April, 2014

• 1 April

  Ever wear a helmet? Stick this nifty Bluetooth system on it

  

  This Bluetooth headset from UClear turns a helmet into a headquarters. Eric Mack/CNET TAOS SKI VALLEY, N.M. — The best powder on this mountain takes some effort to find. From the parking lot, you’ll need to take two chairlifts, then pop off your skis or board and hike to the top of a gorgeous ridge …

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• 1 April

  Apple in talks to buy Japanese chipmaker, report says

  

  If Apple acquires Renesas SP, it would gain needed expertise in controlling display quality for smartphones. Apple Apple is “looking into” acquiring controlling interest in the unit of a Japan-based chipmaker that makes display-related chips for smartphones, according to Japan’s largest business daily. Apple is eying a unit of Renesas Electronics, according to a Nikkei report that appeared in the …

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• 1 April

  15 tips and tricks for the HTC One M8

  

  Jason Cipriani/CNET Last month HTC launched its latest flagship device, the HTC One M8. The new device features a revamped display, faster processor, more RAM, a wide-angle selfie cam, and two cameras on the back of the device to make depth-of-field pictures a reality on a mobile device. With all of the new hardware, and of course new software, the …

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• 1 April

  Samsung Galaxy S5 on sale early, Gear 2 Neo and Fit too

  

  The Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch. Andrew Hoyle/CNET It begins… After a South Korean phone network defied Samsung and started selling the Galaxy S5 early, rogue retailers in the US are risking the wrath of Samsung and following suit. Meanwhile, the Samsung Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit have hit shops in the UK. The S5 is due out on …

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• 1 April

  Apple says Samsung copied iPhone after suffering ‘crisis of design’

  

  Apple attorney Harold McElhinny presents opening arguments at the patent infringement trial against Samsung. Vicki Behringer SAN JOSE, Calif.–Samsung copied Apple’s iPhone as it tried to figure out how to react and compete with the device, Apple attorneys told a court here Tuesday. Because of that, Samsung should pay Apple about $2 billion in damages, they said. Harold McElhinny, one …

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• 1 April

  Samsung: Apple ‘vastly overstated’ scope of patents

  

  James Martin/CNET SAN JOSE, Calif. — Apple “vastly overstated the scope of its patents” and is asking for an unreasonably high amount of damages, Samsung argued Tuesday during its opening arguments in a court here. “The suggestion seems to be if you’re not asking for billions, you don’t take patents seriously,” Samsung attorney John Quinn said. Almost two years after …

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• 1 April

  4.5

  

  HTC could soon introduce a smaller version of the One M8. CNET HTC could introduce a smaller take on the flagship HTC One M8 as soon as May, reports an anonymous UK retail source. Related Links HTC One M8 review Comparing the HTC One M8 with the HTC One The inside story of the HTC One M8 According to the …

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• 1 April

  Intel to launch $100M China fund for smart devices

  

  Intel Quark chip for wearables. Intel is announcing new products based on Quark and other chips. Intel has launched a $100 million fund in China to accelerate innovation of smart devices, as it seeks to spur development of newfangled products using its chips. Speaking at the Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen on Wednesday, CEO Brian Krzanich announced the establishment of …

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• 1 April

  It must be glove as HTC, Samsung, Toshiba palm off same April Fools’ joke

  

  Smell the Gluuv HTC The power of glove is a curious thing. If you thought there was something familiar about HTC, Samsung and Toshiba’s April Fools’ jokes but couldn’t put your finger it, it’s because those like-minded japesters handed out the same joke. Usually it’s Samsung and Apple accusing each other of copying each other, but somehow these three all …

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• 1 April

  Get an Asus Transformer Book T100 hybrid for $299.99

  

  Part laptop, part tablet, all Windows 8.1. Sarah Tew/CNET When it comes to Windows 8, I’m not sure which laptop form-factor makes more sense: a convertible or a hybrid. The latter offers full separation of keyboard and screen, while the former keeps the two hinged but flexible, allowing for a greater variety of viewing modes. If you’ve tried either one …

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