CNET

Android has become a hedge against Microsoft and Windows

Brooke Crothers — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:57:53 GMT

HP SlateBook x2 is both an Android tablet and laptop. The laptop part is an Android first for HP.

(Credit: Hewlett-Packard)

Hewlett-Packard rolled out another Android device this week. This could become a pattern as PC makers hedge against a world that's less about Microsoft and more about Google.

On Tuesday, the largest PC maker in the world -- a dubious distinction these days -- added a laptop-tablet hybrid to its growing stable of products based on Google operating systems.

The $479 HP SlateBook x2 is an Android first for HP. It's "powered by Android, the world's most popular mobile operating system...100 percent tablet, 100 percent notebook, 100 percent Android," according to the company's ad copy.

The operative phrase is "most popular mobile operating system." HP knows that mobile, not desktop, OSes are where things are headed.

New MacBook Air imminent?

Brooke Crothers — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:33:01 GMT

New MacBook Airs could be coming in weeks.

(Credit: Apple)

Signs may point to a refresh of Apple's popular MacBook Air. Possibly next month.

AppleInsider said Friday that at large online retailers like MacConnection, stock has vanished for the popular 13.3-inch Air with a 1.8GHz processor and 256GB solid-state drive.

That said, Best Buy has stock, but it's the "only reseller on AppleInsider's Mac Price Guide that is currently advertising available inventory," according to AppleInsider.

Dwindling inventory at authorized Apple outlets is usually an indication that a product refresh is imminent.

And what, pray tell, will Apple deliver with the next Air? It's pretty much a given that Intel's next-gen Haswell chip -- with improved graphics -- will be on board.

Teen dies trying to hold onto iPad during theft, police say

Chris Matyszczyk — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

(Credit: CNET)

It's a natural instinct to resist if someone tries to steal something out of your hand.

In Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon, that instinct might have cost a 15-year-old boy his life.

As the Las Vegas Sun reports, Marcos Vincente Arenas was walking down the street, holding an iPad.

Police say an SUV pulled up alongside him. A man allegedly got out of the passenger seat and tried to wrest the iPad from Arenas.

The teen wouldn't let go of the device, so, investigators say, he was dragged along by the alleged thief toward the vehicle.

He was still near the passenger door when the car took off. Arenas was run over and died in hospital of his injuries.

Police have issued descriptions of both the driver and the passenger of the SUV, said to be a white Ford Explorer or Expedition.

This is the latest and most gruesome example of the phenomenon known as "Apple-picking."

More Technically Incorrect

Google Glass and the men's room urinals

Danny Sullivan — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:13:51 GMT

The urinal game

commentary I suppose it was inevitable. The debate about Google Glass has extended into the bathroom. For those who've never experienced the joys of a men's restroom -- generally the women of the world -- here's how Glass might change our glorious experience.

Nick Bilton of The New York Times penned a great piece about how "the future came crashing down" on him as he stood at a urinal next to a Google Glass wearer at the Google I/O conference. I immediately identified, having had a similar close encounter at Google I/O.

In my case, as I walked into one of the restrooms, a Google Glass wearer exited, and I experienced that same future-crashing-down feeling. Wow. We've got cameras in the bathroom. It hit me just for a second, the new reality in my face, then I continued on.

Cameras in the bathroom aren't new. People carry smartphones with them in all the time. Cameras at the urinal aren't new, either. There's no end of annoying men who stand peeing with one hand on their business and the other hand holding the phone. Note to these multitaskers: You look like what you're holding. And I'm not saying you look like a smartphone.

The existing lack of men's restroom privacy This leads to the unique nature of men's restrooms. Do you know how men immediately know if they've made a terrible mistak... [Read more]

Fugitive to police on Facebook: Catch me if you can. They do

Chris Matyszczyk — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

The police's picture of Greenwood on Facebook.

(Credit: Greater Manchester Police/Facebook)

Thin is the line between the brave and the foolhardy.

