Internet
April 22, 2013
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ISPs warned to ignore Google Fiber at their own peril

ISPs warned to ignore Google Fiber at their own peril

ISPs warned to ignore Google Fiber at their own peril

By about 4 hours ago.

Remember how Time Warner Cable executives tried to claim that American consumers don’t actually want 1Gbps broadband connections? Well, InfoWorld’s Paul Venezia isn’t having any of it and says that ISPs who deny the challenge that Google Fiber represents are whistling past their own graveyards. In particular, Venezia says that he’s surprised that ISPs have kept insisting that ”customers don’t want gigabit Internet,” which he likens to “a lead paint salesman pooh-poohing latex paint because ‘customers don’t want their health.’” More →

 
Internet
April 22, 2013
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Netflix may change policies to prevent customers from sharing accounts

Netflix may change policies to prevent customers from sharing accounts

By about 6 hours ago.

Netflix may change policies to prevent customers from sharing accounts

For a monthly fee of $7.99, Netflix customers have access to a wide variety of TV shows, movies and original content. More often than not, however, users frequently share accounts between family members and friends due to the company’s relaxed policies. Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities believes chief executive Reed Hastings should try to squeeze more profit from his 33.3 million customers by “cracking down on piracy” or even raising prices. The analyst claims that as many as 10 million people are accessing the service without paying, which is ultimately hurting Netflix’s potential revenue. More →

 

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Accessories
April 22, 2013
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Survey shows 20% of North American consumers want an 'iWatch'

Survey shows 19% of North American consumers want an ‘iWatch’

By about 7 hours ago.

Survey shows 19% of North American consumers want an ‘iWatch’

One of the big questions surrounding Apple this year is whether there will be any significant market for its so-called “iWatch” that will reportedly act as a wearable computing accessory that can complement its other mobile devices. PCMag points us to a new survey of North American consumers from ChangeWave Research showing that roughly one in five consumers are either “somewhat” or “very” likely to buy an Apple-branded watch when it’s released. ChangeWave director of operations Andy Golub told PCMag that interest in the still-unconfirmed “smartwatch” is a testament to Apple’s enduring brand strength with consumers and noted that “Apple’s track record of delivering ultra-convenient, easy to use products with a perceived ‘cool factor’ is driving pre-release demand.”

 
mobile
April 22, 2013
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Another bad sign for iPhone sales: LG Display profit sinks

Another bad sign for iPhone sales: LG Display profit misses expectations

By about 8 hours ago.

Another bad sign for iPhone sales: LG Display profit misses expectations

Another day, another key Apple supplier posting disappointing earnings. Per Reuters, iPhone and iPad display supplier LG Display has posted a 74% quarterly drop in earnings, thus adding to worries that “demand for iPhone and iPad screens weakened amid concerns that Apple was losing its luster in the mobile device market.” Apple devices account for roughly 30% of LG Display’s overall revenues, so it’s likely that at least some of LG Display’s drop in earnings can be attributed to substandard iPhone sales. iPhone audio chip supplier Cirrus Logic and iPhone manufacturer Foxconn both recently also posted disappointing earnings that were reportedly at least partially due to lackluster iPhone sales.

 
mobile
April 22, 2013
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Still no Galaxy S4 launch date from Verizon, but sign up page is now live

Still no Galaxy S4 launch date from Verizon, but sign up page is now live

By about 9 hours ago.

Still no Galaxy S4 launch date from Verizon, but sign up page is now live

While AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile subscribers gear up for the Galaxy S4 debut later this week, Verizon Wireless is still nowhere to be found. Customers on the three aforementioned carriers will all be able to buy Samsung’s latest and greatest beginning this week, but the nation’s top wireless carrier has yet to announce any news as far as when its customers might be able to purchase the Galaxy S4. In fact, Verizon hasn’t even shared any launch details for the HTC One either, and it’s already available from other U.S. carriers and in other markets around the world. Despite the troubling trend, Verizon customers can at least sign up on Verizon’s website now to be notified as soon as more info becomes available regarding when the Samsung Galaxy S4 might launch.

 

Reviews

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Internet
April 22, 2013
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Google Now may be coming to the Google homepage

Google Now may be coming to Google’s homepage

By about 10 hours ago.

Google Now may be coming to Google’s homepage

Google’s award-winning intelligent personal assistant Google Now may be heading to the company’s homepage. The unofficial Google Operating System blog recently discovered the new feature mentioned in a series of code. Google Now is currently only available on Android smartphones and tablets running version 4.1 or later, and is rumored to be heading to iOS and Chrome in the near future. Adding Google Now to the company’s homepage will allow the feature to be utilized by billions of people worldwide. The source code suggests that Google Now on the Web will share the same features as on Android, allowing individuals to set a home and work location to show relevant information like weather, traffic conditions and nearby locations. Google could debut the new version of Google Now at its annual I/O Developers Conference on May 15th.

 
Accessories
April 22, 2013
by
Buzzkill for Glass fans: Google headset won't launch until 2014 at the earliest

Buzzkill for Glass fans: Google headset won’t launch until 2014 at the earliest

By about 11 hours ago.

