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Showing posts from November, 2014

Lumia phone leaks with a 1020

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For a while, rumors were circulating that Microsoft was working on McLaren -- a successor to the Lumia 1020 with a giant camera and '3D touch' gestures. It was supposedly cancelled, but a listing for a prototype on Chinese auction site Taobao suggests that the device (or something like it) was close to completion. Known only by its internal RM-1052 name, the Windows Phone has a 1020-like camera hump and similar styling cues, but it's made mostly of aluminum. There's only a hint of plastic at the bottom that's presumably meant to improve wireless reception. The mystery phone appears to have superior performance, too, since a software shot points to a 1080p screen instead of the older phone's 720p panel. While the image is bound to whet the appetite of mobile photography fans, it's not absolutely certain that this is McLaren. The camera doesn't appear to have a mechanical shutter, and it looks like there's a conventional LED flash instead of xenon; eit

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Vs. Nokia Lumia 730: Which Is The Better ...

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BY Anne Miller | Nov 30, 2014 12:35 AM EST Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime vs. Nokia Lumia 730: It can be easy to decide which smartphone to buy because we all know that Samsung phones are more popular nowadays. But it doesn't mean that Nokia is far behind. You should also check this one out. Make an informed decision basing on their specs: Like Us on Facebook Both phones are not powered by the latest in system chip but they still make use of Qualcomm Snapdragon, a trusted name when it comes to chipsets. Grand Prime is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 8916 while Nokia Lumia 730 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400. Basing on the label, you can easily say that Grand Prime has the more advanced chipset. In terms of processor, the Samsung phone is packed with quad core, 1200 MHz, ARM Cortex-A53, 64-bit, while the Nokia handset featured quad core, 1200 MHz, ARM Cortex-A7. Both units have the same system memory - 1024 MB RAM - and built-in storage - 8GB. They also allow expansion of stor

Apple Inc. (AAPL) iOS destroys Google Inc (GOOG)'s Android in Mobile Online ...

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The recently released IBM Digital Analytics Online Shopping Data for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday had Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) 's iOS scoring another victory against Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) 's Android. Apple users continued to show more prominently in Online sales data. Mobile Sales For the first time ever, Mobile traffic surpassed the desktop on Thanksgiving Day accounting for 52.1 percent of all online traffic. On Black Friday mobile traffic was 49.6 percent of all online traffic, and increased 25 percent over last year. Mobile sales accounted for 27.9 percent of total online sales, up 28.2 percent year over year. Smartphones Browse, Tablets Buy Tablet users averaged $126.50 per order compared to $107.55 for smartphone users, while tablets drove 16 percent of total online sales compared to 11.8 percent for smart phones. These figures came despite the fact smartphones drove 34.7 percent of all Black Friday online traffic, which was double that of tablets, which accounte

Microsoft Surface Pro 3: Long Term Test Drive Report

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The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with Touch Cover and Surface Pen. One of my most popular posts here on Forbes was an initial quick-hit review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. The first few Microsoft Surface-branded devices were all well-built products that featured quality materials and innovative designs, but consumers didn't take to them very well. Microsoft continues to struggle in the mobile hardware market, but the Surface Pro 3 definitely struck a chord with consumers. The device was thin, light, relatively powerful, and the tweaks made to its form factor, in addition to the usability enhancements made to Windows 8.1, easily made the Surface Pro 3 the most desirable Surface product to date. In my initial look, I gave the Surface Pro 3 high marks for its performance, features, and design. The particular model I looked at fell right in the middle of Microsoft's initial line-up. It was built around an Intel Core i5-4300U processor and had 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid state drive.

Sony Pictures is worried that North Korea hacked its computers

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If you've been intrigued by the hack that took down Sony Pictures' computers, you've probably wondered who the self-proclaimed culprits, the 'Guardians of Peace,' might be. Are they disgruntled employees? Social activists? According to Recode sources, Sony is worried that they're actually North Korean cyberwarriors. The company and its security consultants are 'actively exploring' theories that an outfit in China breached the network on North Korea's behalf. Investigators haven't confirmed anything, but they also haven't ruled out the Korean link so far. Why make the connection? Supposedly, the digital assault may be tied to the Christmas Day release of The Interview, a comedy about an attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The country vowed 'merciless retaliation' over the movie, and a cyberattack on the responsible studio would certainly qualify. With that said, the story doesn't completely line up. The Guardian

Classic Game Boy Titles, Coming to a Smartphone Near You?

