Author Archives: Jonathan Kizer

May
24
2013
28
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Sound Off: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Something Else Entirely?

Posted by at 7:17 pm

New Xbox One Hardware

The entire internet has been ablaze with discussion of this week’s announcement of the Xbox One, and not all of it bodes well for Microsoft’s latest Xbox. While the various features announced seem to be well-received, gamers do not like the fact that Microsoft seems to have put the video services ahead of the actual gaming aspects of the One. While that situation may well be rectified at E3 — the largest gaming conference in the world, held in June this year — the situation has stained the unveil of the console itself.

The PlayStation 4 hasn’t been left out of this discussion, either. (more…)

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May
23
2013
9
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Low-Cost iPhone Rumors Resurface, New Colors to Highlight Lineup?

Posted by at 5:47 pm
Render of a potential low-cost iPhone

Render of a potential low-cost iPhone

We’ve heard plenty of rumors about a lower-cost iPhone that would combat the low-cost Android handsets that are so popular across the world, so the latest developments shouldn’t come as a surprise. Coming by way of Macotakara, an accurate source for such rumors, are reports that the iPhone 5S and an upcoming low-cost iPhone will be available in various colors. (more…)

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May
22
2013
13
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HTC’s Internal Struggles Continue

Posted by at 5:52 pm

HTC One X Silver

The HTC One may be slowly gaining traction in the market, but it doesn’t seem as if HTC’s problems are quite over. The Verge today reported on various talented executives fleeing the company, and apparently those leaving the company are doing so under rather poor circumstances. Eric Lin, previously a product strategy manager, tweeted the following:

It seems as if most of these departures are occurring in the marketing side of the company. Rumors state that HTC has begun moving some of their marketing operations back to Taiwan, which would certainly help account for many of these departures. However, the ominous warnings from Lin, among others, would seem to suggest that the issue may be more extensive than many believe.

[The Verge]

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May
21
2013
22
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How Will Apple Combat the Xbox One?

Posted by at 8:45 pm

xbox one showcase

The Xbox One introduces and expands various aspects of the current Xbox 360, but perhaps most importantly are the upgrades given to the various features that support the Microsoft’s entertainment play. The most visible of these features include further support for streaming content, which makes the Xbox One a very attractive set-top box.

Of the largest players in the set-top box space is Apple, with the Apple TV. While still just a “hobby,” the device’s shipments have steadily grown as Apple has updated both the hardware and software to stay competitive in the set-top box landscape.

But how will Apple adapt its strategy to better take on the Xbox One? (more…)

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May
20
2013
36
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Samsung Unveils Displays With More Pixels Than the Retina MacBook Pro

Posted by at 5:31 pm

Samsung CES 2013 2

While Apple is hard at work trying to push the retina display to more Mac models, Samsung is pushing a panel that trumps what Apple offers. The 13.3-inch QHD 3200 x 1800 panel with 276 pixels-per-inch (PPI) is going to be available on a range of high-end notebooks this year, likely alongside Intel’s latest Haswell CPU refresh.

Apple shipped the Retina MacBook Pro at last year’s WWDC. Since then, a similar display has made its way to the 13″ MacBook Pro. Rumors point towards more Mac models receiving the retina treatment at WWDC 2013, which is less than a month away. However, Samsung (among others) is busy trying to push the high-resolution display towards the mainstream. Will Apple do the same?

[The Verge]

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May
17
2013
14
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Galaxy S 4 Sales Approach 10 Million

Posted by at 4:07 pm

Samsung Galaxy S4 S 4 Flat

The Galaxy S 4 may not have been quite as well received as HTC’s venerable One for various issues, but that hasn’t stopped sales. The device, which is now available in almost all regions of the world, is quickly approaching 10 million sales.

Pushed by a tidal wave of both good press, carrier backing, and a massive marketing push, the device’s sales are understandably great. It’s definitely safe to predict that this will quickly become the best-selling Android device to date, with estimates predicting that the phone may actually hit 100 million sales during its lifetime. No shock there: Samsung is absolutely killing it in the smartphone market. It’s unclear how well the S 4′s chief Android competitor, the HTC One, is doing in terms of sales. While the device has been well-received by reviewers and consumers alike, HTC doesn’t have the marketing budget of the Korean juggernaut, and it often shows.

[Korea Times]

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May
16
2013
6
comments
 

Samsung May Issue Galaxy S 4 Update to Free Up Storage Space

Posted by at 3:28 pm
(Image Source: Android Central)

(Image Source: Android Central)

Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 was well-received by reviewers and consumers alike, although a common issue is with the included internal storage space. Users found that Samsung’s TouchWiz customizations took up roughly half of the built-in storage. For example, the Galaxy S 4 16 GB version has roughly 8 GB free for users to install applications, store music and videos, and save photos. That’s not a whole lot, particularly considering the large size of the high-quality images and video that can be displayed on the device’s 1080p display.

There’s a chance that might be about to change, thanks to the magic of software updates: (more…)

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May
15
2013
15
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Google I/O Day 1: What Has Been Your Favorite Announcement?

Posted by at 4:35 pm

google i:o

The first day of Google’s massive I/O developer conference has finally drawn to a close, but with it came an absolute deluge of news and announcements. From new hardware, to dozens of news pieces of software, and even various surprises aimed at the developer crowd, the first day’s keynote had something for everyone.

But what has been your favorite part? Was it Google+’s brand new interface? Or maybe its the updates to Google maps? Or perhaps you’re more of a hardware person, and can’t wait to get your hands on the Galaxy S 4 with Google’s stock software. Personally, my favorite announcements are all of the small details: the updates to Chrome, as well as the new Hangouts messaging system, all show that Google is more focused than ever on making an excellent experience for its users.

Sound off in the comments!

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May
14
2013
46
comments
 

Do You Use an Internet Messaging System?

Posted by at 7:26 pm

messages

News broke today that BlackBerry will be releasing their venerable BBM messaging platform for both iOS and Android, creating a truly multi-platform product out of a service that once existed on only BlackBerry devices. This announcement has triggered various reactions, but it seems that the most prevalent argument is that most people are already using an internet messaging system.

Some see this announcement as a desperate ploy for BlackBerry to gain back some users to its services, while others see it is a way to prevent current BBM users from defecting to other devices. Regardless of which it is, the question remains: are internet messaging clients and protocols really as popular as BlackBerry would have you believe?

Whether it’s the popular WhatsApp client, something more old-school like AIM or Google Talk, or even built-in services like iMessage, do you routinely use a messaging client to communicate with friends, family, or coworkers?

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May
13
2013
13
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Bill Gates Recounts His Last Conversation With Steve Jobs

Posted by at 6:38 pm

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

The competitive nature of the relationship between Bill Gates, founder and (until fairly recently) CEO of Microsoft, and Steve Jobs is well-publicized. What isn’t as well-known is that the two became friends later in life, close enough so that Jobs invited Gates over for what would become the last conversation between the two.

60 Minutes has interviewed Bill Gates, and the program includes some thoughts of Steve Jobs, as well as some details of that final conversation. The conversation was emotional:

Gates grew emotional as he recalled visiting Jobs just before his death. The billionaire welled up as he described their last conversation, which he described as “forward-looking.”

“He showed me the boat he was working on,” said Gates, “and talked about how he’s looking forward to being on it, even though we both knew there was a good chance that wouldn’t happen.”

The full interview can be seen after the break.

(more…)

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