Tech Industry

4,096 'Tech Industry' stories June 2007 - February 2014

How-to: Setup and Use Chromecast to stream your content from a Mac and iOS device

Sarah Guarino Feb 9 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

The Chromecast, Google’s streaming HDMI dongle came out last summer. It is compatible with any Android device running 2.3 or later, iOS device with iOS 6 or 7, and any Mac or PC. Initially, users were able to stream Netflix or Youtube from an iOS device and Android device, Google Play Movies and Music only on Android, or cast websites using the Chrome browser on a computer. The Chromecast works differently from Airplay in that you can multitask and do other tasks on the device or you can let it go to sleep while streaming.

Very quickly after its release, Chromecast has received support for Hulu +, Pandora, and HBO GO. Last month a major update added ten new apps including Plex, Vevo, Songza, Red Bull TV, Post TV from the Washington Post, Viki, RealPlayer Cloud, Avia, Revision3 Internet Television and BeyondPod. The most recent update the Chromecast received allowed users to stream Google Play Movies and Music directly from the Chrome browser on a computer.

In this How-to, we’ll discuss how to setup the Chromecast, use it with a Mac and iOS device and explore its gaming potential.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Post-PC era in full swing, as Sony exits PC business and Apple leads in combined devices

Ben Lovejoy Feb 6 2014 - 4:58 am PT

0 Comments

328240-sony-vaio-duo-13

Sony has confirmed earlier rumors that it is exiting the PC business, selling both its computer division and the VAIO brand to a Japanese investment fund which plans to use the brand only within Japan, at least initially.

Once the coolest laptop brand around, VAIO notebooks were admired even by Steve Jobs for their slim form factors and sleek designs, and it was to Sony that Apple turned for help in designing its early PowerBook models. Sony, however, failed to maintain its design momentum, and found itself increasingly overtaken by smaller companies.

We described yesterday how Sony in 2001 turned down an offer from Steve Jobs to run Mac OS on Vaio laptops.

Sony is also restructuring its TV business, announcing that it will be focusing much more on high-end models. Sony is the current market leader in 4K TVs, a market Apple is expected to enter.

The news coincides with a report by Canalys that if you measure PC and tablet sales as a single category, considering both to amount to personal computers, then Apple is the leading computer manufacturer, with a 19.5 percent market share – more than HP and Dell combined.

combined

Combining Macs and iPads, Apple sold just over 87 million personal computing devices last year (excluding iPhones).

Apple announces first Apple Store in Brazil to open on February 15th

Benjamin Mayo Feb 6 2014 - 2:37 am PT

1 Comment

After teasing the store last month, Apple has confirmed on its website (as noted by MacMagazine) that the store will launch on the 15th of February, in just over a week. The store will launch at 11am local time (ATZ) in the luxurious Rio de Janeiro VillageMall, marking Apple’s debut entrance into the country.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Crysis 3 on Late 2013 Mac Pro with 6 27-inch screens in over 4K resolution

Seth Weintraub Feb 5 2014 - 12:01 am PT

3 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmlsePKH6AY]

If you are wondering how the new Mac Pro does in gaming, here’s a little taste of Crysis running in 4800×1800 mode in Boot Camp. Thanks

I’d probably opt for a single big 4K display myself but if you have 6 27-inch displays laying around…

Adobe releases critical security update for Flash exploit

Zac Hall Feb 4 2014 - 1:13 pm PT

0 Comments

Flash Update

Adobe released a critical security update to its Flash Player plug-in (version 12.0.0.44) on Tuesday that addresses an exploit that put machines at risk of being remotely accessed by attackers. You can grab the latest version of Flash Player here (OS X and Windows) or check for updates in the System Preferences app… or you could remove Flash altogether with Adobe’s uninstaller.

Pad & Quill add handmade, Author Series cases for iPad Air

Zac Hall Feb 4 2014 - 9:26 am PT

3 Comments

Pad & Quill, makers of our favorite high-end cases for iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks, have a new unique lineup of hand made iPad Air cases with lots of customization options.

The Author Series case for iPad Air is based around a satin finished wood base with ports cut out for connector access. The book-style exterior resembles a nice moleskin journal (you wouldn’t know the difference when it’s closed). The cover actually takes advantage of the iPad magnet system and puts the display to sleep when it’s closed just like Apple’s Smart Cover, but with more security and protection (and sophistication).
Expand
Expanding
Close

Microsoft names Satya Nadella CEO as Bill Gates demoted from Chairman to ‘Technology Advisor’

Zac Hall Feb 4 2014 - 6:17 am PT

6 Comments

Following the announcement last August that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was out the door as soon as the company could find a new captain to lead the ship, the Board finally announced today that it has found its guy: Satya Nadella.

