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Tablets
March 15, 2012
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New service lets users try Apple’s new iPad for 30 days before buying

By on March 15, 2012 at 2:15 PM.

New service lets users try Apple’s new iPad for 30 days before buying

A new subscription service allows potential gadget owners to test out new devices like Apple’s new iPad tablet before committing to a purchase. YBUY, which bills itself as a try-before-you-buy online subscription service, charges users a flat monthly fee of $24.95 for access to a wide range of consumer electronics as well as home and kitchen gadgets. Users can choose one device at a time from YBUY’s catalog and trial the gadget for up to 30 days before returning it. Beginning in April, the company’s inventory will also include Apple’s new iPad. ”For most consumers, when it comes to electronics or products for the home, the idea is that they want to test the product out first,” YBUY CEO Stephen Svajian said. ”We can actually bring the showroom straight to your living room. Our unique alternative, that comes to you brand new or completely sanitized, allows consumers to test it out for 30 days in the comfort of your own home. This can really help you get to know the item you would like to invest in, before fully committing to make the purchase. There’s no other experience like it out there on the market.” YBUY’s press release follows below. More →

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mobile
October 11, 2011
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iPhone 4S and Siri shown off in 9-minute YouTube review [video]

By on October 11, 2011 at 3:35 PM.

iPhone 4S and Siri shown off in 9-minute YouTube review [video]

A short video showcasing Apple’s new iPhone 4S surfaced on Monday, and now we have our first full “YouTube review” of a handset that was seemingly delivered ahead of schedule. YouTube user applemastertouch has posted a video walk-through that is nearly 9 minutes long. In it, he shows off Apple’s brand new smartphone and gives us a thorough look at the device’s most highly anticipated new feature, Siri. Other iOS 5 features make appearances as well, but Siri is the clear star of the show as we see various commends that can — and cannot — be acted on by Apple’s new personal assistant feature. While over a million consumers anxiously await delivery of their iPhone 4S handsets, hit the break for a taste of things to come.

More →

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Gaming
August 12, 2011
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Microsoft Research KinectFusion project capable of 3D modeling, more [video]

By on August 12, 2011 at 1:41 PM.

Microsoft Research KinectFusion project capable of 3D modeling, more [video]

During the SIGGRAPH 2011 conference in Vancouver this week, a team comprised of researchers from various universities showed off a demo during a Microsoft Research presentation of how the Kinect Xbox 360 accessory can be used in the real world to create real-time dynamic 3D models. The project, dubbed “KinectFusion,” shows off the Kinect’s ability to render 3D models of an entire room nearly instantly as one researcher pans the accessory around. After the device has scanned the entire area, KinectFusion is capable of creating a 3D texture-mapped model of the entire room using a Kinect RGB image. The technology could be used to create highly immersive augmented reality games or, as TechNet points out, for architectural purposes on a budget. Hit the read link to see a video of KinectFusion in action. More →

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social
July 15, 2011
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Google+ is a sausage fest according to third-party user stats

By on July 15, 2011 at 10:00 AM.

Google+ is a sausage fest according to third-party user stats

Google’s latest social networking effort may finally be the winner the Internet giant has so desperately been looking for. The invite-only beta service launched late last month and as per the company’s statements made during its earnings call on Thursday, it has already amassed more than 10 million users in just over two weeks. According to user statistics supplied by third-party social monitors SocialStatistics and FindPeopleOnPlus, the overwhelming majority of people using Google+ so far are male. FindPeopleOnPlus tracks nearly a million Google+ profiles and it shows that about three quarters of Plus users are male. SocialStatistics uses a significantly smaller sample of about 30,000 user profiles, but it suggests that 87% of Google+ profiles belong to men. There’s no question that Google+ is the talk of the Web right now, but those looking for a network with a decent sized female population should probably look elsewhere — mySpace, perhaps? More →

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3D
June 14, 2011
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iPad 3D shown off in Taipei by third party [video]

By on June 14, 2011 at 1:09 PM.

