5 things the tech industry absolutely needs in 2014

Given that it's New Year's Eve, I thought that I'd make a quick list of New Year's resolutions that I'd like to see the tech industry adopt for 2014. While some of these resolutions are certainly pipe dreams, I do think that they're all worthy of consideration simply because they'd be good for tech fans and consumers overall. So without ado, here are the five things that I think absolutely need to happen in the tech world next year.



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, December 31

Is this Microsoft’s next big Windows Phone update?

Now that the Nokia acquisition is all but finalized, Microsoft is back at work improving Windows Phone. The latest leaked image from @evleaks shows off just a sliver of the Windows Phone 8.1 UI, but it appears to indicate that the next major update for Microsoft's mobile OS will include on-screen buttons. The update will make it easier for manufacturers to develop a wider range of hardware for the Windows Phone platform. As The Verge points out, Android phone makers might even have the opportunity to recycle or recreate hardware to suit the buttonless Windows Phone. The leaked image of the virtual buttons follows below.



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, December 16

CTIA’s stolen smartphone database is complete – but will it curb theft?

The CTIA on Wednesday announced that the database system for lost smartphones launched by the country’s main mobile operators back in April 2012 is finally complete, beating the initial November 30th deadline by a few days. The database will allow local carriers to block the activation of 4G and 3G smartphones not just in the U.S. but also abroad, as it will also integrate with similar databases from international carriers. But San Francisco district attorney George Gascón believes that the new database will not be that effective. “The UK tried a national registry and has not slowed down thefts,” he told The Verge .



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, November 28

Apple teases annual Black Friday sale coming later this week

Apple posted a Black Friday teaser on its website on Monday that confirmed its annual sale that will last all day on November 29th. Apple has not revealed what the discounts will be, but if past years are any indication, the discounts will be fairly modest. Last year, the Retina iPad was $41 off, and each MacBook was $101 off. While modest, Apple rarely puts its products on sale. If you want to buy through Apple, and not through its resellers, these are likely the best deals you’ll see all year. The teaser page, which is now only available in Australia and New Zealand, encourages shoppers to shop online, visit an Apple Store, or use the Apple Store app.

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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, November 25

Despite the upcoming Galaxy S5, Samsung reportedly lowers 2014 smartphone sales forecast

Samsung has taken the world by storm over the last few years to become the top smartphone vendor on the planet by a staggering margin. And by staggering, we mean that for the past two quarters, Samsung has sold more smartphones into distribution channels than all of its other top rivals, including Apple, combined. All good things must come to an end, and while the end of Samsung's record run is hardly imminent, it's already starting to slow down according to a new report.



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, November 05

Amazon’s MatchBook aims to drag paper book fans into the digital age

Even some people who relish having the latest cutting-edge gadgets have had a hard time giving up their large collections of old-school paper books. Amazon is aiming to fix that, however, by unleashing its new MatchBook service that offers cheap digital copies of physical books that users have bought through Amazon in the past. There are a couple of caveats here: First, you can only get the eBook discounts on new books that you've bought through Amazon and not used books. And second, not every book you've ever bought through Amazon will be available at first, although with 70,000 books enrolled so far Amazon is certainly offering an impressive library. The company's full press release follows below.



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, October 29

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is disappointed with the new iPad Air

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is continuing his long, proud tradition of bashing his former company. Macworld reports that Wozniak told the Apps World conference in the United Kingdom on Wednesday that he's not interested in the new iPad Air because it doesn't have nearly enough storage to meet his content consumption needs. In particular, Wozniak said that he wanted an iPad with enough storage for him to download every episode of The Big Bang Theory, a popular sitcom that Wozniak has guest-starred on in the past.



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Posted in 2013 at 04:30PM, October 23