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Are your Pokemon Game Boy cartridges long since lost? You may be in luck. On Thursday, Nintendo published a patent via the USPTO that would allow it to 'emulate' mobile game consoles, which could make classic Game Boy games available on smartphones and as part of in-flight entertainment on airplanes. NeoGAF member Rosti first posted the patent, in which Nintendo explains how it would use emulation to revamp its own licensed software, according to AU News. Emulation is when a hardware platform is mimed onto a software application on another kind of hardware. This technique allows versions of games to run on different platforms without requiring the old console, or those pesky unreliable cartridges. Nintendo has submitted patents before, but the most recent would allow emulators to work on more devices, presumably smartphones and tablets. Tech Crunch notes that Nintendo already emulates a handful of its past titles on more contemporary gaming systems, like Wii and Wii U. But the

Sony looks for possible North Korea link in hacking incident: report

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Credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser An entrance gate to Sony Pictures Entertainment at the Sony Pictures lot is pictured in Culver City, California April 14, 2013. The attack occurred a month before Sony Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp, is to release 'The Interview.' The movie is a comedy about two journalists who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June. Representatives of the North Korean mission to the United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. Sony Pictures' computer system went down on Monday. Before screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase 'Hacked By #GOP,' which reportedly stands for Guardians of Peace, the Los Angeles Times said. The hackers also warned they would release 'secrets' stolen from the Sony se

Goal Zero Recalls Battery Packs

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Goal Zero Recalls Battery Packs Washington DC - infoZine - This recall involves Goal Zero's Sherpa brand 50 and 120 rechargeable battery packs (about 10,000 in the U.S. and 110 in Canada) that are used to charge cell phones, tablets, laptops and other devices. The battery packs can be plugged into an A/C wall outlet, a 12 volt car charger or an attachable solar panel for recharging. The lithium ion iron phosphate battery packs are silver and black. Goal Zero and Sherpa 50 or 120 are printed on one side of the battery pack. The serial number is printed on the other side. Serial numbers that start with S/N 11002 or S/N 11102 are included in the recall. Sherpa 50 battery packs with serial numbers starting with S50 are not included in this recall. Goal Zero Sherpa 50 battery pack. Photo courtesy of USCPSC Goal Zero has received one report of a fire and two reports of property damage due to the battery packs overheating. One consumer reported becoming ill after breathing fumes from an o

Apple iOS 8.1.1: Update Not Very Popular With The Users, iPad Mini Works ...

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Apple rolled back the iOS 8.1 replacing it with the iOS 8.1.1. Ever since the iOS 8.1 released in October, there were continuous talks about its problems. Apple brought in the iOS 8.1.1 update with the iPad Mini. Unlike the iOS 7 that was a complete change from the previous edition, iOS 8 didn't bring in a lot of changes to the system operation. It did bring in some new features like Apple Pay and upgraded the camera roll in the Camera app. There were, however, numerous complaints, and Apple kept on updating and fixing the bugs with iOS 8.0.1, followed by the iOS 8.0.2. Apple then rolled out the iOS 8.1 followed by the iOS 8.1.1 to fix the bugs for the previous instalment. There are tech reviews that suggest that the user should read up on the potential problems and errors that might crop up with an update to iOS 8.1.1. However, it is most likely that problems will not arise, but it is better to be aware of them than face them after updating the OS. Ask users before installing the

