iPhone 6s Plus vs Galaxy Note 5 / S6 Edge+

Microsoft Tells Surface Owners It's 'Sorry' for Buggy Notebooks

We had high hopes when we first heard of Microsoft's hybrid Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 convertible notebooks. Unfortunately, we (as well as early adopters) encountered a variety of bugs in these machines. Last Friday (Dec. 11), the company issued an apology for the performance issues beleaguering these products.


Microsoft Tells Surface Owners It's 'Sorry' for Buggy Notebooks

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 is a great iPad Air 2 alternative [Review]

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 is a great iPad Air 2 alternative [Review]

Conclusion

With the 32GB Wi-Fi only version costing £399 direct from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 is priced on a par with the 16GB 9.7-inch iPad Air 2. It has the same screen resolution in a lighter and thinner package, and of course more storage, so it’s clear to see what the target is here. The Samsung offers good performance in everyday use and is likely to deliver better battery life than the iPad as well.

Features like the ability to use KNOX and the inclusion of Microsoft Office make it an attractive option for enterprise users. The plastic back panel doesn’t detract too much from the quality feel of the device, and obviously it contributes to the Galaxy Tab’s light weight. The cameras are good by tablet standards and it isn’t overloaded with bloatware.

Overall Samsung has delivered a well thought out package with this device and if you were thinking of buying an iPad Air 2 it’s well worth considering the Galaxy Tab S2 as an alternative. It offers you more for your money, good performance and you won’t find yourself feeling that you’ve ended up with second best.

Pros

Excellent screenLong battery lifeFast processor

Cons

Plastic backNot the latest AndroidNagging Smart Manager

Review: 8/10

iPad Feel My Face - The Weeknd "Can't Feel My Face" Parody - Music Video

Google Pixel C Review

is The Google Pixel C Tablet A Laptop Replacement?

Dell XPS 13 9350 (Late 2015) Review

Pixel C review: Google’s pure Android productivity tablet

The Pixel C was probably never supposed to run Android | Ars Technica

Was Android actually Google's third operating system choice for its new Pixel C tablet?

The Pixel C finally went on sale this week—but our full review notes that the convertible tablet feels like hardware in search of the software to make it a compelling product. Perhaps that's because, internally, Google engineers seem to have been searching for a compelling Pixel C software package for the last year and a half.

The contradiction between hardware and software is visible all over the tablet, so two examples will suffice. The hardware's keyboard and big screen would point to it being a productivity device, but the software's lack of a split-screen mode and apps optimized for the screen's size hamstring the Pixel C. The hardware seems geared for voice command functionality, given its array of four top-mounted microphones, but the software doesn't support Google's always-on voice commands.

It's also odd that the device hails from the Pixel team. Google has two big hardware brands: "Nexus," which covers flagship Android devices, and "Pixel," which denotes flagship Chrome OS devices. With the Pixel C, though, the Pixel team broke ranks and produced an Android tablet.

In our view, the Pixel C's irregularities all have a single explanation: the Pixel C was originally a Chrome OS device.

Back in July 2014, a new "Ryu" board (a "board" is just a reference to "motherboard"—a Chrome OS device under development) popped up in the Chrome OS open source repository. Further trips through the Chrome OS source code revealed that "Ryu" had a light bar, USB Type-C connectors, an Nvidia Tegra SoC, and wireless charging. That sounds an awful lot like the Pixel C (especially the wireless charging, which is used to charge the keyboard via the tablet's battery when closed).

Open up the Pixel C's software and take a look at Android's build.prop file—which lists all sorts of base information about the device—and you'll see "ro.product.name=ryu" listed in the properties. Based on this commit, it’s safe to say that at one point Google was definitely developing Chrome OS for its new Android tablet.

It appears that the Pixel C was planned as launch hardware for a new, all-touch version of Chrome OS which at some point got canceled—necessitating a switch to Android. The story is a lot more complicated than that, though. What follows is the best timeline we could piece together showing the Pixel C's troubled development history.

The Pixel C was probably never supposed to run Android | Ars Technica

Why Yahoo faded: The Internet changed, but it didn't - CNET

"Yahoo and I go way back.

I was one of the early adopters who embraced Yahoo as my main email service back in 1998 and who set up a custom My Yahoo page (remember those?) so all of the pertinent weather reports, stock quotes and headlines were at my fingertips.

Seventeen years later, Yahoo isn't even on my list of sites to check in on. There's my (non-Yahoo) email, and Facebook, of course, as well as a handful of news sites. The idea of an all-encompassing portal just doesn't appeal to me anymore.

I'm hardly alone. Yahoo said Wednesday that it plans to hollow itself out, spinning off its core business and leaving the company as little more than a way for shareholders to keep Yahoo's stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group."

Why Yahoo faded: The Internet changed, but it didn't - CNET

Introducing the Pixel C (US)

Google Pixel C review - CNET

Google Pixel C review - CNET

Samsung Galaxy View Hands-on

Asus ZenPad S 8.0 review - CNET

Asus ZenPad S 8.0 review - CNET

Google's Chromebooks make up half of US classroom devices

Google's Chromebooks make up half of US classroom devices

"Google, Microsoft and Apple have been competing for years in the very lucrative education technology market. For the first time, Google has taken a huge lead over its rivals.