iPad 3D shown off in Taipei by third party [video]

At the Display Taiwan 2011 conference taking place this week in Taipei, display manufacturer CPT gave us a glimpse at the iPad 3D many users have been hoping for. Of course this 3D-enabled iPad 2 is a modified unit that will never see production, but it does highlight the fact that even though the iPad 2 is remarkably thin, there’s still room for a 3D display in the ultra-slim aluminum case. While Apple has been rumored on numerous occasions to be testing iPad models with 3D display technology, it is likely that the company would opt for a glasses-free panel as opposed to the panel fitted into this iPad 2 by CPT, which requires 3D glasses. The prototype is interesting nonetheless, and as the presenter mentions, the possibility of 3D will be an added benefit once Apple releases an iPad model with a Retina Display. A video showcasing the 3D-enabled iPad 2 can be seen below. More →

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mobile
June 13, 2011
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New HP TouchPad video highlights webOS 3.0 features

By on June 13, 2011 at 7:55 PM.

New HP TouchPad video highlights webOS 3.0 features

HP has posted a new video for its highly anticipated TouchPad tablet on YouTube, and it highlights several of the tablet’s distinguishing features. In the three minute clip, HP demos the ability to manage tasks simultaneously, the speed of the dual-core Qualcomm processor, HP Synergy, light gaming, HTML5 and Adobe Flash support, Citrix Receiver, video calling, and HP’s Touch To Share technology for keeping your webOS phone and tablet in sync. The TouchPad is set to debut on July 1st for $499.99. Hit the jump to see the video for yourself. More →

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Tablets
June 1, 2011
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HP TouchPad gets unofficial demo at Computex from SanDisk, SanDisk no longer friend of HP

By on June 1, 2011 at 9:58 PM.

HP TouchPad gets unofficial demo at Computex from SanDisk, SanDisk no longer friend of HP

Are you waiting to get your hands on HP’s first webOS tablet, the TouchPad? We reported it would hit the shops and streets this month, but in the meantime you can feast your eyes on one of the first real demos of an HP TouchPad in the wild — from a SanDisk representative, no less. It all went down on Wednesday at Computex in Taipai, so hit the break to see all the card-based app switching and Synergy action you can handle. More →

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Software
April 12, 2011
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iPad 2 gets glasses-free 3D courtesy of researchers [video]

By on April 12, 2011 at 2:32 AM.

iPad 2 gets glasses-free 3D courtesy of researchers [video]

While devices like the EVO 3D and LG Thrill will bring 3D displays to U.S. smartphones in the near future, we have to say that the glasses-free 3D display technology involved with these small screens has a long way to go before the quality catches up to the hype. Multi-thousand dollar 3D TVs still aren’t terribly impressive in terms of 3D quality though, so expectations aren’t terribly high right now. While 3D gets ironed out, however, 3D-like experiences facilitated by head-tracking technology provide a nifty UI effect that will likely become more popular moving forward. We’ve seen great head-tracking 3D demos from companies like The Astonishing Tribe — now owned by RIM — and HTC’s Flyer will launch with similar UI goodies. Now, a group of researchers called the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction demonstrate head-tracking 3D effects the iPad 2. Hit the break for a video of the technology in action and feel free to let your mind wander as you imagine all the great use cases for this nifty tech. More →

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mobile
March 10, 2011
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LookTel Money Reader: The iPhone as a tool for the blind [video]

By on March 10, 2011 at 12:27 PM.

LookTel Money Reader: The iPhone as a tool for the blind [video]

In January 2009, legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder went to the Consumer Electronics Show and asked companies to consider the blind when building their wares. At the time, Wonder had the iPhone in mind — and Apple would answer the call. The company made its popular smartphone much more accessible to the blind in its subsequent software release by adding a great VoiceOver feature. According to recent rumors, the iPhone could soon become even more accessible thanks to the introduction of more robust voice controls. But developers are doing their part as well, and one in particular recently released an application that helps emphasize the kind of power smartphones have to make people’s lives easier. More →

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Software
March 1, 2011
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Microsoft to demo Windows 8 tablet in June, report claims

By on March 1, 2011 at 10:31 PM.