Twitter Monitors What Apps You Download. Here's How to Opt Out

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Twitter will now be collecting data on what apps are installed in the smartphones of users through a feature known as 'app graph.' Twitter made the announcement on the new feature in the social network's support website. 'To help build a more personal Twitter experience for you, we are collecting and occasionally updating the list of apps installed on your mobile device so we can deliver tailored content that you might be interested in,' Twitter wrote. Twitter adds that the data that app graph collects will only be the list of apps within smartphones. The feature, the company stresses, will not collect any data that is found within the installed apps. Twitter also listed some examples on how it will be utilizing the data acquired from app graph to improve the user experience on the social network. The examples include improving suggestions to users on who to follow based on similar interests, adding content to the timelines of users such as tweets and accounts that

Sony FES Watch has e

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Sony is no stranger to the wearables game, having launched a number of smartwatches in recent years, including the Android Wear-powered SmartWatch 3. Now it looks like Sony is crafting a new kind of watch, but doing so under in secret. The FES Watch is a wearable that's made out of e-paper. Both the watch face and the band feature e-paper, meaning that they can change looks any time. The Wall Street Journal explains that the FES Watch changes depending on the wearer's gesture and that it has 24 different faces that can be selected. Because it's just an e-paper watch with no 'smart' features, the FES Watch is expected to last up to 60 days on a single battery. A division of Sony dubbed 'Fashion Entertainments' has been building the FES Watch, keeping its connection to Sony a secret because the company wanted 'to test the real value of the project' and determine if real demand for it would exist. After going live on Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake,

Nine Things You Can Still Do Only on Android

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The new iPhones reached Indian markets recently and there's definitely a lot to like about them. In many ways iOS is starting to resemble like Android, with like extensions and third-party keyboards, while Android is looking to close the gap on iOS in terms of design with the new Material Design philosophy. Though the two system are starting to resemble each other, Android's famously 'open' ecosystem still gives many more options in terms of the kind of apps that are possible on the platform. Here are a few things you still can't do on iOS devices. 1. Smarten up your home screen One of the big differences between iOS and Android is how customisable the latter is. You can install a launcher that replaces your home screen, and there are a number of different reasons to do this too. An app like Nova Launcher lets you customise almost all the elements of your home screen, such as the size of the grid, the number of icons in the dock, adding widgets to the dock and much

Amazon turns Cyber Monday deals into a week

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Online retail giant Amazon has taken the Cyber Monday bull by the horns, extending it to a week-long extravaganza of deals in the hopes it will encourage shoppers. Hot off the heels of its Black Friday deals, the e-commerce juggernaut has rolled right into what it's calling 'eight days of Cyber Monday.' The new set of discounts and price cuts go into effect on November 29, with Amazon offering promotional deals on any number of products like 3D printers, the Acer Chromebook, the Nest Learning Thermostat and several different models of Sony television set s. The deals will roll on all week, finally coming to an end on Friday December 5. Saturday, November 29 will also see the Amazon Appstore continue the Free App of the Day bundle that it debuted on Black Friday. The bundle has more than $115 in paid games and apps such as Docs To Go Premium, Sonic Jump and Bike Race Pro for free to Android devices. Amazon will also be offering as much as 20 percent off purchases of Amaz

Install Android 4.4.4 KitKat Update On Samsung Galaxy S3; AOSP Custom ROM ...

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Samsung Galaxy S3 owners who are looking forward to an OS update can now install Android 5.0 Lollipop custom ROM. According to GSM Arena's specs list for the smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S3 was released in the market on May 2012 and the latest update currently available for the smartphone is Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Like Us on Facebook It was previously confirmed that the Galaxy S3 will not receive any further updates after the Android 4.4 KitKat. This means that an official Android 5.0 Lollipop update won't be available for the phone. However, because of the genius XDA custom Android developers, it is now possible for Samsung Galaxy S3 owners to experience the latest mobile operating system from Google. Recently, an AOSP or Android Open Source Project custom ROM rolled out for the 2012 flagship smartphone from the South Korean tech giant. According to Android Origin, users who can install Android 5.0 Lollipop update via AOSP ROM are those who have the Exynos variant of the s