Thinner is the brain that thinks it's brave to taunt the police on Facebook.

Perhaps it comes from watching too many movies or too few, but those who are wanted by the police sometimes turn to Facebook to offer a "na, na, na-na, na."

A couple of years ago, a man in Utica, N.Y., allegedly tried to dare the police to catch him, with troubling results (for him).

The world learns as slowly as it turns. For today I have news that an English teen, wanted for allegedly not complying with the terms of his release from jail, decided to offer these well-worn words to the police on Facebook: "Catch me if u can."

Oh, Sam Greenwood from Rochdale, U.K. The police have technology and dogs and sometimes even good sense.

19-year-old Greenwood didn't even allegedly post on his own Facebook page.

Instead, as the Daily Mail reports, he went onto ... [Read more]

Previously, on 'Arrested Development': NPR's epic guide to the show's running gags

Eric Mack — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:58:23 GMT

Good grief! A wealth of "Arrested Development" references, including all references to Peanuts.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET)

Watch out for that stair car... and any of the other numerous running jokes from resurrected cult hit "Arrested Development."

In honor of the show's triumphant return to Netflix, with 15 new episodes set to start streaming May 26, NPR has compiled, logged, and cross-referenced all the recurring gags from the show's original three seasons to make sure you don't miss a beat.

How to really, really make your naked Snapchat photos disappear

Chris Matyszczyk — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:21:38 GMT

To erase or not to erase? That is the question.

(Credit: Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

The attractions of Snapchat are essentially intellectual.

In creating the conditions for a spontaneous "now you see me, now you don't" aspect to your life, it allows for a greater and more nuanced level of excitement to permeate human relationships.

Recently, however, there have been concerns that the topless, bottomless, or merely hapless shots sent by Snapchat users might not truly disappear.

They remain stored in the nether regions of your phone, able to be retrieved by a nosy policeman, parent, or pupil of the average high school.

App maker KS Mobile believes it has the solution for this hoary problem. It insists that its Clean Master app can wipe your phone clean of your well-intentioned smut. At least on Android phones.

The company claims that, technically speaking, it can remove the .nomedia files to which Snapchat photos are converted.

It claims to have done this by a mere tweaking of its app.

Adam Morley, product manager at KS Mobile, told me: "After a full investigation, we found that with a minor tweak we could quickly ... [Read more]

Google Translate now serves 200 million people daily

Stephen Shankland — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:40:58 GMT

Josh Estelle, a Google Translate engineering leader, speaks at Google I/O 2013.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Google Translate provides a billion translations a day for 200 million users, the company revealed here Friday at its Google I/O show for developers.

Google doesn't often share details about the scale on which it operates, but Josh Estelle, leader for Google Translate's front-end and mobile engineering, had a few statistics to share about the service during a talk about it.

Estelle, who's worked on Google Translate for seven years, also said 92 percent of the usage is from people outside the United States. The Internet is famously English-centric, but it's expanding gradually to other languages, helped in part by technological change such as right-to-left text support in browsers, and Web addresses that can be written in non-Roman alphabets.

Why this old-school Trekkie loves the 'Star Trek' reboots

Amanda Kooser — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

I pose with a Klingon back when the "Star Trek" ride was still going in Las Vegas.

(Credit: Amanda Kooser/CNET)

SPOILERS AHEAD: The new "Star Trek" movies with J.J. Abrams at the helm have turned into commercial successes, but some long-time Trekkies aren't thrilled with the direction the franchise is taking. Check out the Reddit responses to Wil Wheaton's take on Abrams to get an idea of the discussion.

I, for one, am a bit in love with the reboots. Sure, I was suspicious at first. I enjoyed the 2009 "Star Trek" well enough, and thought it clever how it totally wiped out the timeline from the original series and gave itself a new universe to play in for the subsequent films. But it was seeing "Star Trek Into Darkness" yesterday that truly turned me into a fan of the new films. I'm going to tell you why.

