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The Casio WSD-F10 will still receive Android Wear 2.0. The update has been delayed for other smartwatches. (Image source: Casio)

Android Wear 2.0 update halted and delayed

After discovering a bug, Google has delayed any future rollouts of Android Wear 2.0

Sam Medley, 30 Mar 2017 21:41

Despite the phone only being six days old and under warranty, the NDA seemed to try to paint Samsung as a company doing an undeserved favor. (Source: Brian Lim)

Samsung requires man to sign NDA before replacing faulty phone

A Singaporean man whose S7 Edge overheated was surprised to be served an NDA before Samsung would agree to replace his phone.

Douglas Black, 30 Mar 2017 16:24

The U.S. House of Representatives has signed the action to repeal FCC regulations concerning user privacy.

United States House of Representatives votes to allows ISPs to sell browsing history

Both the House and Senate have now voted to allow ISPs to sell the personal data of their customers. The measure will go before President Trump, who is expected to sign the bill into action.

Sam Medley, 29 Mar 2017 22:34

A fire erupted at a Samsung Experience Store in Singapore; workers cordoned off the shop after it was put out. (Source: The Straits Time)

Samsung store catches fire the day before the Galaxy S8 launches

A Samsung Experience Store in Singapore caught fire early Tuesday. The blaze threatened nearby shops and caused unspecified damage. This incident is the latest in a string of fire-related thorns in Samsung's side.

John Garcia, 28 Mar 2017 17:03

With the Docs.com search box, users can find any publicly-shared sensitive information. (Source: Docs.com)

Publicly-shared documents hosted on Docs.com expose sensitive information

Researchers as well as everyday users have discovered a trove of easily-accessible sensitive information on Docs.com. From phone numbers to social security numbers, the info is just a quick search away, open for malicious actors t...

John Garcia, 27 Mar 2017 17:58

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake introduced the repeal of the FCC regulations. (Source: Washington Times)

ISPs can sell your browsing history without your consent, Senate rules

FCC regulations that would disallow ISPs to share or sell users' internet browsing history and other private information without their explicit consent have been shot down in the US Senate.

Douglas Black, 27 Mar 2017 17:55

The Galaxy Note 7, which was killed off last year, may be making a triumphant return (Source: Samsung)

Rising from the ashes: Samsung will sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices

Samsung confirmed today that they will attempt to refurbish and sell recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Phones that are not qualified for refurbishment will be torn down and recycled.

Sam Medley, 27 Mar 2017 17:14

An improvement of the Speed Step technology, Speed Shift enables much faster power state transitions to increase performance and save battery life. (Source: Intel)

Dell won't enable Speed Shift on the XPS 15 9550 and 9560

After more than a year of badgering by customers waiting for the performance-enhancing technology to be enabled, a Dell representative has stated that though both the 9550 and 9560 support Speed Shift, their engineers are not in t...

Douglas Black, 23 Mar 2017 12:36

Microsoft's resolution to a problem they created is to upgrade your PC to Windows 10. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft blocks Windows 7 and 8.1 updates for Kaby Lake and Ryzen PCs

As promised by the Redmond company last year, Microsoft will soon begin blocking updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 on Kaby Lake and Ryzen platforms.

Douglas Black, 17 Mar 2017 08:43

The latest builds of Windows 10 now show occasional advertisements for OneDrive storage in the File Explorer. (Source: MSPowerUser)

Windows 10 now has ads in every major part of the OS

Microsoft's latest advertisement for OneDrive haunting the File Explorer is a milestone: now, nearly every part of the Windows 10 interface will serve users ads by default.

Douglas Black, 13 Mar 2017 13:45

As of March 2017, about 97.2% of Android devices may be vulnerable to exploits in WikiLeaks' latest documents. (Picture source: Android Developers)

Google says it has patched exploits used by the CIA

Google is confident that the latest versions of Android and Chrome are not vulnerable to the hacking tools detailed in the latest Wikileaks dump. Older versions of the software, however, may still be vulnerable.

Sam Medley, 09 Mar 2017 23:44

ZTE to pay $1.2 billion in fines to the U.S. for breaking sanctions

After a 5 year investigation, ZTE pled guilty to charges that it sold hardware to North Korea and Iran. Both countries are embargoed by the United States. ZTE will be fined about $1.2 billlion.