Chromebooks now make up more than half of all devices in U.S. classrooms, up from less than 1 percent in 2012, according to a new report from Futuresource Consulting. To analysts, this comes as a big surprise.

"While it was clear that Chromebooks had made progress in education, this news is, frankly, shocking," said Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder. "Chromebooks made incredibly quick inroads in just a couple of years, leaping over Microsoft and Apple with seeming ease.

Combine Chromebooks with devices running on Android, and Google's share of the edtech market is even more impressive. As of the third quarter of this year it had 53 percent of the market for K-12 devices bought by schools and school districts.

Google's rapid gains come at the expense of its biggest rivals. Over the past three years, Apple's market share been slashed by more than half, from 52 to 24 percent and Microsoft's market share has slipped from 43 to 24 percent. Even Google seems a little surprised."

iPad Pro after one week: Can it replace your laptop?

iPad Pro after one week: Can it replace your laptop?

The price-tracking trick retailers don't want you to know about

The price-tracking trick retailers don't want you to know about

Common battery myths that need to die

Common battery myths that need to die

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 vs. Apple iPad Air 2

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 vs. Apple iPad Air 2

"With all factors taken into account, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 comes out just a bit ahead of the Apple iPad Air 2, thanks to a prettier screen and better storage options. That said, the victory is narrow, so those who are already leaning toward Apple’s offering shouldn’t feel nervous about going that direction."

Apple iPad Pro vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Comparison Smackdown

Tim Cook insists Apple is 'open' after black teens asked to leave store, report says

Tim Cook insists Apple is 'open' after black teens asked to leave store, report says

"When you've spoken out about the removal of racist symbols in the American south, how do you respond when a video shows apparent racism in one of your own stores?

This was the situation facing Apple CEO Tim Cook after video emerged of several black teens being asked to leave the Apple store at the Highpoint shopping center in Melbourne, Australia.

The reason, so an Apple employee says in the video, was that other workers were concerned the teens "might steal something."

The video, posted to Facebook on Tuesday by Melbourne resident Francis Ose, shows the teens' incredulous reaction when being told why they were being asked to leave.

In his posting, Ose wrote: "Simply Racism, made them apologise tho."

On Friday, BuzzFeed published an email it said was sent by Cook to his employees. In it Cook said Apple is an "open" company and called the incident "unacceptable."

"One of our store employees gave an answer which shocked many of us," Cook said, adding that the employee "immediately" expressed regret to the students.

Neither Apple nor Ose responded to my request for comment."

Google Chrome Blog: Chrome OS is here to stay

"Over the last few days, there’s been some confusion about the future of Chrome OS and Chromebooks based on speculation that Chrome OS will be folded into Android. While we’ve been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there's no plan to phase out Chrome OS.



With the launch of Chrome OS six years ago, we set out to make computers better—faster, simpler and more secure—for everyone. We’ve since seen that vision come to life in classrooms, offices and homes around the world. In fact, every school day, 30,000 new Chromebooks are activated in U.S. classrooms—that’s more than all other education devices combined. And more than 2 million teachers and students in more than 150 countries have the Share to Classroom Chrome extension, which launched in September and gets students onto the same webpage, instantly. Meanwhile, companies such as Netflix, Sanmina, Starbucks and of course Google, are using Chromebooks given the ease of deployment, the ability to easily integrate with existing technologies, and a security model that protects users at all levels, from hardware to user data. (Chromebooks are so secure you don’t need antivirus software!) IT administrators can manage tens of thousands of Chromebooks through a single web console, making them ideal for both classrooms and the workplace."

Google Chrome Blog: Chrome OS is here to stay

2015 Google Chromebook Pixel Vs 2015 MacBook Air - Laptop Comparison

Apple iPad Pro Review

The Verge - The Ipad Pro Review

The Verge

5 things I noticed in my first hours with the iPad Pro | Macworld

"The iPad Pro is not something you can review in a couple of days. That’s not because it’s a new product category or even a dramatic reimagining of one—we’ve all used iPads by now, and more or less understand what kinds of tasks they can do and apps they can run. If anything, the iPad Pro represents a shift in workflow. The trick isn’t what the iPad Pro can do, but how it allows you to do more with an iPad than you’re doing already.

I’ll be giving myself a little over a week to write Macworld’s iPad Pro review, since it’ll take some time to adjust to the iPad and evaluate what benefits and drawbacks it offers over my Mac. But from the moment I ripped off the shrink wrap and fired it up, I noticed a few things I wanted to share. Here are the five most striking impressions the iPad Pro made on me in the first couple of hours."

5 things I noticed in my first hours with the iPad Pro | Macworld

Lenovo Yoga 900 - Full Review and Benchmarks

The Lenovo Yoga 900 is like a Transformer wearing an Armani suit and a Rolex. This superthin premium convertible ($1,199 to start, $1,399 as reviewed) features a slick, understated design on the outside and a pixel-packed quad-HD+ 13.3-inch screen and a powerful 6th-gen Intel CPU on the inside. Lenovo's innovative watchband hinge holds the whole package together, making it easy to switch among multiple modes. Other laptop-tablet hybrids last longer on a charge, but the Yoga 900 is easily one of the best 2-in-1s money can buy.

