Consumer
4 products that defined trends at top gadget show, from supersharp TVs to crowdfunded watches
January 14, 2013 8:56 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsThe world's largest gadget show wrapped up on Friday, and the organizers said it was the biggest ever, beating last year's record in terms of the floor space companies purchased to display their wares. What was it that drew more than 3,500 companies and 150,000 people to Las Vegas for this mega-event?
Apple executive dismisses cheaper phone as a market share grab: report
January 11, 2013 12:22 pm | by Reuters | News | CommentsApple Inc will not resort to a cheaper iPhone to expand its market share, marketing chief Phil Schiller told a Chinese newspaper in an interview when asked about speculation the company is developing a less expensive version of its popular smartphone.Schiller pointed out that though Apple
U.S. warns on Java software as security concerns escalate
January 11, 2013 12:17 pm | by Jim Finkle, Rueters | News | CommentsThe U.S. Department of Homeland Security urged computer users to disable Oracle Corp's Java software, amplifying security experts' prior warnings to hundreds of millions of consumers and businesses that use it to surf the Web. Hackers have figured out how to exploit Java to install malicious software
Gadget Watch: Smart watch lets you know your iPhone is getting a call, no need for charging
January 11, 2013 12:14 pm | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | Comments"Smart" watches that talk to cellphones have been around for some time, but they've been hampered by their high battery drain - usually needing recharging every few days. At this week's International CES electronics trade show in Las Vegas, a startup launched a smart watch, the Cookoo, that runs for a year on a standard button cell.
FCC to push for faster wi-fi at airports, other hubs
January 10, 2013 2:03 pm | by Reuters | News | CommentsTelecommunications regulators are planning a push to increase wi-fi speed in airports, convention centers and other major hubs where travelers often see download speeds slow to a maddening crawl. Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachows
This flashlight can operate on any battery
January 10, 2013 9:23 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsPicture this: You’re sitting in front of the television one night watching Ax Men when suddenly the power goes out. Stumbling over to the hall closet, you rummage around on the shelves for a flashlight. Finally, after nearly strangling yourself with a scarf, you locate the light only to discover it needs batteries.
Gadget Watch: Samsung shows phone with bendable screen, teases future with screens that fold
January 10, 2013 9:05 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsBy showing off a phone with a flexible screen, Samsung is hinting at a day when we might fold up our large phone or tablet screens as if they were maps. The Korean electronics company provided a glimpse of such a device at a keynote speech Wednesday at the International
Far-field voice input processor SoC targets smart TVs
January 9, 2013 2:59 pm | Conexant Systems | Product Releases | CommentsConexant Systems announced the CX20865, its new high-performance Far-Field Voice input processor system-on-chip (SoC) designed specifically for Smart TVs. The CX20865 is asserted to be the first dedicated Far-Field Voice solution with integrated
Wireless audio platform supports iOS, Android, Windows 8 and Mac
January 9, 2013 12:23 pm | Microchip Technology Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMicrochip Technology Inc., announced what it asserts is the first and only Wi-Fi audio connectivity platform — featuring the new JukeBlox 3.2 platform and software development kit — to support all of the major mobile and PC operating systems along with
Gadget Watch: Electronic fork tracks your bites, nags you about your eating habits
January 9, 2013 8:58 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsIf you've always wanted a fork that spies on your eating habits, you're in luck: A company has developed a utensil that records when you lift it to the mouth. The electronic fork is one of the gadgets getting attention this week at the International CES in Las Vegas, an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices.
Gadget Watch: Pen uses infrared, ultrasonic technology to make old monitors touch-ready
January 9, 2013 8:50 am | by RYAN NAKASHIMA Associated Press | News | CommentsMany people who have tried Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system without a touch screen have hated it because of the inability to use touch and swipe commands to get things going. Now, a company has made a digital pen to allow people to use Windows 8 on their old monitors for less than the cost of buying a new touch-enabled computer.
Google to provide free public Wi-Fi in Manhattan neighborhood where it has offices
January 9, 2013 8:48 am | by KAREN MATTHEWS Associated Press | News | CommentsGoogle said Tuesday it is teaming up with a New York City neighborhood business group to provide the company's first urban Wi-Fi network.The network will be available free to about a 10-block area surrounding Google's offices in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, where Google has more than 3,000 employees.
Why the computer mouse will soon be obsolete
January 8, 2013 9:04 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsIf you thought being able to “pinch” your iPad screen to zoom was cool, hold on to your hats, because there is something even better coming: a way to use your computer without even touching it.To fully understand why this technology is so awesome, you have to ask yourself about the actual reason the computer mouse is designed the way is it.