As part of the changes, founder and former CEO Bill Gates has agreed to step down from the Board and into a new role as ‘technology advisor’. Gates says he will step up his time at the company meeting with various groups and helping with future products at the request of Nadella.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Chromecast SDK now available for iOS developers

Zac Hall Feb 3 2014 - 11:16 am PT

0 Comments

Cross posted from 9to5Google.com

Google announced today a public SDK for Chromecast allowing developers to build support for casting into Android, Chrome, and iOS apps and websites.

If you’re a developer looking to bring your content to the big screen, head on over to the Google Developers Blog for a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of it all. Meanwhile, for everyone else, a current list of apps that work with Chromecast can be found at chromecast.com/apps.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Lenovo on Moto aquisition: Our mission is to surpass Apple and Samsung

Mike Beasley Jan 30 2014 - 4:03 pm PT

6 Comments

Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang spoke to CNNMoney about his company’s recent acquisition of Motorola from Google today. In the interview, Yang was asked if his goal for Lenovo was to eventually catch up with more established competitors in the mobile space, such as Apple and Samsung.

With Motorola, Lenovo will be the No. 3 smartphone maker worldwide. Do you think your company can catch up with Apple or Samsung, who are still far ahead of you? And how long will it take?

Definitely, over time. Our mission is to surpass them.

Yang says that Lenovo’s smartphones will probably be released under the Motorola banner, a smart branding decision given Motorola’s existing name recognition and popularity in the U.S. and other countries.

The branding choice combined with the infrastructure and personnel from the Moto buyout could help propel the company to the top of the market, but it will be a hard road to the level of success that Yang is after—especially with Apple and Samsung already locked in a fierce, years-long battle for the top spot.

Throughout the interview, Yang continued to note that several decisions still need to be made with regards to how phones will be branded in certain countries and whether the Lenovo name will be associated with Motorola at all. It will certainly be interesting to see how Yang uses the Motorola brand to push Lenovo forward.

Apple regains lead over Samsung in US smartphone market thanks to new iPhones

Jordan Kahn Jan 30 2014 - 7:52 am PT

4 Comments

If you jump back to calendar Q3 2013, Apple was falling behind Samsung in US smartphone marketshare with just 34% of the market compared to Samsung’s 38%. The theory at the time was that US buyers were holding out for the new iPhones that launched in September. Fast forward to last quarter, the three month period ended December 31, and that theory appears to be holding up. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) just sent over its latest reports showing Apple has once again taken the lead thanks to a strong holiday quarter of iPhone sales.
Expand
Expanding
Close

AT&T offering $100 to both new and existing customers

Zac Hall Jan 29 2014 - 7:13 am PT

4 Comments

AT&T Promo

Following a back and forth between T-Mobile and AT&T on promotions geared toward customers wanting to jump the carrier ship, AT&T announced today a short term promotion that actually rewards existing customers in addition to new users.

AT&T is shelling out $100 (in the form of a credit) for new lines including smartphones and tablets.

New and existing customers are eligible when you activate a qualifying wireless line

Add a new line for any smartphone, feature phone, tablet, wireless home phone, MiFi puck, or other connected device

You must remain active and in good standing for 45 days; your credit will be applied within 3 bill cycles

The promo runs through the end of March, so it’s not permanent, but it’s certainly a hefty incentive and hopefully of sign of what carrier competition can bring.

Blink and you missed the tech stuff in the State of the Union address

Ben Lovejoy Jan 29 2014 - 4:31 am PT

3 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arhBRouSmWs]

Technology got only the briefest and vaguest of mentions in last night’s State of the Union address, with little in the way of new commitments.

President Obama promised six more “hubs for hi-tech manufacturing,” adding to the two hardly anyone had heard of in Raleigh and Youngstown that “connected businesses to research universities that can help America lead the world in advanced technologies.” The government apparently kicked in $100M in funding for research into 3D printing and energy-efficient chips. Nothing was said about where the new hubs would be or what they would do.

Aside from that, there was a pledge to connect 99 percent of schools to high-speed broadband over the next four years, which doesn’t seem an overly ambitious deadline for something so basic; generalised promises to reform the NSA; and a plea for Congress to reverse cuts to government research funding.

A one-line mention of possible patent reform, with no firm pledge. Nothing on net neutrality. ISP or carrier monopolies and collusion. Nothing on tightening rules on data security in the wake of large-scale credit card compromises. Not much on immigration reform, to help tech companies hire the people they need. And no specific pledges on limiting the powers of the NSA.