Microsoft to demo Windows 8 tablet in June, report claims

According to an unconfirmed report on Monday, Microsoft has plans to give the world its first glimpse of Windows 8 for tablets this summer. Citing an unnamed source at Microsoft, Business Insider claims the company hopes to at least show off the new operating system’s design by the end of its fiscal year in June. The report says Microsoft will be “taking a more Apple-like approach to interface deign this time around,” and will also use concepts from Windows Phone 7′s Metro UI. Generally, the Metro UI design couldn’t be any further from Apple’s approach with iOS or OS X, so it will be interesting to see which elements of each philosophy make it to Windows 8 if this report is accurate. Microsoft has not given any specific timeline as far as when it might publicly demo Windows 8. More →

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Tablets
February 16, 2011
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Hands-on with the Motorola XOOM [video]

By on February 16, 2011 at 10:08 AM.

Hands-on with the Motorola XOOM [video]

At this year’s Mobile World Congress, Motorola gave both journalists and consumers their first opportunity to touch, feel, and experience its soon-to-be-launched tablet, the XOOM. Sure, we’ve gone hands-on with Motorola’s tasty Honeycomb tablet before, but today we got to spend a bit more time with the sleek slate. We sat down with our friends from Moto and got a chance to shoot some video, take some pictures, tap on the tablet, and ask questions. We couldn’t get the electronics manufacturer to comment on pricing, or pin them down on an exact release date, but we did get enough hands-on time to give you an idea of exactly what the XOOM is about. Hit the jump to check out the video, photo gallery, and to read our thoughts! More →

49 Comments
mobile
January 20, 2011
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iPhone multitasking gestures demoed on video

By on January 20, 2011 at 1:09 PM.

iPhone multitasking gestures demoed on video

BGR exclusively reported on Wednesday that Apple is currently testing a variety of gestures on its iPhone. While the more interesting gestures are still locked away safely on the Apple campus, the task-switching gesture managed to come out to play in Apple’s recent iOS 4.3 beta software. Antoni Nygaard decided to laugh in the face of Apple’s developer agreement on Wednesday and show off these new gestures on camera. As we’ve pointed out in the past, these gestures are currently in place for testing purposes only. Trust us — if and when gesture support is officially added to the iPhone, it won’t involve uncomfortable four-finger swipes. So while we all wait impatiently to see what official gesture support might look like, hit the break for the video demo of Apple’s test gestures in action on an iPhone 3GS. More →

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CES
January 7, 2011
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Hands-on with BlackBerry PlayBook Bridge [video]

By on January 7, 2011 at 7:19 PM.

Hands-on with BlackBerry PlayBook Bridge [video]

Following our press briefing with the PlayBook early today, we wanted to get a bit more up-close and personal with the BlackBerry Bridge software. Bridge, for those that don’t know, is the bit of technology that connects the BlackBerry handset to the PlayBook and allows for the use of BlackBerry Messenger, BlackBerry Email, and BlackBerry Calendar on the PlayBook itself. For the time being, Bridge will provide the PlayBook with all of its email, calendar, and BBM functionality — there are no stand-alone applications on the device. You read that correctly: without a BlackBerry on hand, you won’t be able to access any of your BlackBerry-specific messaging software. Don’t get us started. Regardless of this fact, RIM was kind enough to give us a demo of the Bridge connection and, for what it is, it works just as advertised. Any edits on the PlayBook are mirrored on your Berry, and vice versa. Drafts saved are accessible on both, and because all of the data is routed through the BlackBerry’s data connection, all Enterprise policies will remain secure and intact, which is definitely a concern for security minded companies looking to integrate tablets into their corporate environment. All told, Bridge does exactly what Bridge is supposed to do… the only question is whether you can live with having to tether your tablet every time you want to send a message. More →

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