Lenovo Yoga 900 - Full Review and Benchmarks

Coding bootcamps are replacing computer science degrees | VentureBeat | Dev | by Roshan Choxi, Bloc

Coding bootcamps are replacing computer science degrees | VentureBeat | Dev | by Roshan Choxi, Bloc

"What’s causing this shift? One possibility: Some employers may increasingly see computer science degrees as deficient in tangible skills. “University computer science departments are in miserable shape: 10 years behind in a field that changes every 10 minutes,” says Daniel Gelernter, CEO of tech startup Dittach, quoted in this recent Fortune article.

Though many employers agree with proponents like Gelernter about the staleness of CS curricula, they also argue that it’s difficult for a 12-week coding bootcamp to produce graduates of the same caliber as a four-year computer science program. Vocational training in web and mobile development meets the requirements for many employers, but companies with more sophisticated technology like Google need software engineers with greater depth in their field. Despite their reduction, it is unlikely that computer science degrees will go away entirely."

The Verge - Microsoft Surface Book Review

The Verge

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Net Neutrality (HBO)

Samsung Galaxy View review - CNET

Samsung Galaxy View review - CNET

Lenovo Yoga 900 Review

Samsung Galaxy View review - CNET

Samsung Galaxy View review - CNET

BlackBerry Priv review - CNET

BlackBerry Priv review - CNET

Friday Poll: Does 'Star Trek' really trump 'Star Wars?' - CNET

Friday Poll: Does 'Star Trek' really trump 'Star Wars?' - CNET

World's biggest tech companies get failing grade on data-privacy rights | Technology | The Guardian

World's biggest tech companies get failing grade on data-privacy rights | Technology | The Guardian

"Tech firms including US giants Facebook, Google and Microsoft, Europe’s top mobile companies Vodafone and Orange, China’s Tencent, and South Korea’s Daum Kakao (which makes the 140 million-user-strong KakaoTalk) were among the public companies surveyed in an ongoing project called Ranking Digital Rights.

All of the firms failed to offer their users basic disclosures about privacy and censorship, according to the survey, which was conducted by the New America Foundation thinktank. One didn’t even provide user agreements in the proper language.

“There are no ‘winners’,” said the group in its executive summary. “Even companies in the lead are falling short.”

Eric Schmidt: Potential Android and Chrome OS merger rooted in software advancement

Eric Schmidt: Potential Android and Chrome OS merger rooted in software advancement

"BEIJING -- The distinctions between Google's Android and Chrome OS software will eventually become less apparent, according to Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet.

"Technology can move forward where it's possible you can wrap one into the other," Schmidt said on Monday at the TechCrunch Beijing summit.

Schmidt made the comment as Google was reported to be working towards folding its Chrome OS software, used on laptops called Chromebooks, into Android, its smartphone and tablet operating system. The move could see Android come to PCs.

Google has tried to penetrate the PC market with its generally inexpensive Chromebooks, made by companies such as Dell and Toshiba, but its market share falls far behind Windows, with only 3.5 percent of laptops sold last year running Chrome OS, according to research firm IDC."

Google: 'There's no plan to phase out Chrome OS'

Google: 'There's no plan to phase out Chrome OS'

"Over the last few days, there’s been some confusion about the future of Chrome OS and Chromebooks based on speculation that Chrome OS will be folded into Android," Lockheimer wrote in Google's Chromecast blog Monday. "While we’ve been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there's no plan to phase out Chrome OS."

Google plans to introduce a new Android-based operating system in 2016 that will run on Chromebooks and PCs, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Chromebooks would be rebranded with a new, so far undetermined, name, according to the report.

Lockheimer responded later that day, saying "we are very committed to Chrome OS."

Lenovo Yoga 900 hands-on

Lenovo gives the new Yoga 900 a big power boost

Microsoft Surface Book vs. Surface Pro 4 Comparison

The Pixel C Tablet Is Google's Answer to the iPad Pro | WIRED

Like its namesake, the Chromebook Pixel, the Pixel C (which stand for Convertible) is a high-end device with productivity in mind. It also looks like the previous Pixel, or at least, like the Pixel would if you sawed off its bottom half and made a tablet out of it. It also includes an important accessory: A keyboard attachment that charges automatically when closed over the device. There’s no kickstand here, though it can still be adjusted between 100 to 135 degrees, and the keyboard and tablet communicate via Bluetooth rather than connectors. Interestingly, the tablet also features the same pitch as a traditional laptop, despite a smaller screen size. Also interesting, or at least uncommon? The Pixel C’s aspect ration of the square root of two (roughly 1.42 to 1), the same as that of a sheet of A4 paper, compared to the 4:3 iPad Pro. It’s closer to square than you might be used to in a tablet, and it also happens to be ideal for viewing the web, which is where Google hopes you’ll be spending the bulk of your time.