Is is just me, or is it odd to spend so much time talking about the economy and job-creation, but so little on steps to help the industry that is expected to drive much of that growth?

Apple did get a brief name-check, as one of the companies supporting the high-speed broadband initiative.

Tonight, I can announce that with the support of the FCC and companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon, we’ve got a down payment to start connecting more than 15,000 schools and twenty million students over the next two years, without adding a dime to the deficit.

In a statement to The Loop, Apple said that it was contributing hardware, software and expertise to the project.

We are proud to join President Obama in this historic initiative to transform America’s schools. Apple has a long history in education, and we have pledged to contribute MacBooks, iPads, software and our expertise to support the ConnectED project. We look forward to announcing more details with the White House soon.

Google releases tool to let devs bring Chrome apps to iOS & Android

Jordan Kahn Jan 28 2014 - 10:04 am PT

6 Comments

Google-Apache Cordova-Chrome

After letting us know last month that it was getting ready to release a toolkit to let developers easily bring their Chrome web apps to iOS and Android, today Google released a developer preview of the tool. In its blog post, Google explains the tool is based on open-source framework Apache Cordova, which allows devs to build native apps for iOS and Android using CSS, HTML, and Javascript. It’s also making a lot of its own core Chrome APIs available to developers through the preview. It essentially means devs will be able to bring their Chrome web apps to the App Store and Google Play, but it will also let them build new cross platform apps in CSS, HTML, and Javascript. Google explained how it works:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple provides update on government requests as tech companies reach settlement with DOJ

Jordan Kahn Jan 27 2014 - 1:57 pm PT

4 Comments

Apple-Account-informaiton-requests-01

Just a few days later after Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his thoughts about the NSA and data collection transparency, Apple has posted an update to its website with new information regarding account data requests. The company’s press release comes as US Department of Justice comes to a settlement with technology companies over how they are allowed to disclose information about government data requests.

A statement from the DOJ explains the agreement will allow “detailed disclosures about the number of national security orders and requests issued to communications providers, and the number of customer accounts targeted under those orders and requests including the underlying legal authorities.” Due to these new guidelines, Apple has now been able to report FISA and National Security Letters separate from law enforcement requests as show in its graphics above and below. It also notes the new data released today replaces the U.S. data from its Feb. 5 2013 Report on Government Information Requests.

Apple has been working closely with the White House, the U.S. Attorney General, congressional leaders, and the Department of Justice to advocate for greater transparency with regard to the national security orders we receive. We believe strongly that our customers have the right to understand how their personal information is being handled, and we are pleased the government has developed new rules that allow us to more accurately report law enforcement orders and national security orders in the U.S.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a recent interview that he would push congress for more transparency regarding controversial surveillance programs and how companies can disclose information related to information requests. At the time, Cook said that there was much the company couldn’t speak about due to gag orders:

Expand
Expanding
Close

New leaked docs show NSA collects personal data from smartphone apps

Jordan Kahn Jan 27 2014 - 11:47 am PT

5 Comments

New documents leaked by Edward Snowden and reported by The New York Times, The Guardian and ProPublica detail how the NSA and its British counterpart can collect users’ personal data through smartphone apps. The reports specifically mention popular apps like Angry Birds, Twitter, Google Maps and Facebook and claim the NSA is capable of intercepting information ranging from location, age, and sex of users to address books, buddy lists, phone logs, geographic data and more:

The N.S.A. and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters were working together on how to collect and store data from dozens of smartphone apps by 2007, according to the documents, provided by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor. Since then, the agencies have traded recipes for grabbing location and planning data when a target uses Google Maps, and for vacuuming up address books, buddy lists, phone logs and the geographic data embedded in photos when someone sends a post to the mobile versions of Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter and other services.

At least one of the app developers, Rovio, is not surprisingly unaware of any of the activity mentioned in the documents, but it will be up to the app developers, Apple, and Google to address the issue and clarify for users if their personal data is safe. In a recent interview with ABC, Apple CEO Tim Cook commented on the controversy over surveillance programs and promised he would press congress for more transparency:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Tech Industry

Logitech Business announces new Mac-compatible group video conferencing system

Mike Beasley Jan 27 2014 - 1:00 am PT

2 Comments

Logitech has announced the ConferenceCam CC3000e, a new OS X-compatible video conferencing system for businesses. The system is designed to provide any business with a low-cost solution that allows full-HD video calls designed to work best with small to mid-size groups. The CC3000e features:

Full-HD 1080p video
90° field of view
260° pan with remote control
Lossless 10x zoom
Omni-directional stero or mono audio with noise and echo cancellation
Mac, PC, and mobile compatible through USB, Bluetooth, or NFC

The CC3000e is available for $999.99 from third-party retailers. The company’s full press release is below.

