It's been a heck of a couple weeks since we last broadcasted: BlackBerry Live, Google I/O, and CTIA all happened. Needless to say, we've got quite a bit to talk about — and you didn't hear it from us, but we might just have a special guest joining us. Seriously, keep that under your hat. Top...
No shortage of news
We're covering today's big Microsoft announcement live from Microsoft HQ in Redmond, Washington. Keep an eye on this stream for everything you need to know about the new Xbox One hardware, updates to Xbox Live, the SmartGlass experience,...
We've seen the rapid voice search advancements Google has made in Chrome for the desktop, but since Siri is currently the sole method of entering voice queries on the iOS version, iPhone and iPad owners haven't been given the same treatment. That's soon going to change, as Google today announced that a forthcoming update to Chrome for iOS will include its own voice search technology. It's not...
Twitter has announced that it is finally rolling out two-step authentication for accounts, a much-needed security feature that comes after several months of high-profile Twitter account hacks. This feature can be enabled in the Twitter settings menu for any account that has both a confirmed email address and a verified phone number. Once activated, you'll need to enter a six-digit code sent to your mobile phone via SMS after you sign in with your standard username and password.
Twitter says that applications that you've enabled using your Twitter login should be unaffected even after logging in with two-step authentication enabled. If you want to sign in on other devices or apps, Twitter says that you can visit the applications management page to generate a temporary password and log in.
This long-awaited security feature comes after...
Better late than never
Some Xbox 360 owners are dismayed that their collection of current-generation games won't work on the upcoming Xbox One. But Xbox head Don Mattrick is betting that they're in the vast minority. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mattrick explained the decision not to focus on backwards-compatibility. According to him, only 5 percent of customers actually played older games on a new...
Only 5 percent of gamers use old games on a new console, claims Don Mattrick
If you're a fan of electronic, disco, or dance music, you'll probably enjoy the stylings of Giorgio Moroder — he's been an influential record producer, songwriter, and performer for nearly five decades. He's also featured on a track from Daft Punk's new Random Access Memories album, which was just released yesterday. If you're looking for more from Moroder beyond his one-track appearance on...
Google X, the secretive division dedicated to futuristic long-shot projects, is making a new acquisition: Makani Power, a company that develops autonomous airborne wind turbines it believes could provide "kite power." Bloomberg Businessweek first reported the news in a longer piece on Google X, saying the deal was in the process of closing for an unknown amount. According to Bloomberg, Page approved the deal — but only if the team would crash five turbines in the near future. Makani has officially confirmed the deal on its website, and Google has been a longtime investor, backing Makani...
A year or two ago, Verizon would've used its press conference at the CTIA trade show to announce new hardware, a major new consumer-facing service, or both. But this has been a deafeningly quiet show for end users this year, and the trend continued today when — of all people — Jennifer Lopez walked out on stage at the carrier's press conference in Las Vegas this morning. This is an announcement about new brick-and-mortar retail locations.
"We will have dedicated play areas for kids in our stores, we want you to bring your friends and family," Lopez said after being introduced by Verizon COO Marni Walden. She's investing in a chain of...
Twitter's new Lead Generation Card gives users a way to show whether they are interested in an offer or service advertised by a brand or company they follow. The new Card lets companies and brands provide a customized button attached to select tweets. If a user is interested in, for example, entering a promotion, they just need to click the button, which will send their name, username, and email address directly to the company. Twitter...
Upping Its Advertising Game
After Microsoft's big reveal, we've finally had time to get a closer look at the new Xbox One, the Kinect 2, and the new controller for the new console. For the most part, they're more tweaks on the existing devices than huge changes to what already exists – the console is a big, wide, flat...
Now that Samsung's Galaxy S4 has rolled out to the major carriers in the US, smaller options like Cricket are getting involved. The prepaid carrier just announced that it'll start carrying the Galaxy S4, and it'll come in at an exceptionally low up-front cost of $54.99 — nearly $100 less than...
Foursquare is getting more ambitious with the data it has on you and your friends: the company today debuted "super-specific search" for its iOS and Android mobile apps. The new feature lets users make search queries at a level of granularity that...
Recently leaked copies of Windows 8.1, which includes Internet Explorer 11, have suggested that Microsoft will support WebGL shortly, a specification that lets webpages render 3D graphics. The software giant is dropping a big hint towards that support today with a teaser on...
"For the first time, you and your TV will have a relationship."
That's how Microsoft began the introduction of its new Xbox One today — a presentation that focused less on games and more on the new console as a complete living room device. "The ultimate all-in-one entertainment system," said...
After refreshing its social network at I/O, Google has decided that cards are the future, and it's updating its Drive app accordingly. The entire interface of Drive for Android has been reworked in the flat, squared-off style that Google, Facebook, and others have been going for lately, with an increased focus on images. Users can switch between a text-based list and a grid that offers larger file previews, and...
A massive plan is underway to upgrade aging road signs in the US. The goal is to make them more reflective at night, and easier for drivers to see. But the main government instruction manual for doing so, the longtime bible of roadside signage and...
One of the best parts of Google's search engine is its ability to plot trends: sometimes for practical reasons, like the search-based Flu Trends map, and sometimes for clever snapshots like its year-end Zeitgeist of top searches. Google Trends, likewise, allows you to check the popularity of a...
It's late to the game, but Pandora has finally added support for Facebook's Open Graph, giving users the ability to "effortlessly" share their...
Another high-level HTC executive has left the company. CNET reports that HTC Asia's CEO Lennard Hoornik has now parted ways with the company after being on leave for two months. Hoornik was in...
Microsoft didn't reveal all of the planned launch titles for its Xbox One this week. Crytek says that Ryse, a title set in the Roman Empire period, will debut exclusively on the Xbox One. Ryse...
Residents of Portland, Oregon, are either smiling broadly or gritting their teeth today, after a bid to fluoridate the city's drinking water was rejected by 60 percent of Portland voters in a...
A new report from Oxfam estimates that at least $18.47 trillion is being held by individuals in so-called "tax haven" countries across the globe. The international agency says that a large bulk of...
A week after it was announced at Google I/O 2013, Google's conversational search is now operational in the latest version of Chrome. With Chrome...
It seems like WikiLeaks has peaked. Although the organization continues to release material under the leadership of its controversial founder Julian Assange, none of its recent leaks have had the same level of impact as its big scoops in 2011. So it makes sense that director Alex Gibney would wait until the story had closure before he released his documentary, We Steal Secrets: The Story of...
Despite being a driving source of interest in books, films, or TV shows, fanfiction faces an uncertain reaction from authors. Some have embraced it, others have tacitly accepted it, and a few have lashed out at fanfiction writers. But so far, virtually no one has done what bookseller Amazon now...
