Technology news

• Uber tests new ways to eliminate drivers

  08-12-2015 23:30
  
  Uber announced today that it is trying out two new programs to reduce traffic while you commute. The ridesharing service revealed uberHOP, which allows Uber drivers to operate similar to a bus route, and uberCOMMUTE, which could compensate non-Uber drivers for giving people a lift.Starting this Thursday in Seattle, WA, Uber claims uberHOP will help reduce traffic congestion in major metropolitan areas by "getting more butts into the backseats of fewer cars."The way customers use uberHOP is simil
  
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• This is Google's plan to make routers 'cool'

  08-12-2015 23:21
  
  Fruit bowl, slinky or fur? Google really wants to transform home routers into a conversation piece. Home networking has never been 'sexy' or design oriented, between the wiring and the blinking lights of routers, they're usually hidden, even as wireless connectivity becomes essential to daily life.Google has been trying to change that with it's OnHub routers from TP-Link and Asus, designed to look decent enough to sit out in the middle of a room without being an eye sore or a wired mess.And now,
  
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• In China's O2O tech, today's 'unicorns' risk becoming tomorrow's 'unicorpses'

  08-12-2015 23:14
  
  In China's hottest tech sector, hundreds of "online to offline" (O2O) start-ups like Shequ001, which draw mobile users to local physical stores and services, have failed as skyrocketing valuations deter investors and put the brakes on fresh funding. Lured by a potential 10 trillion yuan ($1.57 trillion) market for app-based, on-demand, logistics-heavy businesses, venture capitalists and others piled in, throwing billions of dollars at firms that often need only cash and a working app to enter th
  
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• Apple releases first Arabic version of Siri

  08-12-2015 23:05
  
  By Julia Love SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Tuesday released a version of its virtual personal assistant Siri for Arabic speakers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, potentially making its iPhones more attractive in a largely affluent market of more than 30 million people. The move, part of Apple's latest software updates, means people in those countries will be able to use Siri in their native tongue on iPhones, iPads and the Apple Watch. It follows Google, whose Android phon
  
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• Sorry, you can't pay with your Samsung Gear S2 just yet

  08-12-2015 22:38
  
  Trying to pay for holiday gifts with your Samsung Gear S2? Well too bad. It won't get Samsung Pay until next year.According to this tweet from the Samsung Mobile US Twitter, Samsung Pay will be on wrists during an unspecified date next year.It's already been delayed from November though the payment system has already been downloaded and used through Samsung phones.There's no word on what's causing the delay but we've reached to Samsung for a comment.In the meantime, you'll just have to pay for t
  
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• How to control the new Apple TV with an iOS device - CNET

  08-12-2015 22:31 via cnet.com
  
  You're only a couple of software updates away from controlling the new Apple TV with your iPhone or iPad.
  
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• OS X El Capitan 10.11.2 update makes your Mac even more stable and secure

  08-12-2015 22:13
  
  Apple released its latest update to OS X El Capitan, bringing a number of improvements to your Mac. In addition to addressing Wi-Fi performance issues, Apple also delivered fixes for Handoff, AirDrop, Bluetooth, Mail, FaceTime, Messages and other consumer features. OS X 10.11.2 also includes enterprise, security and compatibility fixes. This is Apple's second major update to its El Capitan operating system, bringing much needed stability to key functionality like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi performance.
  
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• Review: Ditch your PC, if you're willing to suffer a little

  08-12-2015 22:11
  
  Plenty of people do all their Facebooking, YouTubing, Web surfing and whatnot on mobile devices. But not everyone. Lots of us still rely on personal computers for plenty of tasks. Take writers, for instance, ...
  
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• China chips away at U.S., Taiwan semiconductor dominance

  08-12-2015 22:07
  
  By Yimou Lee HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's multi-billion dollar drive towards self-reliance in semiconductors has spawned a cluster of chip designers that industry experts say could eventually rival leaders Qualcomm Inc and MediaTek Inc. The world's second-largest economy now boasts nine companies that design and sell chips in the global top 50 from just one in 2009. Clients such as Chinese smartphone manufacturers have also helped compatriot chip designers amass a market share of almost a fifth
  
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• 'Home Alone' keyboard wishes you a Merry Christmas, you filthy animal - CNET

  08-12-2015 22:02 via cnet.com
  
  You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more animated GIF keyboards? Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment releases a Home Alone GIF keyboard to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary.
  
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• Emotiva Airmotiv B1 Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:57 via cnet.com
  
  Better known for its budget pro monitors, audio company Emotiva has announced its first range of consumer-level surround speakers.
  