Logitech Unveils Breakthrough Group Video Conferencing Solution

Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e turns any meeting room into a video-enabled collaboration room

NEWARK, Calif. — Jan. 27, 2014 — Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today introduced a breakthrough video conferencing solution. While a typical video conferencing setup can cost $7,000 or far more, the Logitech® ConferenceCam CC3000e — at under $1,000 – is a powerful yet affordable video conferencing solution that can turn any small or midsize conference room into a video-enabled collaboration room. Optimized for workgroups of six to 10 people, the Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e is an all-in-one solution with 1080p HD video, enterprise-quality audio and the ability to easily connect to a laptop or thin client to give workers the productivity benefits of crystal-clear, face-to-face communication.

With its flexibility and affordability, the Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e empowers companies of all sizes to realize the benefits of video collaboration. “The number of meeting rooms and collaboration spaces has exploded in new office environments. Yet the cost and complexity of deployment and use of current video conferencing solutions has made it impossible to equip 95 percent of these rooms, forcing employees to revert to voice,” said Eric Kintz, Logitech senior vice president. “The ConferenceCam CC3000e is a breakthrough in group video conferencing allowing people to collaborate on their own terms anywhere, any time and with any device and any application.”

“The way enterprises collaborate is rapidly changing,” said Andrew W. Davis, senior partner and co-founder at Wainhouse Research. “These changes include a shift in user preferences toward personal, software-based solutions and consumer devices (BYOD). Many IT teams are responding by providing video-enabled solutions for use in smaller meeting rooms and workspaces – and not replicating the dedicated video solutions traditionally found in the large, executive boardrooms. Logitech’s newest ConferenceCam addresses this shift with features that maintain the familiar software-based experience at a price that is affordable for any size company.”

The ConferenceCam CC3000e features a 90-degree field of view with 10x lossless zoom, a Carl Zeiss^®-certified glass lens and remote-controlled 260-degree pan, making viewing closeups and whiteboard details very clear. Additional touches include noise and echo cancellation, omni-directional stereo or mono sound with 20-foot diameter range, plug-and-play ability to work with any software client and a Kensington Security slot to help deter theft.

The Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e can easily connect to a Mac®, PC, tablet or smartphone – using USB for Mac and PCs, and Bluetooth^® or Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity for smartphone or tablet audio streaming. It is also optimized for Microsoft® Lync, Cisco® Jabber and WebEx compatible, Skype™ certified and integrated with Vidyo®, ensuring an integrated experience. The Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e includes a speakerphone, camera, optional wall mount and remote control that connect through a single hub with up to 32 feet of cable, allowing the camera and speakerphone to operate separately if desired.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech® ConferenceCam CC3000e is expected to be available worldwide in January 2014 for a suggested price of $999.99 in the U.S. For more information, please visit www.logitech.com/business or our blog.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Tech Industry

KGI predicts Samsung Galaxy S5 specs, including 5.2-inch display and fingerprint sensor

Mike Beasley Jan 25 2014 - 4:36 pm PT

10 Comments

KGI Research has issued its predictions for Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy device. The document suggests that the phone will be available in two different configurations. The standard version will come equipped with 2 GB of RAM, a quad-core Qualcomm MS M 8974AC or 8-core Samsung Exynos 5422 processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 2 MP front-facing camera, a 16 MP rear camera, and a massive 5.2-inch full HD AMOLED display.

A second, “prime” configuration will feature an upgraded 8-core Samsung Exynos 5430 processor, a quad-HD AMOLED panel, and 3 GB of memory. The other components will be the same between devices.

The big story here, however, is the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner no doubt designed to rival the Touch ID sensor found in Apple’s iPhone 5s. The document also indicates that the phone will have “3D gesture support,” which we suspect may point to an expansion of the existing air-gesture system.

Incipio & AT&T finally launch NFC-enabled Cashwrap iPhone case for ISIS payments

Jordan Kahn Jan 24 2014 - 7:23 am PT

7 Comments

Cashwrap-Incipio

A little over a year ago at CES 2013, we first got a look at a new case from Incipio that would allow iPhone users to take advantage of the NFC-based ISIS mobile wallet service that rolled out back in October 2012 for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile customers. While ISIS is usually restricted to NFC enabled Android devices, Incipio teamed up with AT&T to create a case for iPhone called Cashwrap that builds-in the NFC chip and allows iPhone users to make payments using ISIS. Today the company has finally made things official announcing that The Cashwrap will be available online starting today for $69. It will also land in AT&T retail locations starting January 31.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Tech Industry

Apple’s global iPhone market share gains attributed to Samsung’s inability to meet estimates

Mike Beasley Jan 23 2014 - 6:23 pm PT

3 Comments

A new report from Bloomberg indicates that Apple’s global mobile market share gains can be attributed to Samsung missing analysts’ shrinking sales estimates. As the rising popularity of cheaper smartphones erodes Samsung’s profit margin, the company continues to struggle to meet industry estimates.

