Tech Buzz

Yahoo Picks Up Speed With Alike Acquisition
February 14, 2013

In case investors have any doubts that Yahoo sees its future in mobile, events of the past few days should dispel them once and for all. News surfaced Tuesday that Yahoo has acquired Alike, a mobile app that guides users to find nearby venues and places to visit. Also on Tuesday, CEO Marissa Mayer sketched out her vision for Yahoo at an investors conference hosted by Goldman Sachs.

Musk Zaps NYT Over Tesla Model S Review
February 13, 2013

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has blasted The New York Times' negative review of the company's Model S electric sedan, which claims the vehicle ran out of electricity well before it was supposed to. "He alleged that our report was a 'fake,' and we responded yesterday by saying that was false," said New York Times spokesperson Eileen Murphy.

Telling the Time May Be Apple's Next Big Thing
February 12, 2013

Apple is reportedly developing a smart watch made of flexible curved glass that will do more than just tell time. The device would run on iOS, but beyond that it's unknown what an Apple smart watch would be able to do -- for example, which apps would be accessible, whether it would receive notifications, or if it could support Siri or GPS functionality.

Big Google Cashout Plan Has Analysts Picking Schmidt's Brain
February 11, 2013

Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt might sell as much as 42 percent of his shares in the tech giant, according to an SEC filing. At the stock's current price of around $785 per share, the sale could yield about $2.5 billion for Schmidt. He currently owns about 7.6 million shares of Class A and Class B common stock.

Dell Goes Private - Should Apple Follow?
February 11, 2013

I'm not asking the question, "Could Apple follow?" because the amount of cash that would need to be raised would be mind-boggling. Most thought that taking Dell private was impossible, and once you get past "impossible," degree doesn't make that much difference. With Apple stock down sharply, the opportunity may increase to eliminate the impossible part.

HP Looks to Limit Student Labor in China
February 08, 2013

HP, one of the top three PC manufacturers, announced Friday that it had directed suppliers in China to limit their use of student labor. The move comes amid growing concerns in the tech community about working conditions in overseas factories. The announcement also follows recent efforts by Apple to address problematic labor practices in China.

Nearly a Million iOS Apps and Discovery Still Sucks
February 07, 2013

There are well over 800,000 iOS apps in the App Store, 300,000 of which are native to the iPad, and I'm constantly surprised and irritated at Apple's inability to help its customers discover great apps. Of course, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm the only one who actively goes into Apple's various App Store points of entry -- iTunes, iPad and iPhone -- only to walk away without downloading anything.

Apple Going After Alleged iOS Abuser
February 04, 2013

Apple reportedly has launched an investigation into Qihoo, a giant Chinese software company and search engine, based on concerns the app maker is violating terms of service. Apple is also concerned that Qihoo is encouraging jailbreaking iPhones by delivering apps as single file downloads compatible with unlocked Apple products.

Alicia Keys: The Next Steve Jobs?
February 04, 2013

What folks who haven't read any of the early Steve Jobs biographies don't know is that Steve Jobs -- at least, the way he was seen in public -- wasn't any more real than Ronald McDonald. He was a creation of Apple's advertising agency that successfully reformed Steve into the near-superhuman person we saw on stage.

CEA Bashes CBS as It Shows Cnet the Door
February 01, 2013

The Consumer Electronics Association had its say Thursday in a simmering controversy related to its Best of CES awards and announced it was dropping Cnet as its partner. The CEA also gave Dish Network's Hopper with Sling DVR its Best of Show prize. Cnet editors originally selected the Hopper for the top honor before its corporate parent, CBS, brought pressure to bear.

Sony Poised to Fire Next Shot in Next-Gen Console Wars
February 01, 2013

Sony issued an invite Thursday to an event on Feb. 20 that could give gamers their first glimpse at the PlayStation 4, the company's next-generation console to go head-to-head against Nintendo's Wii U and whatever Microsoft unveils later this year. Sony had previously hinted that it would provide PS4 details in advance of this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show in Los Angeles in June.

Google Adds Cross-Platform Notifications Brick to Chromium Build
February 01, 2013

Google appears to have taken a step toward integrating Android's Google Now notification feature into Chrome. French programmer Francis Beaufort revealed Thursday that he spotted a new notification center in the latest Windows Chromium build that includes rich templated notifications.

Chinese Authorities Shoot Down Videogame Rumor
January 30, 2013

This game is over before it even started. China's Ministry of Culture said that it is not considering lifting the nation's ban on videogame consoles. Reports that China might lift its ban on systems like Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation surfaced last week. However, that story appears to be false.

HP Horns In on the Chromebook Action
January 29, 2013

The brief appearance of a spec sheet on HP's online shopping website Monday seemed to indicate the company has joined the list of Microsoft partners offering Chromebooks. The sheet listed details of the HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us PC and carried an advertisement embargo date of Feb. 17. It may have been placed on the Web by accident, but it's also possible it was a marketing ploy.

Apple, Nokia and RIM: The Incalculable Impact of Image
January 28, 2013

Apple is still doing relatively well, but its valuation is falling like a rock, while Nokia and RIM are ascending from catastrophically low levels. Yet judging from Twitter feeds and relevant articles, it appears the people who disbelieve that Apple can fall are matched by those who can't believe RIM and Nokia will recover.

Google Plans Mysterious Wireless Network Project
January 24, 2013

Google has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for a new or modified radio station for an experimental radio service other than broadcast. The initial base station will be deployed on Google's campus in Mountain View, Calif. It appears the company intends to build a dense, hyperspeed wireless network.

Investors Rattled Ahead of Apple Earnings
January 23, 2013

Investors' eyes are on Apple as the company prepares to announce its quarterly earnings report on Wednesday. The company's recent stock market losses and several analysts' lowered expectations on iPhone sales suggest this quarter might not be as flush as some in its recent past. Investors' pessimism stems in part from the increasingly fierce competition in the smartphone market.

RIM May Scotch BlackBerry Hardware
January 22, 2013

CEO Thorsten Heins has suggested that Research In Motion may one day license its BlackBerry operating system and stop producing handset hardware. Whether such a move would help put the embattled company back on track or be the final step in a march to oblivion -- much like the path Palm took just two years ago -- is the question.

Schmidt Talks North Korea on Google+
January 21, 2013

Google chairman Eric Schmidt took to Google+ to discuss his recent trip to North Korea. Schmidt's post discusses the "very limited" technology available in North Korea. Schmidt said that North Koreans are not allowed to use the Internet without someone watching them, and that it wouldn't be difficult for North Korea to connect its highly restricted networks to the World Wide Web.

Looking Back at CES and Ahead to the Future of Tech
January 21, 2013

Part of the fun after CES is to weave the various announcements and showcases together to get a view of a future that might result from a blend of them. The goal, if you can call it that, is like imagining the cars of the 1950s and '60s, but from a 1920s perspective with then-recent developments such as compact hydraulic pumps and air conditioners in the forefront.