Functionally, that puts the Pixel C in the same world as Microsoft’s Surface Pro and Apple’s iPad Pro, hybrid tablet devices that bridge the gap between work and home. The similarities don’t go much further, though. While a powerful Intel Core processor, the same kind you would find in a thin and light laptop, powers the Surface Pro, the iPad Pro and Pixel C both rely on less robust mobile processors. Where the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface are both 12-inch devices, the Pixel C inhabits a more diminutive (and, arguably, more practical) 10.1-inch display. And the Pixel C will run Android 6.0, versus the Surface Pro’s full Windows prowess.

But don’t mistake the Pixel C for a wimp. It has an Nvidia X1 quad-core processor, a “desktop-caliber” Maxwell GPU, and 3GB of RAM, which should be plenty to power most everyday tasks. Its display packs in 308 pixels per inch, well beyond the iPad Pro’s 264. It has stereo speakers on either side, as well, though that doesn’t mean much without hearing them. You can also have voice interactions from across the room, thanks to far-field microphones embedded. Its USB-C charger gives some future-proof assurances, and will let you charge and transfer data through the same port. It starts at $499 for the 32GB tablet, $599 for the 64GB tablet, and $149 for the keyboard attachment.

The Pixel C Tablet Is Google's Answer to the iPad Pro | WIRED

Google denies that it will fold Chrome OS into Android | Technology | The Guardian

The company has made moves to make the two operating systems more integrated, providing more desktop Chrome features for the Android version of Google’s Chrome browser, while adding features such as Google Now and support for a select number of Android apps on Chrome OS.

Google’s Chromecast streaming media adapters also run a version of Android, further blurring the lines between Chrome and Android.

Both systems are based on Linux. It would make sense as the basal level to allow both systems to share one underlying codebase. It is likely that Google could create a Chrome OS experience on top of an Android base.

Many have speculated for years that Chrome OS and Android would merge. Google’s launch of an Android tablet, the Pixel C, which has a heavy focus on productivity with a keyboard accessory that turns it into a laptop analogue also saw speculation that Google would phase out Chrome OS.

The Chrome OS operating system has found success in schools running on low-cost but capable laptops for which its apparent immunity to malware and simple setup and management are suited.

For now, Google says that it is committed to Chrome OS and it is likely Android and Chrome OS will co-exist with tighter integration between the two for the foreseeable future.

Google denies that it will fold Chrome OS into Android | Technology | The Guardian

Apple TV review (2015)

Google’s Lack Of Product Isolation Would Support A Chrome OS And Android Merge | TechCrunch

What we do know is that neither operating system is being “killed off.”

Here’s the deal. Mobile rules the world, and Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai (he previously oversaw Chrome, Chrome OS, Apps and added Android to his purview in 2013) stated as such during Alphabet’s recent earnings call. It’s no secret. There are elements of Android that make it a far superior operating system than Chrome OS. But you know what? Chrome OS does a hell of a job relying on Google’s browser, which is by the far the top browser among internetters.

What Chrome OS lacks is native apps, and that’s what gets developers excited and consumer’s minds swirling about possibilities. In fact, Chrome OS is quite boring. So boring that schools love them. Big companies are taking a look at them. Because of Google Apps. Chrome OS always felt like it could be a “mode” that you should be able to turn on within Android. For when you had a shitty Internet connection or just wanted the bare bones to get work done. Regardless, the ecosystem is alive and well.

If Pichai’s cry for mobile, mobile, mobile weren’t enough to tip the hand that this may happen, theannouncement of the Pixel C sure was. A kinda-laptop-tablet-running-full-on-Android.

Then there’s the Fast Company article that featured Hiroshi Lockheimer (SVP Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast at Google), where this topic kinda/sorta/definitely came up:

Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Lockheimer how much time he spent thinking about Android’s and Chrome OS’s future past the next release or two, and what they might look like a few years from now. I thought I was giving him an opportunity to wax eloquent on pie-in-the-sky stuff. Instead, he stayed practical, and said that developing operating systems can’t be done in isolation from the components they use and the devices they’ll run on. Running engineering for these two operating systems requires him to think about everything from chips to merchandising.

In the same piece, he pointed to the fact that you can unlock a Chrome OS laptop with an Android phone. You get the idea.

Basically, knowledge sharing happens and learnings are known.

Google’s Lack Of Product Isolation Would Support A Chrome OS And Android Merge | TechCrunch

Guy in Charge of Chrome Says Google Isn't Killing Chrome OS After All

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google would be folding its Chrome OS into Android, creating one mobile operating system. But the dude in charge of the Android and Chrome OS went on Twitter to dispel the rumor:

There’s a ton of momentum for Chromebooks and we are very committed to Chrome OS. I just bought two for my kids for schoolwork!



Guy in Charge of Chrome Says Google Isn't Killing Chrome OS After All

Samsung Galaxy View Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

Alphabet’s Google to Fold Chrome Operating System Into Android - WSJ

ENLARGE

Google CEO Sundar Pichai assumed responsibility for Android, as well as Chrome, in 2013. PHOTO: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG

By 

ALISTAIR BARR

Updated Oct. 29, 2015 8:28 p.m. ET

66 COMMENTS

Alphabet Inc.’s Google plans to fold its Chrome operating system for personal computers into its Android mobile operating system, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign of the growing dominance of mobile computing.