According to the report, Samsung also faces a new threat from Apple in China. Following the Cupertino company’s deal with China Mobile, Apple is expected to make tremendous gains in that country, further pressuring Samsung to drop prices in order to maintain any hope of competing in the market. This, in turn, will drive the Korean manufacturer’s profits even lower.

Analysts are hopeful that the inbound Galaxy S5 can help balance out the company’s losses, but don’t expect that it will help Samsung regain its lost market share.

Jimmy Fallon scrambles to hide his MacBook during Bill Gates interview (Video)

Jordan Kahn Jan 22 2014 - 9:28 am PT

13 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk7pPutimCM&start=70]

Bill Gates stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night to talk about his various charitable endeavours and to promote the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s annual letter published today. Despite the serious subject matter, Jimmy still managed to squeeze in a few laughs including apologizing for the MacBook and Apple keyboard and mouse that sit on his desk each night before removing them for the rest of the interview.

And then there was this:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple gets more favourable rulings against Samsung ahead of trial in March

Benjamin Mayo Jan 22 2014 - 2:45 am PT

0 Comments

FOSS Patents is reporting that Apple received two more favourable rulings in their ongoing battle against Samsung in the courts. These judgements increase the chance of Apple winning the March patent trial “not hugely but significantly”, according to Mueller.

In a judgement filed yesterday, Samsung was found to infringe on one of Apple’s asserted patents and one of its own patents in the case was invalidated.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Is the Nest Protect fire alarm giving users false alarms?

Zac Hall Jan 20 2014 - 9:21 am PT

75 Comments

715XTqMO-yL._SL1500_

Late last September it was rumored that a smart smoke/carbon monoxide detector would join the now Google-owned Nest line of smart thermostats and was later announced in early October to a great response.

The Nest Protect, which retails for $129 in both a wired and battery powered variant, intelligently interacts with an iPhone app called Nest Home with warnings about low batteries (if applicable) and when alarms are active or about to be active. It also features a handy dismissal gesture for silencing a screaming alarm.

Some users, however, are reporting a number of unprompted false alarms unrelated to cooking or other reasonable instances. One user even reported the alarm stubbornly going off for 30 minutes in the middle of the night with no sign of smoke and ignoring prompts to dismiss the alarm after an apparent glitch in the device…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Any data gathered by Google-owned Nest devices will be “transparent and opt-in,” says Tony Fadell

Ben Lovejoy Jan 20 2014 - 6:54 am PT

7 Comments

: Photo: websummit.net

Nest CEO and ‘father of the iPod’ Tony Fadell has responded to data privacy concerns expressed after the company was acquired by Google, stating that there have not yet been any changes to the data collected by the smart thermostat and smoke detector, and that any future changes would be both transparent and opt-in.

At this point, there are no changes. The data that we collect is all about our products and improving them.

If there were ever any changes whatsoever, we would be sure to be transparent about it, number one, and number two for you to opt-in to it …

Fadell gave the assurances during an interview at the Digital-Life-Design conference (via TNW). He also said that he was excited by the conversations he’d had with Larry Page and other Google execs when discussing future plans.

We were finishing each other’s sentences, and the visions that we had were just so large and so great, and they weren’t scared by them. We were both getting exhilarated by what could change and how things could change, and that we could have the ability to change those things together.

Apple senior VP Phil Schiller unfollowed both Fadell and Nest on Twitter following the acquisition.

The worst password of all is no longer ‘password’ according to hacked accounts chart

Ben Lovejoy Jan 20 2014 - 4:27 am PT

16 Comments

passwords

You might have thought that it would be hard to come up with a worse password than ‘password,’ but according to a chart compiled by SplashData from hacked accounts, it has been edged out by ‘123456’.

The far more secure ‘12345678’ (33 percent more secure!) retains its position as number three, while a new entry in sixth place goes as far as ‘123456789’. Sadly, ‘letmein’, a password I always felt deserving of classic status, dropped seven places to achieve a mediocre ranking of 14.

Apple introduced iCloud Keychain as part of Mavericks and iOS 7.0.3, and if you’re not already using it, you can read our how-to guide. If you’re using older versions of OS X or iOS, we also ran a how-to guide on using a password manager to have unique, secure passwords for each website.

Via re/code