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• Find out if your house is good candidate for solar energy - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:47 via cnet.com
  
  Sun, space and location can determine if your home can be updated with solar panels.
  
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• This smartphone has a 360-degree camera - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:45 via cnet.com
  
  In the Sfera phone from Yezz, two 5-megapixel cameras work together to capture spherical photos.
  
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• Google's Pixel C tablet is its best yet video - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:44 via cnet.com
  
  The company's latest Android tablet is stylish, swift and competitively priced.
  
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• New Xbox One app lets you try clothes before you buy (virtually)

  08-12-2015 21:33
  
  If you see more teenagers hanging out in your living room than normal, blame a new app on Xbox One called The Mall. The app allows anyone to virtually shop for clothes using your home console with a nifty feature called "the dressing room" that uses Kinect to virtually overlay clothing on you so you can see how it'd (sort of) look in real life.The app, produced by Dublin-based television e-commerce company Von Bismark, is free, though, obviously any clothes you might purchase will cost real-worl
  
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• Majority of Apple Watch owners plan to give it as a gift: poll

  08-12-2015 21:32
  
  As Apple Watch enters the critical holiday shopping season, it looks likely to get a sales boost from happy customers, almost two-thirds of whom are planning to give one as a gift, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday. The poll found that about 7 percent of U.S. adults plan to give the Watch as a gift this holiday season, including current owners. If even a fraction of consumers follow through, Apple would be well-positioned to meet or beat Wall Street's 2015 sales forecasts, which generally r
  
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• Put politics in perspective with 'Darth Trump' - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:25 via cnet.com
  
  Yes, Donald Trump is competing with Star Wars for headlines again, so why not combine the two?
  
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• Here's what all the settings on your washing machine really mean - CNET

  08-12-2015 21:21 via cnet.com
  
  Make sense of all the dials on your old-school machines to wash your clothes better.
  
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• Review: MSI GE72 Apache Pro

  08-12-2015 21:00
  
  IntroductionThe common reaction to seeing a gaming laptop used to be "why would you have that," whereas now people are more apt to ask, "where did you get that?" As components continue to increase in power and decrease in price, the trade offs in gaming on a laptop over a dedicated desktop rig are vanishing. The MSI GE72 Apache Pro has a 6th-generation Intel i7-6700HQ and GeForce GTX 960M GPU, along with 16GB of RAM, giving it ample power for modern games. It can't compete with a comparably-equi
  
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• 7 quick cool ways to make a GIF - CNET

  08-12-2015 20:59 via cnet.com
  
  Making a GIF is a true Internet skill; do it easily with these tools.
  
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• One map to rule them all, it's Here - CNET

  08-12-2015 20:45 via cnet.com
  
  Automakers Audi, BMW and Daimler presented their vision for a new communal acquisition, map-making company Here.
  
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• Hear Carly Rae Jepsen sing in Simlish

  08-12-2015 20:35
  
  Though the heyday of "Call Me Maybe" is over, Carly Rae Jepsen isn't done putting out earworms. However, even those who know her discography in and out will be surprised to hear her latest work collaborating with The Sims."Run Away With Me," the second single from Jepsen's E•MO•TION album, is being featured in the latest expansion for the life simulator franchise, The Sims 4: Get Together, which came out today.However, like other licensed songs featured in the series, the lyrics have a
  
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• Windows 10 Settings menu: The Update & security tab - CNET

  08-12-2015 20:32 via cnet.com
  
  Where's Windows Update? It's in the Settings menu...and only in the Settings menu.
  
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• Siemens ups research spending to keep innovative edge

  08-12-2015 20:21
  
  By Georgina Prodhan MUNICH (Reuters) - German industrial group Siemens is to raise research spending and expand activities with start-ups to help to keep its innovative edge as industry rapidly turns digital. The trains-to-turbines group said it would raise research and development spending by 7 percent this year to 4.8 billion euros ($5.2 billion), with the bulk of this flowing to its major strengths of automation, digitization and energy systems. "Innovation is part of our DNA," Chief Technolo
  
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• iPhone 6C might join the stage at rumored Apple Watch 2 event

  08-12-2015 20:11
  
  A new report claims Apple will take to the stage again in March 2016 to launch the Apple Watch 2, but a 4-inch iPhone 6C end up being the surprise hit of the event.Rumors have previously suggested March for the launch of the Apple Watch 2 as well, which will make it the second Apple event in a row to be held during the first half of the year, though nothing has been confirmed yet. And while a repeat event won't be too much a surprise, especially to launch the Watch 2, what is surprising is the c
  