My history of Trekkin' First, let me establish my fandom. My "Star Trek" cred goes way, way back. My mother used to watch reruns with me when I was a baby. Somewhere in elementary school, I got totally hooked on the original series, to the point where I was saving my allowance to buy shiny gold insignias, spending hours poring over blueprints f... [Read more]

Gallo Micro SE: How can a speaker this small sound this good?

Steve Guttenberg — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:36:00 GMT

Gallo Micro SEs, with table stands

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg/CNET)

The Anthony Gallo Acoustics Micro SE speaker ($239) is a tiny steel sphere, just 4 inches in diameter -- that's the size of an orange. It's an audiophile quality performer, capable of delivering high-resolution sound and a big, downright spacious stereo image. In fact, the imaging of the Micro SE and the slightly larger A'Diva SE reminds me of the wide-open, boxless sound I get with large, flat-panel speakers. Since these Gallos have just one full-range driver, they don't need a crossover network to direct high frequencies to the tweeter and bass to the woofer, and that's one of the reasons Gallos don't sound like conventional box speakers. The A'Diva SE sells for $329.

Both Gallo speakers use the same 3-inch driver, which features a flat aluminum honeycomb sandwich diaphragm, developed by Anthony Gallo. Rather than use the usual plastic or wood construction, Gallo's "cabinets" are black or white finished steel spheres, and both models are also available in gleaming stainless steel. The speakers' binding posts accept banana plugs or stripped, bare wires.

Gallo Micro SE, on floor stand

(Cr... [Read more]

Could Tumblr turn into Yahoo's MySpace?

Dan Farber — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:09:58 GMT

(Credit: Screenshot by CNET)

Marissa Mayer wants to attract a younger, hipper audience for Yahoo. Its audience of 700 million is aging, and the 18-year-old brand that defined the first era of the Web doesn't have a compelling entry point to attract the coveted 18- to 34-year-old demographic.

Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology conference this week, Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman said, "We're working hard to get some of the younger folks," and that Yahoo needs content that's more relevant the 18- to 34-year-old bracket.

Yahoo's board of directors is meeting this weekend to consider resolving its youth problem by plunking down $1.1 billion in cash for Tumblr, AllThingsD reported Friday.

Tumblr has a lot of momentum, with over 100 million visitors per month, 100 million blogs, more than 90 million posts per day, and over 50 billion posts to date, according to the company. And, it's a social network, which Yahoo lacks, where Tumblr users are followed and follow other blogs, and can repost their blogs to their Twitter and Facebook accounts. The 6-year-old company generated $13 million in 2012 and could hit $100 million this year with a major push ... [Read more]

Pixel's camera failure only one of many

Seth Rosenblatt — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

The Chromebook Pixel, Google's I/O 2013 giveaway, improves every six weeks as its Chrome OS updates. Nevertheless, it's far from ready for everyday use.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Google's expensive Chromebook giveaway here at its I/O 2013 conference can't handle connecting to digital cameras, but that's just one of many problems the laptop causes for its owners.

Chromebooks, which run Chrome OS (read review), are a perpetual work in progress. Updated every six weeks or thereabouts, just like the browser they're based on, Chromebooks rely on the promise of the modern Web.

High-end Chrome OS: Google's Chromebook Pixel (pictures)

1-2 of 9 Scroll Left Scroll Right

... [Read more]

Want a 10-foot-tall painting of 'Star Wars' action figures?

Tim Hornyak — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Full of delightful details, 'The Birth of a Jedi' by Rob Burden measures 128x88 inches.

(Credit: Kickstarter)

Do you still have your original "Star Wars" action figures? Mine are tucked away in storage, but looking at Rob Burden's artwork makes me want to dig them out.

The San Francisco artist is so obsessed with his old "Star Wars" figures that he does 10-foot-tall oil paintings of them, like "The Birth of a Jedi," above. The works don't portray the characters from the series, but the actual action figures themselves.