Sam Medley, 09 Mar 2017 20:35

The "right to repair" legislation would legally require companies such as Apple to provide parts and service manuals for their products. (Source: repair.org)

Apple will once again fight to kill "right to repair" legislation: Source

Douglas Black, 16 Feb 2017 12:36

Azor tweeted that though they would begin certifying the XPS series for eGPUs, it will take at least a month to assess feasibility. (Source: Twitter)

Dell will begin certifying XPS notebooks for external graphics: Frank Azor

Alienware and XPS GM Frank Azor has stated that due to demand from customers, they will start to seek external graphics certification for their popular XPS line of notebooks. Without certification, newer graphics enclosures with t...

Douglas Black, 10 Feb 2017 09:38

Putting high-TDP components like quad-core CPUs and top-tier GPUs into a thin metal case makes avoiding thermal issues quite difficult. (Source: Razer)

Specializing in Razer laptops, enthusiast repairman aims to fix what Razer can't

If you have a Razer laptop that's broken and out of warranty, you might have an option other than paying US$700 for an out-of-warranty repair from the company: Brenden Henry is a computer enthusiast who grew up fixing phones, but ...

Douglas Black, 09 Feb 2017 08:20

Once unthinkable to purchase a laptop without, DVD drives are nowadays quite rare. (Source: Digital Trends)

DVD drive manufacturers settle class-action lawsuit over price-fixing (you might be owed US$10)

If you purchased a computer with a DVD drive or even just a stand-alone DVD play between 2003 and 2008, you may be eligible for part of a multi-million dollar settlement for price-fixing. Claimants are eligible for US$10 per devic...

Douglas Black, 08 Feb 2017 03:44

Jawbone has been fairly quiet since the release of the UP3 in September 2015. (Source: Jawbone)

Jawbone seeks exit from retail market to pursue medical businesses

The maker of the UP3 and other fitness wearables has been silent for a long time. Reports are now flying that Jawbone may be exiting the consumer market to focus on more lucrative clinics and medical businesses.

Sam Medley, 05 Feb 2017 06:15

LG fixes 5K UltraFine monitors to shield them from WiFi routers

LG's new UltraFine displays would fail when placed within 2 meters (~6 feet) of a WiFi router. LG has stated they will add additional shield to all future units to correct the problem.

Sam Medley, 03 Feb 2017 21:40

With over 125 million active users, Valve's Steam digital distribution platform is the largest digital storefront for PC games. (Source: Unknown)

Valve and other publishers under EU investigation for region-locking games

Valve, Bandai Namco, Zenimax, Capcom, Focus Home, and Koch Media are under investigation by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices due to region-locking games within the EU.

Douglas Black, 03 Feb 2017 01:53

Firefox OS and the team behind it are officially gone. (Source: Mozilla)

Mozilla eliminates Firefox OS development team

After discontinuing Firefox OS in September, Mozilla has now disbanded the development team and will be laying off 50 employees.

Sam Medley, 02 Feb 2017 23:06

The casing of the included power adapter can fall apart, creating a risk of electric shock. (Source: Barnes & Noble)

Barnes & Noble issues recall on NOOK Tablet 7 power adapters

Due to problems with the charger casing falling apart, Barnes & Noble has issued a recall. Affected users that send in their power adapters will receive a new charger and a $5 gift card.

Sam Medley, 02 Feb 2017 17:43

The OnePlus 3T has been found to have cheated on benchmarking tools like AnTuTu. (Source: Phone Arena)

OnePlus and Meizu caught cheating on benchmarks

Both companies' flagships were found to maintain high clock speeds instead of idling based on which app was currently opened. This happened with benchmarking apps like Geekbench and AnTuTu.

Sam Medley, 01 Feb 2017 20:45

After February, Coin services will no longer be available. (Source: Coin)

Coin to shut down mobile payment services in February

While their wallet devices will still operate, all app and support services will shut down at the end of next month.

Sam Medley, 31 Jan 2017 22:35

The Blackphone 2 from Silent Circle is designed around security. (Source: Blackphone)

Silent killer: Update to Blackphone's Silent OS intentionally breaks unauthorized devices

The makers of the ultra-secure Blackphone have released an update to Silent OS that prevents the operating system from running on phones "identified as unlicensed."

Sam Medley, 30 Jan 2017 23:52

Fitbit, maker of popular fitness wearables, missed revenue targets for 2016. (Source: Fitbit)

Fitbit releases Q4 financial results, misses target revenue

Despite recent acquisitions, the fitness company and missed Q4 and FY 2016 growth expectations by about 22% and 10%, respectively. This will result in the termination of 6% of their global workforce.

