Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently admitted that the company may have made too many Surface RT tablets, and the software maker also took a $900 write-down this month when it dropped the selling price of the tablet from $499 to $349. Now an SEC filing shows that the $900 million figure is actually more than […]
AMD’s latest Embedded G-Series chip uses about 3W on average
AMD has been pushing its way into the low-power chip territory over the last few years, and this week the company introduced its lowest power processor yet. The new AMD GX-210JA is a system-on-a-chip with a TDP of 6 watts, although AMD says it actually uses closer to 3 watts during normal use. This is […]
MoDaCo.SWITCH coming to Samsung Galaxy S4, switch between TouchWiz, Google Experience
Paul O’Brien’s MoDaCo.SWITCH software for the HTC One lets users toggle the Android environment on their smartphones. Want to disable HTC Sense and switch to the version of Android you’d get if you bought the phone from the Google Play Store? Just tap the switch button and your phone will reboot into that environment while […]
You can switch Chromecast to dev or beta channel
Google’s Chrome web browser and Chrome OS operating system come in stable, beta, and dev channels. And it turns out the company’s Chromecast media streaming device is no different. Out of the box, the $35 media device runs the Chromecast stable software. But if you want to switch channels, developer Jay Lee has posted instructions. […]
NVIDIA Shield reviewed, puzzled over (roundup)
Now that NVIDIA’s handheld gaming console is available, you might be wondering whether it’s worth paying $299 for. After reading more than a dozen reviews of the NVIDIA Shield, it doesn’t look like there’s a simple answer. If there’s a consensus, it seems to be that the Shield is a fast, well-built device that sets […]
Intel’s Minnowboard open source, low-power dev board ships for $199
Since the introduction of the Raspberry Pi low-power mini computer in 2011 we’ve seen a number of tiny computers and developer boards hit the market. Many pack more power than the Raspberry Pi, and most also have higher price tags. But they tend to rely on ARM-based processors in order to keep prices (and power […]
Deals of the Day (7-31-2013)
Remember when you had to spend around $1000 to get an ultrabook? That was way back in late 2011 when they were brand new and there were no options for older models, discounted models, or refurbished units. Now you can occasionally pick up a thin, light, and moderately powerful ultrabook for less than the price […]
Xiaomi introduces $130 Red Rice phone with 720p display
Chinese device maker Xiaomi is continuing its push to offer decent phones at reasonably low prices. A few months ago the company introduced the Xiaomi Phone 2S with high-end specs and a mid-range $320 price tag. Now the company is following up with $130 phone called the Xiaomi Red Rice, and while it doesn’t exactly […]
Google partners with Starbucks to offer 10x faster WiFi
Starbucks coffee shops across the US have been offering free WiFi powered by AT&T since 2010. Over the next year and a half Starbucks will move from AT&T to Google — and Google says that means you’ll see internet connection speeds that are up to 10 times higher in most locations. If you’re in a […]
Microsoft Office Mobile hits Android (for Office 365 subscribers)
There’s no shortage of office apps for Android. QuickOffice, OfficeSuite Pro, Kingsoft Office, and many others (including Google Drive) have been letting Android phone and tablet users open and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents for years. Now there’s a new player in town — Microsoft. The company has finally brought a version of what’s […]