How to run Android apps on Windows 8 PCs in 15 easy steps

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Android is currently the world's dominant mobile platform, having more than a billion monthly users according to Google's most recent stats. These users have also downloaded billions of apps from the Google Play Store on their Android smartphones and tablets, which shows Android apps are in high demand everywhere. Those Android fans that want, for some reason, to run Android on their Windows PCs complete with Google Play Store apps can now do so after performing some 15 dead easy steps, as detailed by PhoneArena. FROM EARLIER: Download $130 worth of awesome paid Android apps for free ahead of Black Friday The process involves installing BlueStacks' software on compatible PCs that run either Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 and then configuring the Play Store. Once that's done, users will be able to run Android apps right inside their computers, including graphics-intensive ones. 'Say hello to Asphalt 8 on your Windows PC - this is one of the more gr

Apple vs. Samsung: Patent war reaches key appeals court

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Posted: 11/28/2014 06:54:08 PM PST Updated: 11/28/2014 07:10:08 PM PST Apple had an eventful year in 2011. The first iPad was flying off the shelves, the company unveiled its new iPhone 4S, and founder Steve Jobs died. It also was the year Apple launched its worldwide courtroom blitzkrieg against archrival Samsung, accusing the South Korean tech giant of copying the secret ingredients from the iPhone and iPad for its smartphones and tablets. Now, nearly four years later, that legal offensive is about to hit arguably its most crucial stage. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., will hear arguments Thursday in Samsung's bid to unravel a losing jury verdict and nearly $1 billion in damages for violating Apple's patents -- possibly defining new legal boundaries for powerful tech companies increasingly reliant on the courts to settle feuds over the rights to new innovations. For Apple, a win in the influential appeals court, which reviews patent cases from around the country

Tutorial: Google Play Store and All Apps on Your Windows PC

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Sponsored links, if any, appear in green. Some recent all-in-one PCs (we're thinking the HP Slate 21) came with Android instead of Windows and the truth is Android is not robust enough as a full machine OS. Of course, some laptops come with both Windows and Android, but these hybrids have failed on other levels. If you have ever just wanted to have Android on your current machine, complete with the Google Play Store then you can. Of course, you may already be thinking that this is a daunting task that will require you to have expert levels of computer and mobile know how. That's not the case though and if you follow these easy steps you can be rocking Android on your PC in no time at all. Don't believe us? We followed these steps and it works. The great things is, even the newbie can do this, so let's get started. And some extra good news, this works on Windows XP/Vista/7/ and of course Windows 8. Step 1: Make your way to the Blue Stacks website and hit the download bu

Japanese Xbox boss resigns after two months of dismal sales

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Xbox Japan boss Takashi Sensui has resigned from his position, taking a new role with Microsoft in the US, following the Xbox One's dreadful local launch. The Xbox One launched in Japan in September to much derision from the Internet, thanks to widely-shared photos of empty queues and untouched launch stock. The console has sold through just 38,000 units so far, and is not even managing 1,000 sales per week now. About 23,000 of these sales occurred in the first four days, which was a bad sign even before things slowed down. For comparison's sake, the Wii U and PS4 both made over 300,000 Japanese sales in their first two days. The Xbox One is even tracking behind the Xbox 360, and that console was a notorious failure on the Japanese market. Not much change this generation, then, which is bad news for Xbox One owners who enjoy Japanese games. Good thing the Xbox One is doing okay elsewhere; it might not have the same numbers as the PS4 (yet?) but it recently reached 10 million un

Tutorial: Google Play Store and All Apps on Your Windows PC

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Sponsored links, if any, appear in green. Some recent all-in-one PCs (we're thinking the HP Slate 21) came with Android instead of Windows and the truth is Android is not robust enough as a full machine OS. Of course, some laptops come with both Windows and Android, but these hybrids have failed on other levels. If you have ever just wanted to have Android on your current machine, complete with the Google Play Store then you can. Of course, you may already be thinking that this is a daunting task that will require you to have expert levels of computer and mobile know how. That's not the case though and if you follow these easy steps you can be rocking Android on your PC in no time at all. Don't believe us? We followed these steps and it works. The great things is, even the newbie can do this, so let's get started. And some extra good news, this works on Windows XP/Vista/7/ and of course Windows 8. Step 1: Make your way to the Blue Stacks website and hit the download bu