Google engineers have been working for roughly two years to combine the operating systems and have made progress recently, two of the people said. The company plans to unveil its new, single operating system in 2017, but expects to show off an early version next year, one of the people said.

Alphabet’s Google to Fold Chrome Operating System Into Android - WSJ

Google killing Chrome OS? Reports point to all-Android future

Google killing Chrome OS? Reports point to all-Android future

Netflix's biggest and best new titles for November

Netflix's biggest and best new titles for November

Google's mobile quest may lead to Android, Chrome merger - CNET

Google's mobile quest may lead to Android, Chrome merger - CNET

Google's mobile quest may lead to Android, Chrome merger - CNET

The Mountain View, California, company is looking to bring its Android mobile software to laptop computers, according to a report Thursday by The Wall Street Journal. As part of that push, Google may annex some parts of its Chrome OS software, which mainly powers its Chromebook laptops, with Android, its operating system for smartphones and tablets, according to the report.

The search giant plans to release this newly unified software in 2017, the report says, with Google showing it off for the first time next year. Chrome OS will continue to be available to other companies, but Google will focus on extending Android to laptops, according to the report.

A Google spokeswoman declined to comment.

Google's mobile quest may lead to Android, Chrome merger - CNET

Microsoft Surface Book Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review

Nexus 6P: Google phone that deserves a wider audience - FT.com

Nexus 6P: Google phone that deserves a wider audience - FT.com

"High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights.http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fa17bfb8-7825-11e5-933d-efcdc3c11c89.html#ixzz3pzXiFWJt

If you want a smartphone with all the fit and finish of an iPhone, including well-designed software and a slim casing, but you prefer to live entirely in Google’s world, the Nexus 6P is worth a look. Android need no longer come with trade-offs."

Only time will tell what specifics will unfold and when, but what we can say with confidence is that the Pixel line has always been about supporting what's ahead -- supporting Google's vision for the future of a platform. In the case of the new Pixel C, much like we saw with the original Pixel device, it may just take a little while for the present to catch up and the full scope of the vision to come into focus.Only time will tell what specifics will unfold and when, but what we can say with confidence is that the Pixel line has always been about supporting what's ahead -- supporting Google's vision for the future of a platform. In the case of the new Pixel C, much like we saw with the original Pixel device, it may just take a little while for the present to catch up and the full scope of the vision to come into focus.

The  time will tell what specifics will unfold and when, but what we can say with confidence is that the Pixel line has always been about supporting what's ahead -- supporting Google's vision for the future of a platform. In the case of the new Pixel C, much like we saw with the original Pixel device, it may just take a little while for the present to catch up and the full scope of the vision to come into focus.I the    he crucial factor everyone's forgetting about Google's Pixel C | Computerworld

"Only time will tell what specifics will unfold and when, but what we can say with confidence is that the Pixel line has always been about supporting what's ahead -- supporting Google's vision for the future of a platform. In the case of the new Pixel C, much like we saw with the original Pixel device, it may just take a little while for the present to catch up and the full scope of the vision to come into focus."

Tested: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review

Microsoft Surface Book Vs Surface Pro 4 Comparison/Review

Spec showdown: Surface Book vs. MacBook Pro, from cheapest to priciest | Macworld

Spec showdown: Surface Book vs. MacBook Pro, from cheapest to priciest | Macworld

The Dark Web isn't as revolutionary as you'd think

"When the United States Naval Research Laboratory began development of The Onion Router (TOR) in the mid-1990’s they meant well.

How could they have known it would eventually become a popular habitat for hackers, child pornographers and criminals?

The goal was to create a portal where dissidents of oppressive regimescan communicate their strife to the US government anonymously, which is all very well and good, until the portal became a hotbed of criminal activity known as The Dark Web. The Dark Web is a network of underground websites which are not readily accessible to your average internet visitor."

The Dark Web isn't as revolutionary as you'd think

The sky’s limit | The Economist

The sky’s limit | The Economist

"The rise of cloud computing is rapid, inexorable and causing huge upheaval in the tech industry. The old guard is suffering: this week’s $67 billion merger between Dell and EMC, makers of computers and storage devices respectively, was a marriage forced by the rise of the cloud (see article). Disruptive newcomers are blooming: if Amazon’s cloud-computing unit were a stand-alone public company, it would probably be worth almost as much as Dell and EMC combined."

Hacker taking down hate groups sites | BGR

Hacker taking down hate groups sites | BGR

"Earlier this week, VentureBeat reported on a hacker known as Amped Attacks who, rather than stealing your credit card data from a national retail chain or releasing data on Ashley Madison accounts, is shutting down websites run by racists, homophobes, and other groups that most decent, intelligent people wouldn’t associate themselves with.

By initiating distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on the websites, he not only takes them offline temporarily, but he also alerts everyone to their existence. We know that bad stuff is out there, but most of us do our best to avoid it.