Buzzkill for Glass fans: Google headset won’t launch until 2014 at the earliest

Although gadget fans may be itching to buy a Google Glass headset, it seems that they’ll have to wait a bit longer before they get their chance. The Telegraph reports that Google chairman Eric Schmidt has told the BBC’s Radio 4 that the company expects to offer Glass to the general public in roughly one year’s time, which would give it a release date of early to mid 2014. Glass, which Google has been teasing for the past year as a headset capable of projecting images and data onto users’ eyes, features a 640 x 360 pixel display, 16GB of internal storage, a microUSB port and a 5-megapixel camera capable of shooting 720p video. While Google was originally aiming to release Glass sometime in 2013, it seems that the company has pushed back its launch timeline into at least next year.

 
Legal
April 22, 2013
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HTC can't catch a break: Now faces European injunction for HTC One

HTC can’t catch a break, now faces European injunction for HTC One

By about 12 hours ago.

HTC can’t catch a break, now faces European injunction for HTC One

HTC may have made the world’s best Android phone with the HTC One, but the company has had trouble getting the device to potential customers in a timely manner. In addition to the HTC One’s delayed release date, the device is now facing an injunction granted by a Dutch court to rival manufacturer Nokia, which is alleging that key microphone components used for the HTC One violate an exclusivity deal between Nokia and ST Microelectronics. An unnamed source tells Engadget that “the issue is likely to be a breach of an NDA between Nokia and ST Electronics as the phone maker asserts that the ‘microphone components [were] invented by and manufactured exclusively for Nokia.’” While this sort of case may be irritating for European consumers who are hoping to get their hands on the HTC One, Engadget helpfully notes that at least it isn’t yet another patent dispute.

 
Business
April 22, 2013
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Apple price drop seen as an opportunity for investors

Investors advised to cash in on Apple stock crash, buy shares while they’re cheap

By on April 22, 2013 at 4:10 PM.

Investors advised to cash in on Apple stock crash, buy shares while they’re cheap

Shares of Apple have tumbled more than 35% since reaching an all-time high of $705 last September. Earlier this week, the company’s stock fell below $400 for the first time since 2011 on fears that demand for the iPhone and iPad has begun to slip. Some investors have begun to dump Apple’s stock, however not everyone is abandoning ship just yet. More →

 
mobile
April 22, 2013
by
Samsung Galaxy S4 might feel 'cheap,' but stress tests suggest otherwise

Samsung Galaxy S4 might feel ‘cheap,’ but stress tests suggest otherwise [video]

By on April 22, 2013 at 3:35 PM.

Samsung Galaxy S4 might feel ‘cheap,’ but stress tests suggest otherwise [video]

Though some Samsung phones in recent years have been exceptions to the rule, handsets launched by the world’s top smartphone vendor often have a “cheap” feel to them. Despite their gorgeous premium displays, Samsung devices tend to utilize plastics that feel flimsy and fragile — a regular point of contention among reviewers, though consumers certainly don’t seem to care. As Galaxy S4 units begin to make their way into users’ hands, we’ve seen several hands-on videos pop up and the latest takes one aspect of the smartphone’s construction to task to see if it really is “cheap.” More →

 
mobile
April 22, 2013
by
Angry Apple suppliers call company 'Poison Apple' due to 'hard-to-meet' standards

Angry Apple partners call company ‘Poison Apple’

By on April 22, 2013 at 3:00 PM.

Angry Apple partners call company ‘Poison Apple’

Congratulations, Apple: your supply chain partners are now giving you the same anonymous backbiting treatment that PC OEMs have long delivered to Microsoft. Reuters reports that Apple suppliers have started referring to the company as the “Poison Apple” due to its “hard-to-meet high standards and low price expectations.” Unnamed suppliers have also told Reuters that they’ve grown weary of Apple’s “ever-moving deadlines” and said they are now trying to “reduce their reliance on the company.” Given reports that several key Apple products are facing delays because they’re difficult to produce, it’s not surprising that there’s tension between the company and its suppliers, especially amid reports that several suppliers have taken hits to their earnings over the past quarter due to subpar iPhone demand.

 

Game Changers

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Internet
April 22, 2013
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Google's Eric Schmidt warns about the dark side of the digital revolution

Google chairman Eric Schmidt warns of ‘the dark side of the digital revolution’

By on April 22, 2013 at 2:25 PM.

Google chairman Eric Schmidt warns of ‘the dark side of the digital revolution’

Google chairman and former chief executive Eric Schmidt recently embarked on a highly publicized, and criticized, trip to North Korea. The executive’s visit to one of the world’s most unplugged nations left an everlasting impression on him. Schmidt explained in an article published by The Wall Street Journal that it isn’t possible to have a modern society without access to the Internet, noting that every country, except North Korea, has embraced the Internet in some form. The Internet brings freedom; freedom of speech, freedom of information and in some cases, as we have seen with the Arab Spring, revolution. Schmidt warned, however, that there is also a dark side to the digital revolution. More →

 
mobile
April 22, 2013
by
Rumor
Nexus 5, Motorola X Phone may not debut at Google I/O

Google’s X Phone, Nexus 5 reportedly won’t debut at Google I/O

By on April 22, 2013 at 1:50 PM.

Google’s X Phone, Nexus 5 reportedly won’t debut at Google I/O

Google’s annual I/O Developers Conference is just around the corner and expectations are at an all-time high. In the past, the company has unveiled a number of flagship projects and devices at the event, such as Google Music, Google Now and the Nexus 7 tablet. Earlier rumors have suggested that, among other things, Google would announce a followup to its Nexus 4 smartphone and even the rumored Motorola X Phone at this year’s event, but a new report suggests this may not be the case. More →

 

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