Google Play Deals Include Nexus 9, Smartwatches

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Big box retailers aren't the only ones offering Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. On the Web, Google has some holiday discounts for Nexus and other devices via Google Play. Now through Dec. 1, buy a Nexus 9 and get a $50 credit toward Google Play content like movies and games. Once the tablet ships, Google will send you an email with the promo code, which must be redeemed by Jan. 31. The Google Chromecast is also $10 off, so you can cast your Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and more from a mobile device or PC to your HDTV for just $25. Discount will be applied at checkout. Meanwhile, the Nest Learning Thermostat gets a $50 price drop to $199. That offer is also available at Best Buy, Amazon, and Target. If you're in the market for a smartwatch, Google Play has some discounts on Android Wear-based devices. The LG G Watch is just $99, a $130 discount. Buyers also get a $50 credit for Google Play content. Buy the $299 rounded LG G Watch R and get a $50 Google Play credit. Buy a $249.99 So

OnePlus, Cyanogen to part ways in India

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OnePlus is set to make their first foray into India soon, an emerging market where many an OEM is staking claim. Since launching (slowly) stateside, OnePlus' One smartphone has enjoyed Cyanogen, an operating system built atop Google's Android. India, however, won't have the same courtesy. When OnePlus launches their device for the Indian market, Cyanogen won't be on it. Cyanogen has instead chosen to go with Micromax, an OEM more familiar to the Indian market. Cyanogen and Micromax also have an exclusive deal. Via their blog post, One Plus had the following to say about the subject: OnePlus and all of our partners, including Cyanogen, have put countless hours of work into making this launch a success. Just last month, on October 7, Cyanogen released the 38R OTA update which included SAR values inside phone settings to comply with Indian regulations. Therefore, it was surprising and disappointing to hear from Cyanogen on November 26 that they had granted exclusive right

5 Apps For Hacking Black Friday And Finding The Best Deals

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(CBS SF) - Long lines and heavy crowds can overwhelm even the savviest of shoppers in a mad dash to find the best deals over the Black Friday weekend. If you prefer a more orderly experience compared to door-mobbing crowds, look no further than your smartphone to help save you a few bucks and keep your sanity. 1. PriceJump: This new comparison app from Savings.com scans over 5,000 retailer webites to give shoppers a snapshot of every available prices. All the searches show the best online price, the best local price (you can set your own radius up to 20 miles), and the best Amazon price. But beware: the app doesn't always factor in shipping and taxes costs. (Free, for iOS devices) 2. SplashShopper: Making a list? This smart list manager great for anytime of the year will help you search for gifts, organize them into different categorie and track prices. The app will also suggest items with estimated prices tailored to fit your budget. For the truly organized, it will also sync wi

iOS 8 Now Running on 60 Percent of Active iOS Devices: Apple

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Apple's iOS 8, the mobile operating system powering iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices, is now running on 60 percent of active iOS devices, according to the latest figures posted by the Cupertino-based firm. The company recently updated its App Store Distribution page to show the OS distribution data of App Store visitors on November 24, split between iOS 8, iOS 7 and earlier iOS versions. The official App Store Distribution page reveals that the majority (60 percent) of active iOS devices are running iOS 8, followed by 35 percent still running iOS 7, and 5 percent still running earlier versions. Notably, the new figures if compared to Apple's last figures published earlier this month show a minor increase in iOS 8 adoption numbers. On November 10, Apple said 56 percent of active iOS devices were running iOS 8, while 40 percent were on iOS 7, and 5 percent on previous versions. The numbers reported by Apple overall definitely show a rise in iOS 8 adoption if compared to the

iOS 8 is installed on 60 percent of iPhones and iPads despite persistent problems

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APPLE HAS REVEALED that iOS 8 is now installed on 60 percent of iPhones and iPads, despite problems persisting with the operating system. Apple's App Store Distribution webpage reveals the new figure, which is up from 52 percent at the end of October. iOS 8's growing adoption has seen iOS 7's share slip. Some 35 percent of iPhones and iPads are still running last year's version, compared with 43 percent towards the end of last month. The number of people running older iOS versions hasn't budged since last month. Apple revealed that five percent of iDevices have yet to move past iOS 6. The figures for iOS 8 will perhaps come as a surprise to many, as people are still complaining of problems with Apple's latest software release, iOS 8.1.1. Many are reporting that iOS 8 has borked their handset's storage. Multiple people told The INQUIRER that their iPhone has been throwing up the message that 'Storage is almost full' since installing the latest softwa

Can Roku TV Compete With The Competition?