Now he's taking his passion to new heights on Kickstarter with a $24,000 campaign to produce two enormous 10x14-foot "Star Wars" canvases.

The two paintings will depict dozens of "Star Wars" action figures and toys. A character will be the central subject of one, while the other will have a vehicle like the AT-AT Walker or a creature as the focus. Burden wants enthusiasts to vote for which toys are included in the paintings; you can vote on his Facebook page.

'Star Wars' action figures on canvas (pictures)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

San Francisco artist Rob Burden paints the action figures he played with as a boy. Here are some examples of his art featuring toys from "Star Wars," "He-Man," "ThunderCats," and other franchises.How obsessed can you get about action figures? San Francisco artist Rob Burden (aka Robert Xavier Burden) is trying to raise $24,000 on Kickstarter to produce two 10x14-foot oil paintings depicting original "Star Wars" figures.

Whoever pledges $4,000 can get one of these 114-inch-tall oil paintings of C3PO, Boba Fett, or a Stormtrooper, which have yet to be completed; they're going to be in full color. [Read more]

How BlackBerry is fixing its once 'broken' brand

Roger Cheng — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

BlackBerry Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben at the BlackBerry Live keynote session this week.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- When Frank Boulben joined BlackBerry a year ago as its chief marketing officer, he found a company whose reputation with the public was in shambles.

To make matters worse, its marketing strategy was in complete disarray. Each country or region had their own version of a BlackBerry campaign, complete with different agencies and creative processes. Even within the same region, campaigns would change from quarter to quarter with little lasting effect.

"There were a lot of broken pieces," Boulben recalled during his keynote presentation at the company's BlackBerry Live conference on Tuesday.

Winklevoss twins on Bitcoin: Time to work with the Feds

Declan McCullagh — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Cameron (left) and Tyler Winklevoss, the twin Harvard graduates who competed in the 2008 Olympics as rowers and became Bitcoin investors and owners, say it's time to "work with regulators."

(Credit: Declan McCullagh/CNET)

SAN JOSE -- The Winklevoss twins, who transformed a lucrative Facebook payout into a venture capital fund, say it's now time for Bitcoin companies to work with governments rather than against them.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the twin Harvard graduates famously portrayed in the 2010 film "The Social Network," showed up at the Bitcoin 2013 conference to talk up the future of what is the Internet's favorite alternative currency -- as long as it escapes a government crackdown.

"I don't think anyone wants a fight -- I think everyone here wants to build Bitcoin, to work with regulators," Cameron Winklevoss told over 1,000 conference attendees yesterday evening. "Cooperation is really the way forward."

The Winklevii, who became enough of a cultural icon to be immortalized with Snooki and Kermit the Frog in pistachio commercials, have motives that are far from altruistic: they ... [Read more]

A Beautiful Mess (iOS)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:03:12 GMT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: A Beautiful Mess has an intuitive interface for adding stylized text, borders, and doodles on your photos. You can quickly share your work with social networks.
Bad: As a photo editor, the tool set is lacking with only a few filters. In-app purchases add up to 10 dollars more after your initial 99 cent purchase.
Bottom Line: If you are part of the target audience for the A Beautiful Mess Web site, this app may appeal to you, but if you're looking for a strong photo editor, you should look elsewhere. [Read more]

Top-rated reviews of the week (pictures)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Google's I/O developer conference may have dominated the tech world for the bulk of this week, but did that stop CNET editors from reviewing more of the latest gear? HECK NO. In addition to some sweet sound bars, a pair of potent portable drives, and a game from the legendary Sid Maier, we also took the 2013 Audi RS 5 for a spin.

2013 Audi RS 5

The 2013 Audi RS 5 is an exceptional sports coupe that balances its, frankly, brutal performance with some of the best dashboard tech in the business. Read the review.