Gadget Watch: Samsung camera lens goes from 2-D to 3-D at the flip of a switch
January 8, 2013 8:50 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsCameras that can record in 3-D are usually pretty complicated, sporting two lenses instead of one, to mimic human binocular vision. Samsung says it has a more elegant solution: a single lens that can go from 2-D to 3-D mode with the flip of a switch.
Finding Chicago's food gardens with Google Earth
January 7, 2013 9:03 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsUrban agriculture is promoted as a strategy for dealing with food insecurity, stimulating economic development, and combating diet-related health problems in cities. However, up to now, no one has known how much gardening is taking place in urban areas. Researchers at the University of Illinois
New Lego robotics kit talks to iPhones, comes with infrared 'eyes;' $350 later this year
January 7, 2013 8:57 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsLego bricks are getting cozy with the iPhone and other Apple devices in the latest incarnation of the Mindstorms robotics kit. Lego is set to announce Monday that a new, $350 Mindstorms EV3 kit will have the ability to talk to iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches through Bluetooth wireless connections.
Huge gadget show gears up in Vegas
January 3, 2013 6:17 pm | by PETER SVENSSON - AP Technology Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsThink your high-definition TV is hot stuff — as sharp as it gets? At the biggest trade show in the Americas, which kicks off next week in Las Vegas, TV makers will be doing their best to convince you that HDTVs are old hat, and should make room for "Ultra HDTV." It's the latest gambit from an...
Would you like to contribute to our Brainstorm section?
January 2, 2013 4:50 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWe here at ECN love to hear what you have to say, so for our February issue we’re opening up the Brainstorm discussion to our faithful readers. We want to hear your thoughts about consumer electronics and the future of technology. Typically, the Brainstorm is an editorial section consisting of short commentary....
The chicken-and-egg challenge of innovation
January 2, 2013 11:06 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | Blogs | CommentsInnovation is a very popular topic right now, and has been for several years. The inventive spirit and a long history of innovative prowess has kept United States industry on top of the global pile for, arguably, nearly a century. It’s hard to argue that it has been so for the last half-century.
Review: 4 ways to highlight loved ones on Facebook, making it less a voyeuristic free-for-all
January 2, 2013 10:40 am | by TALI ARBEL AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) -- A woman I haven't spoken to in six years is pregnant with her second son. Another college acquaintance reads the Bible a lot. A high school classmate likes to rant about politics. A college dormmate thinks he works too much.
LG beats rivals in race to sell new OLED TVs as it starts taking South Korean orders
January 2, 2013 10:37 am | by YOUKYUNG LEE AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsLG Electronics Inc. started taking pre-orders on Wednesday for the world's first big TVs that use an advanced display technology promising startlingly clear images on wafer-thin screens. The South Korean company said the 55-inch TVs, which use a technology called "OLED"
Top 10 must-see posts for December
December 21, 2012 12:34 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsHere’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web. Take a look at what you missed the first time around or check up on an old favorite to see the conversation in the comments. Keep checking out the Lead at www.ecnmag.com and follow us on Twitter @ecnonline for our most up-to-date articles.
Big Brother takes the wheel
December 21, 2012 9:57 am | by Meaghan Ziemba, PDD Assistant Editor | Articles | CommentsIs placing black boxes in automobiles really an invasion of the driver’s privacy? While I am all for the advancement of automobile safety, I wonder if placing black boxes in a cars is stepping over the privacy boundary? A recent article, “Black Boxes in Cars Raise Privacy Concerns” discussed the placement of event data recorders....
Click, print, shoot: Guns made on 3-D printers not as farfetched an idea as it sounds
December 21, 2012 9:09 am | by JASON DEAREN Associated Press | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Downloading a gun's design plans to your computer, building it on a three-dimensional printer and firing it minutes later. No background checks, no questions asked. Sound far-fetched? It's not. And that is disquieting for gun control advocates.
European Commission wades into global tech patents war
December 20, 2012 12:10 pm | by Ethan Bilby, Reuters | News | CommentsEU regulators are poised to accuse Samsung of breaking competition rules in filing patent lawsuits against rival Apple, in the EU's first formal challenge to the consumer electronic industry's patent wars. "We will issue a statement of objections very soon," the European Union's competition chief Joaquin Almunia said on Thursday, referring to the Commission's charge sheet.
