxy …

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• 13 May

  Nokia, Motorola hedge smartphone allegiances

  

  The Nokia X — now under Microsoft — has Android inside. Sarah Tew/CNET Many of the leading handset vendors have a hand — or at least a pinky — in both the Android and Windows Phone worlds. A year ago, Motorola and Nokia were the two handset brands with the strongest allegiance to a specific operating system. But times — …

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• 13 May

  Yahoo buys Blink, messaging rival to Snapchat

  

  Richard Nieva/CNET The team behind the mobile app Blink announced in a blog post Tuesday that it has been acquired by Yahoo. The app lets users send texts, pictures, and audio that self-destruct, similar to the popular ephemeral messaging app Snapchat. As a result of the tie up, Blink will shut down the app for both Apple’s iOS and Google’s …

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• 13 May

  How to take a screenshot in Windows Phone 8.1

  

  Jason Cipriani/CNET Taking a screenshot can be of tremendous help when trying to troubleshoot an issue, show off your tile layout, or mock a random post on Facebook. With Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft has made the screenshot process simple and fast. To take a screenshot on a Windows Phone device running 8.1, press the power button and volume-up key at …

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• 13 May

  Motorola Moto G goes 4G, according to Amazon

  

  The hugely popular wallet-friendly Motorola Moto G Andrew Hoyle/CNET Motorola is putting the 4G in Moto G, according to a premature Amazon listing for an LTE version of the popular budget phone. Amazon earlier listed a Moto G Universal LTE smartphone in either black or white, costing $220. Originally spotted by Engadget, the listing has now been pulled, presumably to …

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• 13 May

  Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Droids get KitKat next

  

  It’s a busy time over in Verizon’s neck of the woods as the wireless provider deploys Android 4.4 KitKat updates to a variety of smartphones. According to details posted on the carrier’s support pages and various blogs, at least four models are ready to receive. Related Links Sony inadvertently confirms Xperia Z2 for Verizon HTC One M8 mini reportedly coming …

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• 13 May

  BlackBerry opens up, allows other companies to manage BB10 devices

  

  The BlackBerry Q10 can be managed by multiple companies, giving it a bit more flexibility in the work environment. Sarah Tew/CNET BlackBerry took another step in tearing down its walled garden on Tuesday after announcing that it would let other companies manage its BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Traditionally, company IT departments that wanted to remotely manage their employees’ BlackBerrys needed a …

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