Sam Medley, 30 Jan 2017 22:55

HP: Renewed recall of laptop batteries

The PC manufacturer is recalling laptop batteries once again. This time, the Palo Alto based company recalls 101,000 batteries, the recall from last summer included less then half of that amount.

Benjamin Herzig, 25 Jan 2017 21:55

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge pink line display problem reported by more users

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge facing display problems

The problem that first appeared back in March 2016 seems to have surfaced again, but Samsung still does not recognize it as a widespread issue. Even worse, when taken for repair, handsets with such problems might not be covered by...

Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 22:14

The report is alleged to reference a separate issue for both of the Note 7's battery manufacturers. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Note 7 was afflicted by two separate issues: report

Samsung is due to report on the finding of their investigation into their Galaxy Note 7 recall on Monday. Leaks allege that the fires were the result of two separate problems: one manufacturer's battery didn't quite fit into the d...

Douglas Black, 21 Jan 2017 09:39

Lenovo still struggling with its three-year old Motorola acquisition

The Chinese manufacturer had high hopes when it took Motorola off Google's hands. Unfortunately, combined sales of both Motorola and Lenovo smartphones have been far lower than expected.

Allen Ngo, 21 Jan 2017 06:28

An XPS 15 with fingerprint scanner was on display at CES, but it seems that this feature isn't quite ready. (Source: Windows Central)

The XPS 15 9560's fingerprint scanner has gone AWOL (updated with official response from Dell)

The leaked website for the XPS 9560, specs, and CES display model all showed the update to the popular 9550 would sport a fingerprint scanner. The latest information from the company suggests that it does not currently have one, b...

Douglas Black, 14 Jan 2017 04:14

One of Razer's stolen Valerie prototypes was listed on Chinese retail site Taobao. (Source: Liliputing)

Lost and found: Razer's stolen Valerie prototype listed on Chinese retail site

After being reported stolen earlier this week, Razer's triple-display notebook, codenamed Valerie, has made an appearance on Taobao, a Chinese retail website.

Sam Medley, 13 Jan 2017 18:28

Owners of 2016 Macbook Pros should expect more consistent battery life after the update. (Source: Consumer Reports)

Consumer Reports reverses opinion on Macbook Pros after retests

Following Apple's fixes, the consumer watchdog conducted retests on Macbook Pro laptops and concluded that the battery life consistency was much improved. They now recommend the notebook.

Isaac Brown, 13 Jan 2017 14:57

The 2016 MacBook Pros have both faced criticism over sub-par battery life compared to previous models. (Source: Apple)

Safari bug allegedly responsible for poor Consumer Reports MacBook test results

Apple claims that Consumer Reports' tests of the Apple MacBook Pros were spoiled by a bug in Safari. The bug should be fixed in the latest macOS beta, and the publication has agreed to re-run their tests and adjust their verdict i...

Douglas Black, 11 Jan 2017 10:15

Dell advertises "data transfers up to 40Gbps" on the websites of the XPS 15 and 13. (Source: Dell)

(updated) XPS 9350/9550's Thunderbolt 3 may be hardwired at TB2 speeds

Schematics of the XPS 9350 show that its TB3 controller is hardware-limited to speeds half of those advertised. This may affect all notebooks with a single TB3 port, including the XPS 9360, 9550, 9560, M5510, and M5520.

Douglas Black, 03 Jan 2017 08:06

By January 8, nearly all remaining Galaxy Note 7s will be rendered inoperable in the US. (Source: Ron Amadeo/ArsTechnica)

T-Mobile rolling out Note-7-killing update; AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint to follow

T-mobile has begun rolling out firmware designed to effectively brick remaining Samsung Galaxy Note 7s. Verizon and AT&T will roll out the update January 5, while Sprint will wait until January 8.

Douglas Black, 28 Dec 2016 03:26

Both Cyanogen OS and CyanogenMod are dead. The team has produced a fork and named it Lineage.

Cyanogen OS and CyanogenMod are dead: Long live Lineage!

After Cyanogen announced that it will suspend all services by years end, the CyanogenMod team decided to let the Open Source project die as well and continue work under a new fork named Lineage.

Alexander Fagot, 25 Dec 2016 16:55

Apple has taken the position that there is no problem with the battery life of their new MacBooks. (Source: iFixit)

Apple will work with Consumer Reports following lack of recommendation

After Consumer Reports failed to recommend Apple's MacBooks for the first time in the history of the product line, Phil Schiller has tweeted that he is working with the consumer watchdog to find out more about their tests.