His attacks began to garner attention when he took down godhatesfags.com, the homepage of the Westboro Baptist Church, on Wednesday evening with the message: “Just Cause I Can.”

Since then, he’s focused on websites run by members of the KKK, pedophiles and hate groups, and considering the fact that he was active just 12 hours ago at the time of writing, it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop anytime soon."

Google Nexus 5X review - CNET

Google Nexus 5X review - CNET

Google Nexus 6P review - CNET

Google Nexus 6P review - CNET

The Surface Book Really Is the Ultimate Laptop

Surface Book Vs MacBook Pro 15, MacBook Twice As Fast? LOL

Microsoft Surface Book review - CNET

Microsoft Surface Book review - CNET

Microsoft Surface Book review

This is the best Windows computer I have ever used.  I got a chance to play with it today.  Hardware wise the only computer that I feel beats it is the Google Pixel 2 but it is not just a laptop.  It converts into a Surface tablet similar to the Surface Pro 3 or 4.  I would rather use an Android or Apple tablet that a Surface Tablet.  It is though a great laptop.  I did not expect any Windows laptop this year to exceed the Dell XPS 13 but this computer does just that.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 review

Google Nexus 6P Preview - CNET

Google Nexus 6P Preview - CNET

Surface Pro 4: Hands-on

The Weekly SO2E32: Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, Lumia 950/950XL +More

Marco Rubio and immigration reform: the devilry is in the detail | US news | The Guardian

Marco Rubio and immigration reform: the devilry is in the detail | US news | The Guardian

"Rubio says he has simply changed his tactics, not his broader position, on how to resolve a decades-long debate. But immigration advocates believe the devil is in the details and Rubio, at least for now, appears reluctant to identify the metrics and timetables they say are crucial to ensuring that the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US can even apply for work permits, let alone citizenship."

NYTimes: Digital Privacy, in the U.S. and Europe

Microsoft Surface Book: Redmond’s new laptop already sold out | BGR

Microsoft Surface Book: Redmond’s new laptop already sold out | BGR

Dell XPS 13 vs. MacBook Air 13" - The Final Verdict!

Apple faces $862M fine after losing processor patent dispute

Apple faces $862M fine after losing processor patent dispute

Microsoft Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 First Look

Surface Book vs Surface Pro 4

Microsoft Surface Book Hands-on

Dell XPS 12 hands-on | The Verge

Dell XPS 12 hands-on | The Verge

Apple iPad mini 4 review | The Verge

Last year, Apple delivered a dud of an iPad. I’m not talking about the iPad Air 2, which set an incredible new benchmark for the type of speed and performance consumers can expect from tablets. No, I’m referring to the disappointing, mailed-in iPad mini 3. In 2014, Apple decided to update the the iPad mini 2’s spec sheet with just one thing: Touch ID. The result was a tablet that felt underwhelming the moment it arrived on store shelves — despite costing the same $399 as the earlier model.

A year later, we’re now looking at the iPad mini 4. Considering the barely-there mention it got at Apple’s September event, you might think we’d be in for another underwhelming refresh. But you’d be wrong. For 2015, we’ve gotten the opposite of a lazy revision; Apple has delivered improvements at almost every turn. The iPad mini we wanted last year? It’s here today.

Apple spent less than 20 seconds introducing the iPad mini 4, but in that time Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of marketing, made an encouraging claim: “We’ve taken the power and performance of iPad Air 2 and built it into an even smaller mini enclosure.” This is only partly true. If you’re looking at thinness, the new iPad mini slimmed down from its predecessor, and is slightly lighter, too. But it’s also gotten a bit taller — to such an extent that many cases for the iPad mini 3 just won’t fit. Apple sells a front smart cover and silicone case for the new mini’s backside, but annoyingly the more comprehensive Smart Case no longer exists. Now if you want full protection, you’ll have to buy both the cover and rear case for over $100 after tax. Ouch.

Apple iPad mini 4 review | The Verge

How Microsoft's Surface Book could save Windows

How Microsoft's Surface Book could save Windows

Google Chromebook Pixel 2 is ready to be your work laptop [REVIEW]

"I have to give lots of credit to Google's new flagship laptop for getting me through a typical workday without frustration. The Chromebook Pixel 2 will perform, and perform admirably, on 95% of what you want. Just be sure to keep your old computer around for the other 5%".


Google Chromebook Pixel 2 is ready to be your work laptop [REVIEW]

Toshiba Chromebook 2 (2015) - Full Reviews and Benchmarks

With the proliferation of powerful apps available online (office suites, music apps and email clients to name a few) the Chrome OS platform is becoming robust enough for customers to take Chromebooks seriously. Toshiba has armed the Chromebook 2 CB35 ($330) notebook with a 13.3-inch full-HD display, an Intel Celeron 3215U processor and 4GB of RAM. While those features are on a par with the average Chromebook, the CB35's lengthy battery life and brilliant, accurate screen make it stand out from the competition.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/toshiba-chromebook-2-cb35#sthash.YzcVoDgd.dpuf

Toshiba Chromebook 2 (2015) - Full Reviews and Benchmarks

2-in-1 decision challenge: Surface Book, Surface 4 Pro, XPS 12 or iPad Pro? | ZDNet

"Last month, I was leaning towards going "all in" on iOS with an iPad Pro. Microsoft and Dell have made that decision much more difficult with new 2-in-1 products."

