NEC Terrain Rugged Smartphone Headed For AT&T

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyYlcgcqR3LdOEzeszDgKra8zAapB3VMgTOq-ZC7taOyTRdrPfbhZM-WyCZ6UkEWJqk8LxsT_hZjviEp6JU6FD1tmHUz3cr6qJ0Z8pDasGNP-ct7wP24GlkSW82I5Sn8dZnw-O2aLiBw/s1600/nec-terrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyYlcgcqR3LdOEzeszDgKra8zAapB3VMgTOq-ZC7taOyTRdrPfbhZM-WyCZ6UkEWJqk8LxsT_hZjviEp6JU6FD1tmHUz3cr6qJ0Z8pDasGNP-ct7wP24GlkSW82I5Sn8dZnw-O2aLiBw/s1600/nec-terrain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />I guess it is not enough to roll out just any other ordinary smartphone in this day and age, as those are dime a dozen. What if you were to take another step forward by introducing a rugged smartphone that is also easy on the eyes? That is what NEC had in mind, when they designed the NEC Terrain while making it available via AT&T. This smartphone will be able to deliver dedicated enhanced Push To Talk as well as a QWERTY keyboard for business-minded folk who still have a soft spot for physical keyboards when it comes to their smartphones.<br /><br />The NEC Terrain would retail for $99.99 a pop, where it is accompanied by a 2-year agreement. You can also use NEC Terrain over Wi-Fi, allowing U.S.-based customers to enjoy improved in-building coverage and access to the service courtesy of compatible Wi-Fi networks. Since this is a rugged smartphone, expect features such as water- and dust-proof design, a scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass screen and sturdy core construct which exceeds military specifications (MIL-810G) for shock distribution. Not only that, you can enjoy speedy 4G LTE connectivity to boot, while a 5-megapixel rear shooter and a VGA front-facing camera alongside 8GB of internal memory that can be expanded by a microSD memory card slot rounds off the list of features.

NEC Terrain Rugged Smartphone Headed For AT&T

I guess it is not enough to roll out just any other ordinary smartphone in this day and age, as those are dime a dozen. What if you were to ...

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Analyst recants claim that Apple will add Retina display to iPad mini before 2014

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdA4MB-1yo8c1Ql6Wb1yLe9J4yD0-7Vv6mqyqsQqgt36_NmNG5DaZ9-z0AttC_hDXozq2gFlMt_YV9P4ibBrGjdAUKyDlbpEhDaoK5njIH3DvD9DYobA-eyLlH7jWML8SqLvL0jUjF22c/s1600/minisite-121023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdA4MB-1yo8c1Ql6Wb1yLe9J4yD0-7Vv6mqyqsQqgt36_NmNG5DaZ9-z0AttC_hDXozq2gFlMt_YV9P4ibBrGjdAUKyDlbpEhDaoK5njIH3DvD9DYobA-eyLlH7jWML8SqLvL0jUjF22c/s1600/minisite-121023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim has reversed his earlier prediction that Apple would add a Retina resolution to its iPad mini at some point before 2014.</b><br /><br />Shim first said in May that he expected Apple to release an iPad mini with the same Retina Display resolution as its full sized iPad 4 model this fall, then spoke of the new model coming in the "second half" of 2013, followed by another new iPad mini model in calendar Q1 2014.<br /><br />However, Shim has now changed his forecast again, stating in a new report that "Apple is expected to refresh its iPad mini in the second half of the year. The new iPad mini will continue to use a 7.9-inch display with a [non-Retina] 1024×768 resolution, but it will use the iOS 7 operating system and an A6 processor, in a slimmer design than the current generation."<br /><br />Shim also thinks Apple will release a revamped, full size iPad powered by an as yet unannounced "A7" processor, and says "Apple’s mix of tablet PC shipments is projected to be 60% iPad mini and 40% iPad in 2013."

Apple Analyst recants claim that Apple will add Retina display to iPad mini before 2014

NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim has reversed his earlier prediction that Apple would add a Retina resolution to its iPad mini at some...

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Best Buy recalls 5,100 third-party MacBook batteries for fire risk

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1VwIbF2R3eqrg1gZ0TmZ5vza9KJx1jd32qnSu3RqXg-MiI8kOEAUpWh1cFGiFdC3Q5LTj_7kFiCAAzBZ4AVUx8FHrwyalQDMrkz5vK4TP1OVLk3HBN8vWaNxexcLOcYie26yvH5AqTk/s1600/13.06.19-Penryn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1VwIbF2R3eqrg1gZ0TmZ5vza9KJx1jd32qnSu3RqXg-MiI8kOEAUpWh1cFGiFdC3Q5LTj_7kFiCAAzBZ4AVUx8FHrwyalQDMrkz5vK4TP1OVLk3HBN8vWaNxexcLOcYie26yvH5AqTk/s1600/13.06.19-Penryn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Best Buy announced on Wednesday that it is recalling 5,100 MacBook Pro batteries built by third-party manufacturer ATG after a number of users reported their units caught fire.</b><br /><br />According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 13 reports of the battery model catching fire, with one user suffering serious burns to their leg, the Associated Press reports.<br /><br />Best Buy is recalling both the black and white versions of a $50 replacement battery sold by its Geek Squad repair department through its stores or online from September 2008 to June 2012. The lithium-ion batteries, carrying model numbers "MC-MBOOK13B" and "MC-BOOK13W," were made by ATG, and did not come from Apple.<br /><br />It should be noted that the original report incorrectly stated the batteries were a replacement unit for the MacBook Pro. Instead, the two particular models were built for Apple's polycarbonate MacBooks, which are no longer sold by the company.