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Roku TV has its work cut out for them as comparisons with other like devices are giving consumers a better glimpse into what service is the best. First of all, Roku TV is an USB stick that allows for pulling in streaming television via one's computer. Various networks are available and each device, be it Roku, Chromecast, or Amazon Fire Stick, have options and networks the others might not. Additional issues are uptime, streaming without jerky or cutoff video, options, and content. Although Google was first with the streaming stick thing, Roku TV has caught up in the industry. It's like every big company and its brother has a streaming stick out or on the way. To beat the competition, the companies vie for exclusive content, better streaming service and whatever it takes to get the customers to buy in. These sticks aren't expensive either. They're small, easy to carry and deliver quite a punch if you're into watching the mainstream and selective networks each stick

Sony makes experimental e

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Sony has developed a watch made from e-paper as part of an initiative to experiment with the use of the material for fashion products. The Fes Watch has a minimalist, monochrome design but falls short of the features offered by smartwatches. However, the battery of the e-paper watch could last far longer with an estimated 60 days of use. The device has been described as 'retro and cool' by gadget expert Stuart Miles from Pocket-lint. 'One of my predictions for next year is that fashion is going to play a huge part in shaping the tech industry. 'Having a phone that's big and square is one thing, but if we're actually wearing things, it has to look good.' The watch face and straps have an e-paper display - comparable to the technology used in e-book readers such as Amazon's Kindle. It means the watch can alternate between several different styles of watch face and strap design. Shoes and bow-ties According to the Wall Street Journal, Sony had deliberately

IBM: Thanksgiving Online Sales Up 14%, One

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Black Friday is traditionally thought of as first day of holiday shopping in the U.S., but with more buying options (and promotions) becoming available online, many are now starting their shopping a day earlier, on Thanksgiving. As a bellwether for how e-commerce companies will fare in the busiest buying period of the year, yesterday was a mixed (shopping) bag. Overall sales were up by 14% compared to Thanksgiving 2013. But the average order value was actually down. According to figures from IBM, it was $125.25, versus $132 a year ago. What this indicates is that more people may be shopping online than in years before. But - either because of the bigger impact of the economy; or because purchasing values often decline as we expand out from earlier adopters into later adopters; or a bit of both - on average merchants will be seeing lower value transactions. IBM collects the numbers via its real-time Benchmark analytics dashboard, which tracks sales of some 8,000 global brands and across

Apple's Black Friday sale includes iPhone for the first time

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Apple today launched its annual Black Friday sale and for the first time offered gift cards with the purchase of an iPhone. The sale -- Apple's only everyone-is-eligible one of the year -- provides iTunes gift cards of $50 with the purchase of any new iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S, or with the purchase of an unlocked iPhone 5C. People who buy a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or iMac receive a $100 iTunes gift card, while all iPads -- including the newest iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 -- come with a $50 gift card. Apple also threw in $25 gift cards with the purchase of an iPod Touch or Nano, Apple TV, or Beats headphones or speakers. The gift cards represent 10% of the list price of a 16GB iPad Air 2, 11% of the lowest-priced MacBook Air, and 20% of the cost of a first-generation Wi-Fi iPad Mini. The 'discounts' are less than Apple -- known as a Black Friday skinflint -- has handed out in the past. In 2013, the $150 gift card included with an entry-level 11-in. MacBook Air and