Is it safe for Americans to buy Huawei-built Nexus phones? | ZDNet

"at Congress was up in arms about were routers and communications devices used in enterprise systems, not consumer-level smartphones. Even so, we are now considering trusting our most personal information to Huawei-built devices. Smartphones are both incredibly personal and incredibly data-intensive. If anything will be of interest to an organization interested in stealing secrets, it would be the personal data found on a smartphone.

Except for one thing: that's not really China's style. China tends to conduct big-picture espionage. The country seems far more interested in big scores, like the plans for our F-35 multirole and F-22 tactical fighters. China seems more than willing to let US taxpayers foot the bill for stolen R&D, which eventually found its way into its Chengdu J-20 Dragon fighter.

In fact, according to the 2013 edition of the always-excellent Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 30 percent of all cyberespionage activities originated in China. By contrast, the former Soviet states are into financial hacking. The same Data Breach Investigations Report attributes 40 percent of all financial hacking to Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia.

One of the issues I am particularly curious about is how we, as a global culture, manage technologies that are supplied by nations we may or may not have cordial relationships with. This is of particular concern since national policies can be so transitory, based on whatever regime is in power at any given time."

How Microsoft's Surface Book could save Windows

How Microsoft's Surface Book could save Windows

CEO Satya Nadella’s vision for Microsoft

NYTimes: Review: ‘Steve Jobs,’ Apple’s Visionary C.E.O. Dissected

The stunning Surface Book may reignite PC maker hostility towards Microsoft http://www.pcworld.com/article/2990900/computers/the-stunning-surface-book-may-reignite-pc-maker-hostility-towards-microsoft.html#tk.rss_all

"Microsoft’s foray into notebooks with the Surface Book is certain to tick off its computer-making partners, but there’s little recourse for the latter except to grin and bear it, analysts said today.

“If I’m an OEM, I’m not happy,” said Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research. “The big difference between [the Surface Book] and the Surface Pro three years ago is that the Surface Pro was claiming to be a new category. Now Microsoft is saying the Surface Book is the best, thinnest Windows PC, not the best from Microsoft. It’s unqualified.”

Microsoft device boss Panos Panay certainly didn’t qualify his boasts about the Surface Book. “Ounce for ounce, pound for pound, this is the fastest 13-in. laptop ever made anywhere on any planet,” an energetic Panay said Tuesday as he unveiled the device. “This is the ultimate laptop.”

Microsoft leaves Apple in the dust with tablet and laptop innovation in 2015

Microsoft leaves Apple in the dust with tablet and laptop innovation in 2015

Hands-On With Microsoft Surface Book: Tech News 2Night 439

Hands-on with the Microsoft Surface Book

Everyone is copying Microsoft's Surface | The Verge

Bill Gates always wanted a tablet.

Back in 2001 when the first real tablet PC running Windows emerged, Gates was bullish in an interview with CNN: “Within five years I predict it will be the most popular form of PC sold in America,” he said. Apple’s iPad won the tablet popularity race nearly 10 years later, but it hasn’t become the most popular form of PC yet.



Gates saw the value of a convertible tablet complete with a keyboard and a pen 15 years ago, but it’s not Apple that’s leading the industry forward with the idea of a modern tablet. It’s Microsoft.



We've seen some weird and wonderful two-in-one tablets over the years, thanks largely to Windows 8, but it seems the industry as a whole is settling on a combination of detachable keyboard, tablet, and some type of kickstand or adjustable hinge. Microsoft's Surface Book is a fresh take on the laptop, but Google, Apple, HP, Dell, and others all seem to be taking a lot of inspiration from the Surface Pro 3.



Everyone is copying Microsoft's Surface | The Verge

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Release Date, News, Pricing and Specs - CNET

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Release Date, News, Pricing and Specs - CNET

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Release Date, News, Pricing and Specs - CNET

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Release Date, News, Pricing and Specs - CNET

Kajita and McDonald win Nobel physics prize for work on neutrinos

Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Time and Relativity

How Steve Jobs played Carly Fiorina like a fool

"Within the tech industry it is argued that Fiorina was fired from HP in 2005 "because she did her job poorly" especially since her high profile moves, such as the merger with Compaq, ended badly for HP.  But Levy tells a tale that encapsulates her stunning failures at HP even greater. In  January of 2004, Fiorina proudly announced her showstopper at CES - the flagship event for consumer electronics. That showstopper? The baby blue HP iPod. I can almost hear the reader question "The baby blue HP iPod?". Yes, the baby blue HP iPod.



