Author Archives: Joe Rossignol

May
21
2013
57
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Introducing the Next-Generation Xbox One

Posted by at 10:21 am

Xbox One

Microsoft has just announced the next-generation Xbox One at a press event on its Redmond campus, featuring voice-based commands such as “Xbox On” and new Kinect motion gestures, interactive TV and apps, Xbox Guide and much more. The console will launch around the world “later this year,” likely alongside the PlayStation 4. No mention of price.

The new Xbox One has a sleek design and brand new controller, with an 8-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, 500 GB hard drive, USB 3.0, Blu-ray drive and integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi. A new 1080p Kinect camera detects the slightest movement of your wrist and even your heartbeat, and can also be used for Skype video calls. The new Xbox uses native 64-bit architecture akin to Windows.  (more…)

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May
21
2013
57
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Next-Generation Xbox Announcement Commences at 1 PM Eastern

Posted by at 9:57 am

Xbox IconMicrosoft is streaming live the announcement of its next-generation Xbox console, rumored to be named “Xbox Infinity” or “Xbox 720,” at the Xbox Reveal event on its Redmond campus at 1:00 PM Eastern (10:00 AM Pacific).

Just yesterday, Sony released a teaser video of its latest PlayStation console, which launches by yearend. The forthcoming Xbox, PlayStation 4 and Wii U will comprise the eight-generation of console gaming.

The latest Xbox is rumored to use powerful computer chips to deliver a fluid gaming experience, alongside a potential cloud streaming service and augmented reality integration. Follow the discussion on the iFans forums as the live event gets underway, or on Twitter using the #XboxReveal hashtag.


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May
20
2013
24
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Samsung Galaxy S4 Ranked as World’s Best Smartphone By Consumer Reports

Posted by at 5:17 pm

Samsung Galaxy S4 Front FacingConsumer Reports has ranked the new Samsung Galaxy S4 as its top-rated smartphone, dethroning the LG Optimus G handset. Its rankings are determined by several critical areas of testing, including the camera. In particular, the report praises the Galaxy S4′s screen:

The S4 has an excellent 5-inch, high-definition (1080p) touch-screen display, as well as oodles of gesture- and sensor-based tools for accessing and sharing content you create and capture on your phone. The display is sensitive enough to use with gloves on—handy during cold weather.

Multitasking is another strong point for the Galaxy S4:

A true multi-tasker, the S4 lets you run two apps simultaneously in a split-screen view. For instance, you can watch a video while checking e-mail, or you can use Google Maps and Messaging simultaneously. We did find that battery life and voice quality varied slightly between cell carriers, as with the LG Optimus G.

I’ll still side with the HTC One as the best Android smartphone, but the Galaxy S4 is still almost equally as impressive.

[Consumer Reports]

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May
20
2013
1
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AT&T to Extend FaceTime Over Cellular to All Data Plans This Year

Posted by at 2:49 pm

facetime3g

At last, AT&T will be permitting access to pre-loaded video apps, including FaceTime and Google Hangouts, to all of its customers with any data plan whatsoever. AT&T issued a statement this afternoon to address the change, as reported by TechCrunch.

“Throughout the second half of this year, we plan to enable pre-loaded video chat apps over cellular for all our customers, regardless of data plan or device; that work is expected to be complete by yearend,” AT&T states. “Today, all of our customers can use any mobile video chat app that they download from the Internet, such as Skype.”

(more…)

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May
20
2013
21
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Sony Posts Blurry Teaser Video of PlayStation 4

Posted by at 10:29 am

The next generation of console gaming is upon us. Nintendo entered the market first with its Wii U console, Microsoft is announcing the next-generation Xbox tomorrow and Sony announced its upcoming PlayStation 4 console back in February. One minor inconvenience: Sony still hasn’t shown off what the latest PlayStation looks like, now three months later.

Nevertheless, anxious gamers can finally get a sneak peek at the hotly-anticipated console. Sony has posted a new teaser video for the PlayStation 4 on its YouTube channel, although in extremely blurry fashion. Don’t expect to see much, asides from a few close-up elements that are rather difficult to interpret. Can you make out anything in particular?

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May
20
2013
6
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Rumor Roundup: Lightweight iPad, 1.5-Inch iWatch and New MacBooks

Posted by at 9:47 am

Apple Products

The rumor mill has ramped up quickly to start the week, with three new reports on the table relating to Apple products. The first comes from hit-and-miss Taiwanese publication DigiTimes, which claims that fifth-generation iPad production will begin in July as monthly shipments reach 2 – 3 million by September.

The tablet will reportedly have the same 2,048 x 1536 pixels Retina display, although the display glass will be thinner at 0.2mm versus 0.25mm for the fourth-generation iPad. The next-generation iPad will have a narrow bezel, akin to the smaller iPad mini. But that’s not all. (more…)

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May
17
2013
5
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iTunes Gets a New MiniPlayer

Posted by at 12:20 pm

iTunes Gets a New MiniPlayer

iTunes10Federico Viticci for MacStories writes:

Released in late November 2012, Apple today updated iTunes to version 11.0.3. The new version, available through the Mac’s Software Update panel, brings a redesigned MiniPlayer, an improved songs view, support for multi-disc albums, and performance improvements.

The new MiniPlayer looks sleek. iTunes 11.0.3 also packs additional improvements and security fixes.

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May
17
2013
6
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Report: Next-Generation MacBooks Could Have High-Resolution IGZO Displays

Posted by at 11:05 am

13-inch-MacBook-Pro-Retina

Sharp, a leading display maker and Apple supplier, will soon begin the production of new IGZO displays with the “highest pixel density” yet, and those high-resolution screens could make their way to the next-generation MacBook Pro with Retina display.  The displays will range in size between 11.6 inches and 15.6 inches, as reported by 9to5Mac.  (more…)

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May
17
2013
23
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Bill Gates is Again the World’s Richest Man

Posted by at 9:45 am

Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder and leading philanthropist Bill Gates has reclaimed his position as the world’s richest man, despite having donated over $28 billion to charities through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resurgence of Gates as the world’s richest individual is the result of Microsoft shares posting gains of 28 percent on the stock market this year, as his 6.3 percent stake in the corporation makes him the largest individual shareholder.

Gates has an estimated worth of $72.7 billion, which gives the Microsoft chairman the number-one spot on the Billboard Billionaires Index for the first time since 2007. Mexican investor Carlos Slim, who saw his shares of America Movil decline 14 percent this year, was the most recent titleholder of “world’s richest man,” and now sits in second. American businessman Warren Buffett is third-richest with $59.7 billion.

[USA Today]

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May
17
2013
12
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Windows Phone Leapfrogs BlackBerry for Third Place in Mobile Space

Posted by at 8:26 am

Trio-Windows-Phone-8X-HTCWindows Phone is now the third-largest mobile platform worldwide, gaining more than triple its market share year-over-year and leapfrogging the recovering BlackBerry in the midst.

According to the latest numbers from IDC, a leading market research firm, 7 million Windows Phone units were shipped in the first quarter for 3.2 percent market share. BlackBerry moved 6.3 million units, but dropped to 2.9 percent market share.  (more…)

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