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• OnePlus to narrowly miss India smartphone sales target

  08-12-2015 20:05
  
  Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus will miss its target of selling 1 million handsets in India in 2015 - its first year in the country - but not by much, a company executive said. OnePlus's high-spec mid-range phones have proven to be a hit, but supply chain issues have limited the company's ability to take a bigger share of one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets. "In the initial two months, we weren't able to get stock, due to which we lost almost 6-8 weeks of sales," Vikas Agarwal
  
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• RaceCapture and Podium bring driving and social networks together in one Kickstarter - CNET

  08-12-2015 20:04 via cnet.com
  
  This twofer includes a social network all its own, catering exclusively to those that love to drive.
  
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• New ibuprofen skin patch to deliver 12 hours of pain relief - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:48 via cnet.com
  
  Where does it hurt? Newly developed patch technology could change the way drugs are delivered through the skin.
  
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• Majority of owners of Apple Watch plan to give it as gift: poll

  08-12-2015 19:48
  
  By Julia Love SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - As the Apple Watch enters the critical holiday sales season, its biggest boosters may be people already sporting it. Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc appears to be benefiting from its loyal fan base as it rolls out its first new device since the iPad. Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults who already have an Apple Watch plan to give the gadget as a gift, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
  
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• Find local stores that will match Amazon's prices - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:45 via cnet.com
  
  Browser plug-in PriceLocal can help you price-match when you need a product right away.
  
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• Markit CEO sues unknown hackers over 'campaign of extortion'

  08-12-2015 19:35
  
  By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - Markit Ltd's chief executive filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing unknown individuals of hacking into his computers, phone and emails to try to intimidate him and extort money. Neither London-based Markit nor a lawyer for Uggla responded to requests for comment. The lawsuit could provide Uggla's lawyers the ability to use subpoenas to seek out the identities of the hackers.
  
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• Google's latest tablet is its best yet video - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:32 via cnet.com
  
  The Pixel C is stylish, swift and competitively priced
  
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• Use Siri to remind you later about the thing you are looking at now - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:31 via cnet.com
  
  Siri can help you remember to respond to an important email, return later to an article you don't have time to finish or whatever it is that's currently on your iPhone's screen.
  
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• This is what 3,000-plus horsepower looks and sounds like - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:31 via cnet.com
  
  Insanity takes the form of a 16-cylinder engine with four turbochargers and more horsepower than a whole block's worth of Toyota Camrys.
  
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• Amazon Prime ropes in Showtime, Starz and more - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:28 via cnet.com
  
  With newly enlisted streaming partners for Amazon, Prime members have access to more cable stations with the bonus of free trials and special pricing.
  
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• Paper filter vs. metal filter: Which makes the best cup of coffee? - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:20 via cnet.com
  
  The type of filter you use when brewing coffee does matter. Learn whether you should be using reusable or disposable filters to make your daily cup of coffee.
  
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• After the VTech hack, some tips on keeping your kids safe

  08-12-2015 19:11
  
  Parents around the world have been understandably shaken by the hacking of a VTech database containing information on the more than 6 million children who use the company's toys. But what's a parent to ...
  
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• Google Pixel C review - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:04 via cnet.com
  
  The Google Pixel C is a performance monster with a sleek design and impressively solid keyboard.
  
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• Six ways to make your iPhone more secure - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:02 via cnet.com
  
  Take steps to protect your iPhone so that your information stays safe should you and your iPhone become separated.
  
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• Google Pixel C: The best Android tablet is here (pictures) - CNET

  08-12-2015 19:01 via cnet.com
  
  With both looks and power under its belt, Google's own Pixel C is the 10-inch Android tablet to beat.
  
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• Google Pixel C review: too great for its own good

  08-12-2015 19:00
  
      WIRED reviews the new Google Pixel C tablet and keyboardBy: Michael Rundle, Continue reading...
  
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• Alphabet mulls expanding Fiber internet service to LA, Chicago

  08-12-2015 19:00
  
  (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc said it would consider bringing its Fiber internet service to Los Angeles and Chicago, the two biggest cities the tech giant has worked with so far for the super-fast web service.
  
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• Get a 2.1-channel Bluetooth desktop speaker system for $49.99 - CNET

  08-12-2015 18:57 via cnet.com
  
  From the Cheapskate: Time to bring your laptop audio to life. These speakers can pump out big sound without the usual desktop cord clutter.
  
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