Fiorina had sealed a deal with the Steve Jobs-led Apple for HP to sell HP branded iPods. Now, you may wonder, why on earth would a company whose motto was "Invent!" be excited about rebranding another company's product? Well, for one, up to that point Apple had not had much success getting the 3 year old iPods into retail stores - Apple mainly sold iPods online and at Apple stores. So Fiorina thought she had her big break, she could rebrand another company's product and sell it at your neighborhood Big Boxmart store. In exchange, Apple got HP to ship all their PCs with the iTunes store pre-installed. This was pretty significant for Apple, as HP had a large market share in PCs, and the move allowed Apple to grow its iTunes store business.



Levy however, details the flaws with Fiorina's plan



In return, HP got the right to sell iPods. But not in a way that could possibly succeed. Fiorina boasted to me that she would be able to sell the devices in thousands of retail outlets; up to that point Apple mostly sold them online and in its own stores. But by the time in mid-2004 that HP actually began selling its branded iPods, Apple was expanding to multiple retail outlets on its own. And soon after HP began selling iPods, Apple came out with new, improved iPods — leaving HP to sell an obsolete device. Fiorina apparently did not secure the right to sell the most current iPods in a timely fashion, and was able to deliver newer models only months after the Apple versions were widely available.

The HP iPod never made up more than 5% of total iPod sales."



How Steve Jobs played Carly Fiorina like a fool

Samsung Gear S2 - Unboxing & Review!

The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia

The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia

3 Scientists Win Nobel Prize in Medicine for Parasite-Fighting Therapies - The New York Times

3 Scientists Win Nobel Prize in Medicine for Parasite-Fighting Therapies - The New York Times

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 vs. Apple iPad Air 2 Comparison Smackdown

Mars's flowing water and Google's brand new gadgets

Mars's flowing water and Google's brand new gadgets

Real Time with Bill Maher: Neil deGrasse Tyson – Water on Mars (HBO)

VAIO returns to the US next week with this high-end transforming tablet | The Verge

 

Snowden slip-up leads to 47GB avalanche of Twitter e-mail notifications - CNET

"You can decide whether Edward Snowden is a whistleblower or a traitor.

I can now confirm, however, that he is unquestionably human.

Having joined Twitter a matter of hours ago, the temporary Muscovite took to it with gusto. He amassed more than 1 million followers, all keen to see what he thought of "Game Of Thrones." (That's what I imagine, at least.)

On Thursday, however, he made a confession. No, he didn't admit to advising Vladimir Putin on bombing Syria. Neither did he declare that he was currently reading Hillary Clinton's e-mails and finding them fascinating.

No, he admitted that he'd made a Twitter Faux-pas. "I forgot to turn off notifications," he tweeted. "Twitter sent me an email for each."

Check out this drip: Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Final verdict

"The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is a lightweight tablet that's a lightweight upgrade over last year's Galaxy Tab S. Andbeyond the thinner and lighter design, it can't keep up with the iPad Air 2.

There's still plenty of reason to invest in this reading and web surfing-friendly tablet. Its size and shape is better suited for everything but video, and for some, that's a big plus.

It has stronger multitasking functionality to rival iOS 9 and features that Google isn't premiering until the Android Marshmallow launch. Samsung is slightly ahead of other Android tablets, even if this year's update is as small as the form factor is thin."

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 Review: A New Android Champion

"QUICK TAKEA beautiful display and powerful processor help make the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 the best Android tablet on the market today."

Nexus 5X hands-on!

Nexus 6P hands-on!

Google Pixel C hands-on!

Moto 360 (2015 Model) Review

Google wants to become the one-stop shop of tech - CNET

Google wants to become the one-stop shop of tech - CNET

The Moto 360 Verge Review

Google Nexus event: start time, live blog, and streaming for today’s announcement | The Verge

The future of Google with Sundar Pichai

Bill Nye explains why water on Mars matters | MSNBC

Bill Nye explains why water on Mars matters | MSNBC

Dell Chromebook 13 hands on review | TechRadar

"At the entry- and mid-level configurations, the Dell Chromebook 13 makes for a compelling alternative to Google's Chromebook Pixel, but at the highest $899 (£575, AU$1,221) configuration, the $999 (£640, AU$1,357) Chromebook's higher resolution screen and larger assortment of ports make it more appealing.

However, when viewed as a package, Dell may have arrived at a winning formula. Its managed mobility solution makes it easy for IT managers to deploy and manage Chromebooks, and tested support for VPN connectivity and virtualized desktops makes it easy for users to not miss a Windows computer."

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 vs. Apple iPad Air 2 Comparison Smackdown

The new Dell Chromebook 13 is one of the most premium Chromebooks yet | The Verge

"In a world of $169 Chromebooks that are every bit as capable as Dell’s new offering (albeit not as fast or as flash) it may sound weird to welcome a true mid-range Chromebook.

But it fills a gap: businesses need devices that don’t just do what they need, but are able to withstand doing it.

To do in the office what it’s done in the classroom, Google needs its hardware partners to be making devices like this.

With 12 hours of battery life, a screen people will want to look at and extras like a backlit keyboard, the Dell Chromebook 13 rockets to the top of the recommendation tree for anyone needing something “more” than the currently available Chrome devices but without spending big on a Pixel.

And better yet you will be able to buy it, not just businesses."