Need An Affordable Laptop for Black Friday? Buy a Chromebook

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Google Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks aren't for everybody. We get that - they don't come with much storage, they don't come with too many functionalities, but if you're a student or a parent of one, Chromebooks can serve a purpose as bare-bones, lightweight laptops that you can buy for less than three hundred dollars. Even without Black Friday pricing taken into account, Chromebooks cost a fraction of what Windows and Mac laptops cost. Consider that many of Apple's MacBook Air thin-and-lights cost over a thousand dollars, and Windows laptops about $500 or thereabouts. But with Black Friday pricing now in force, you can get machines such as Asus' 13.3-inch Chromebook for just $199.99 via Groupon - this is 20 percent off the original price of $250 for a machine that comes with an Intel Celeron processor, 2 GB RAM, and a 16 GB solid-state drive. These specs are anything but sexy, but Chromebooks, reiterating a previous point, are not for everyone. Another benefit t

Virtual Reality Gathered the Biggest Crowd at G

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Virtual reality gathered the biggest crowd at G-Star in Busan, Korea. It seems like the next big thing next to mobile in gaming is virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) software and hardware gathered the most attention from the 200,000 fans and insiders of the game industry attending the G-Star show which ended Monday in Korea. A lot of people focused their attention over to the Oculus Rift booth to try the new prototype called Crescent Bay, and watch demo simulations and play games while sitting on couches. Many of the Korean game studios presenting VR games have also opted for the Oculus Rift VR set. NCSoft Korea showed a trailer of a 3D third person shooter called 'Project Hon.' Hanyoung Engineering, also using the Oculus Rift, showed its new 4D movie theatre seats and hang gliders. Brendan Iribe, CEO of Oculus Rift said the company is creating an input device to enhance the VR set. Brendan said the VR vision is only half of the big picture. He believes the other half is int

Got an iPhone 6? Chances are your iPad is collecting dust

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Summary: iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners shelve their iPads for content consumption as growth in tablet shipments flatlines. If you've got an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, you may be falling out of love with your iPad. Image: CNET Besides cheap Android tablets and slower replacement cycles, another threat to the iPad's future is the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners have pretty much ditched their iPads, according to stats released by read-it-later app Pocket. The company said it wanted to explore the impact screen size had on when and where people viewed content and used the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to measure it. According to the company, iPhone 5 and 5s owners consumed 55 percent of content on their iPhone and 45 percent on an iPad. iPhone 6 owner consumed 72 percent of content through the handset, and 28 percent via their iPad. iPad consumption dropped to 20 percent for iPhone 6 Plus owners. In some ways, the results are not that surprisi

Three UK owner considers fighting BT to buy EE or O2

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It's no secret that BT is eyeing a return to the mobile market, by way of either EE or O2, but its movement may have come at a cost. According to Reuters, BT's intentions have caught of attention of Hutchison Whampoa, owner of the UK's fourth biggest operator Three (and actually once owned Orange), which is now said to be readying a bid for one of the two mobile providers. BT will reportedly decide its course of action in the coming weeks, which could prompt rival bids from Chinese company. While it's likely these potential deals would require approval from both UK and European regulators, O2 is currently seen as the less complicated option. EE is Britain's biggest carrier, allowing it to command a higher price than its rival. However, its size could prove to be a problem as watchdogs would seek to block anti-competitive acquisitions. O2 doesn't have that problem; it doesn't own nearly as much spectrum as its rivals and after it sold off its broadband busine

New Nintendo 3DS XL review: 3D done right

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The New Nintendo 3DS consoles are refinements of the four-year-old 3DS hardware. The Nintendo 3DS family of handhelds already has plenty of members. There's the original, pocket-sized 3DS, the big brother 3DS XL, and younger sibling 2DS. Now Nintendo has introduced the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL, systems that - rather than revolutionising the form factor or adding new gimmicks - refine and update the systems in several subtle ways. Turning on the New XL, the most noticeable upgrade is to the technology used to produce the glasses-free 3D effect. The New 3DS XL features a second stick about the face buttons, a hint of colour and a refined layout. While previously any movement of your head or the system would cause uncomfortable blurring or a complete loss of the effect, the new tech uses facial recognition to constantly adjust the alignment of the images to follow your eyes. The result is a much more comfortable 3D effect that works effortlessly, provided you're no