[Read more]

Fujifilm X20 (Black)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:57:39 GMT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: A new sensor lets the Fujifilm X20 deliver better photo quality than its predecessor, and tweaks to the design improve the shooting experience significantly.
Bad: The lens-twist-to-turn-on is getting old fast, and the feature set provides just the basics. Plus the video quality disappoints.
Bottom Line: The Fujifiilm X20 is a great choice for people looking for a well-designed photographer's camera, but the basic feature set and disappointing video might not be for everyone. [Read more]

Fujifilm X20 (Silver)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:57:39 GMT

Editor's Rating:

Sharp HT-SB60

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:03:25 GMT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The Sharp HT-SB60 ultralong sound bar delivers a huge sound, besting smaller systems and handling even music well. It also packs two HDMI inputs, which is handy if your TV doesn't have many ports. The included remote also makes it easy to adjust settings like bass/treble/subwoofer levels without diving into menus.
Bad: The HT-SB60 lacks built-in Bluetooth, so you'll need a separate device for wireless audio streaming. Its huge size also means it won't fit nicely in most living rooms, and it looks awkward with TVs smaller than 60 inches. The system's aesthetics are uninspiring, while the remote has a confusing button layout.
Bottom Line: The Sharp HT-SB60 is one of the best-performing sound bars we've tested, although its extra-long size and lack of Bluetooth will give some buyers pause. [Read more]

Patriot Aero Wireless Mobile Drive (500GB)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:32:48 GMT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The Patriot Aero Wireless Mobile Drive is compact, delivers very fast speeds via USB 3.0, and has decent battery life.
Bad: There's no car charger included, and you can't use the mobile app to search, preview, or organize content.
Bottom Line: The Patriot Aero is a fast and competent mobile drive that unfortunately doesn't have enough new features to make it stand out. [Read more]

Patriot Aero Wireless Mobile Drive (1TB)

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:32:48 GMT

Editor's Rating:

Sony KDL-47W802A

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:28:16 GMT

Editor's Rating:

User Rating:
Good: The Sony W802 offers relatively deep black levels and good shadow detail for an LED-based LCD TV; has sleek, minimalist styling and a simple, clear interface; well-rounded feature set includes enhanced mobile connectivity options.
Bad: Somewhat expensive; color fidelity, uniformity and picture processing are a mixed bag.
Bottom Line: The Sony W802 LED LCD delivers lots of style and features, but its picture quality is only decent at this price. [Read more]

Sony KDL-55W802A

CBS Interactive — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:28:16 GMT

Editor's Rating:

CNET

Android has become a hedge against Microsoft and Windows

Related stories

New MacBook Air imminent?

Related stories

Teen dies trying to hold onto iPad during theft, police say

More Technically Incorrect

Google Glass and the men's room urinals

Fugitive to police on Facebook: Catch me if you can. They do

Previously, on 'Arrested Development': NPR's epic guide to the show's running gags

Related stories

How to really, really make your naked Snapchat photos disappear

Google Translate now serves 200 million people daily

Related stories

Why this old-school Trekkie loves the 'Star Trek' reboots

Gallo Micro SE: How can a speaker this small sound this good?

Could Tumblr turn into Yahoo's MySpace?

Pixel's camera failure only one of many

High-end Chrome OS: Google's Chromebook Pixel (pictures)

Want a 10-foot-tall painting of 'Star Wars' action figures?

Related stories

'Star Wars' action figures on canvas (pictures)

How BlackBerry is fixing its once 'broken' brand

Related stories

Winklevoss twins on Bitcoin: Time to work with the Feds

A Beautiful Mess (iOS)

Top-rated reviews of the week (pictures)

Fujifilm X20 (Black)

Fujifilm X20 (Silver)

Sharp HT-SB60

Patriot Aero Wireless Mobile Drive (500GB)

Patriot Aero Wireless Mobile Drive (1TB)

Sony KDL-47W802A

Sony KDL-55W802A