Douglas Black, 25 Dec 2016 09:35

You can get a percentage, but no "time remaining" estimate. (Source: 9to5Mac)

Newest macOS preview build removes battery time remaining estimates

The latest MacOS Preview has removed the "time remaining" estimate from the battery menu following complaints about the poor battery life on the new MacBook Pro models.

Douglas Black, 14 Dec 2016 08:15

Samsung will be disabling connectivity and charging from some US and Canadian Note 7's next week. (Source: Ron Amadeo/ArsTechnica)

Remaining active Samsung Note 7 phones may be disabled next week

It seems that some Note 7 owners are still stubbornly holding onto their devices—Samsung is trying to change that by disabling remaining Note 7's throughout next week.

Douglas Black, 09 Dec 2016 03:34

macOS 10.12.2 is said to offer a solution for GPU problems MacBook Pro users have been experiencing.

Apple MacBook Pro: macOS update said to cure GPU problems

MacBook Pro users affected by GPU problems may look forward to the next release of macOS 10.12.2 that are said to offer a software solution for all the various GPU related problems on the new MacBooks.

Alexander Fagot, 08 Dec 2016 20:58

VR and AR products are seeing weaker sales than analysts predicted. (Source: HTCVIVE)

VR and AR: the sales disappointments of 2016

VR/AR sales were expected to pick up strongly in late 2016, yet the opposite has happened. Experts blame an immature ecosystem.

Douglas Black, 06 Dec 2016 06:44

Just one year after it came to market, the Nexus 5X is fit for scrap if it breaks.

Google/LG Nexus 5X: LG offers refund because an essential part is out of stock

The one year old Nexus 5 may be fit for scrap if it suffers from hardware failures because a certain not specified part is out of stock and won't be available anymore. Instead, LG offers a refund, users on reddit report.

Alexander Fagot, 27 Nov 2016 20:47

Android 7.0 Beta for Samsung Galaxy phones breaks Gear VR

Volunteers that downloaded the Android 7.0 Beta are unable to user their Samsung Gear VRs, as the headset only works on Samsung phones.

Sam Medley, 21 Nov 2016 20:09

$299 for the Apple Book, a catalog of past and present Apple designs inspired comedy and ironic tweets.

The $299 Apple Book: The #AppleBook-Community makes fun of it

Apple released a catalog of past and present Apple product designs, called it Apple Book and sells it for $299. Inspiration for ironic or sarcastic comments on Twitter and for Stephen Colbert to do a short parody for the Late Show...

Alexander Fagot, 20 Nov 2016 20:50

iFixit's teardown shows that repairs will be very difficult. (Source: iFixit)

iFixit's teardown of Macbook Pro 13" with Touch Bar reveals differences, difficulties

The new Macbook Pro 13" with Touch Bar has markedly different internals from its non-Touch Bar brother, including changes that make it horribly difficult to repair.

Sam Medley, 16 Nov 2016 20:28

Some budget Android phones, like the BLU R1 HD, might have data tracking software baked into the firmware. (Source: BLU)

Some lower-end Android phones are sending user data to China

Budget phones typically have compromises for the lower price, but for certain Android devices, user security might be one of those trade-offs.

Sam Medley, 16 Nov 2016 17:23

Individual chargers for Apple's new Macbook Pro notebooks don't include the cable required to charge the device. (Source: Apple)

Individual Macbook Pro chargers don't come with a USB-C cable

Macbook Pro users hoping to buy additional chargers for their new device will have to provide their own USB Type-C cables.

Sam Medley, 10 Nov 2016 22:03

Lenovo Quarterly Numbers: Smartphone-business continues to loose money

Lenovo, the world biggest PC manufacturer, has released its newest quarterly numbers. The smartphone business continues to be a major problem for the company, as Lenovo is loosing millions with it. Only the PC business and the sel...

Benjamin Herzig, 05 Nov 2016 01:21

The burning batteries of the Galaxy Note 7 might even cause a delay for the Galaxy S8.

Samsung Galaxy S8: Development delayed due to Galaxy Note 7 disaster

The Wall Street Journal reports, that the development of the Galaxy S8 has been delayed by two weeks because the root cause of the burning batteries in the Galaxy Note 7 has not been identified yet.

Alexander Fagot, 24 Oct 2016 14:40

More and more airline will ban transportation of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Airlines worldwide have started to ban the Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Just one day after the emergency order of the DOT, airlines all over the world released similar statements, effectively banning the Galaxy Note 7 from being transported on any of their planes.

Alexander Fagot, 16 Oct 2016 21:27