Apple Best Buy recalls 5,100 third-party MacBook batteries for fire risk

Best Buy announced on Wednesday that it is recalling 5,100 MacBook Pro batteries built by third-party manufacturer ATG after a number of use...

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Apple releases first OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion beta to developers

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkghyw_6jUZR9SHJixwo6_wydiboelU3wNxPPVYuk527MUwmgeKLNdXFSdTmA3-x9o1bIPka3QnUs5trEIYXdFHyl9xVkdlfa3poCTEAQ-vwwrnfD3inSntCHXUSkwjrPr5eI-3Gk3eQ/s1600/13.06.19-12F9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkghyw_6jUZR9SHJixwo6_wydiboelU3wNxPPVYuk527MUwmgeKLNdXFSdTmA3-x9o1bIPka3QnUs5trEIYXdFHyl9xVkdlfa3poCTEAQ-vwwrnfD3inSntCHXUSkwjrPr5eI-3Gk3eQ/s1600/13.06.19-12F9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Less than one month after debuting OS X 10.8.4, Apple on Wednesday seeded the first OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion beta build to developers, with the latest maintenance update possibly looking to stabilize the operating system ahead of an OS X 10.9 Mavericks launch this fall. </b><br /><br />People familiar with the beta, dubbed build 12F9, said Apple is asking developers to focus on existing Mountain Lion features, including Wi-Fi and graphics.<br /><br />The latest beta comes two weeks after Apple issued the OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 maintenance update to Mac users, which brought Wi-Fi improvements, compatibility with Microsoft Exchange and a host of bug fixes.<br /><br />Apple is expected to release the next-generation OS X 10.9 Mavericks this fall, and a preview has already been seeded to the development community.

Apple Apple releases first OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion beta to developers

Less than one month after debuting OS X 10.8.4, Apple on Wednesday seeded the first OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion beta build to developers, with...

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New patent lawsuit targets Apple over iPhone 5's call forwarding feature

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEio37RnvU69VQXtgOkGO47FAAfmCyOtwHUqcAPM10tF8BlCQV_azVegQK_337O62vxH8T6HBAlsAFiXse5WJJC-qiCMa0FY-wLpF2b-XefgBrlQ1tALOBFcncC8iL5c_1PmCtZel571w/s1600/patent-130619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEio37RnvU69VQXtgOkGO47FAAfmCyOtwHUqcAPM10tF8BlCQV_azVegQK_337O62vxH8T6HBAlsAFiXse5WJJC-qiCMa0FY-wLpF2b-XefgBrlQ1tALOBFcncC8iL5c_1PmCtZel571w/s1600/patent-130619.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Apple is the target of yet another patent lawsuit, as a Texas-based telecommunications firm is suing the iPhone maker over the call forwarding feature built into the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.</b><br /><br />Bluebonnet Telecommunications filed suit against Apple on Tuesday, claiming that the Cupertino company infringed on U.S. Patent No. 5,485,511, which covers a "method and apparatus for determining the telephony features assigned to a telephone." Bluebonnet has held the 511 patent since June of 1996, and the company alleges that "Apple ... offered for sale products and/or systems (including at least the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5) that infringed one or more claims of the 511 patent."<br /><br />In the 511 patent — which used to belong to Siemens Rolm Communications — a telephone communicates with a central switch to generate a list of assigned telephony features. A device can then display those features to a user in order to demonstrate which features are available to the user at the time.<br /><br />Bluebonnet's suit claims that Apple's call forwarding feature infringes on this patent. While the suit does not go into detail regarding the manner in which the features violate the patent, it does state that "the accused features that allow call forwarding have no practical use other than uses that infringe the 511 patent." <br /><br />Bluebonnet is seeking a permanent injunction enjoining Apple from infringing the 511 patent, along with financial damages resulting from the infringement. The company is also requesting pre-judgment and post-judgment interest on "the damage caused by Apple's infringing activities and other conduct."

Apple New patent lawsuit targets Apple over iPhone 5's call forwarding feature

Apple is the target of yet another patent lawsuit, as a Texas-based telecommunications firm is suing the iPhone maker over the call forwardi...

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Apple wins $30 million iPad contract from LA school district

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYOWWMZiVYxGbMjMtHNz0v3pBYgmj4sfjjlyxwmXwOBcRfNk4vsrAlaaYI7SKxkvQJxvxNX_PSuNOG_Oo5LE7lSg_4YyRiNtv_KGeB8Pt98u1huoSqSyQX3RGdD2MWFk8ndmf3dd_R2I/s1600/education-130619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYOWWMZiVYxGbMjMtHNz0v3pBYgmj4sfjjlyxwmXwOBcRfNk4vsrAlaaYI7SKxkvQJxvxNX_PSuNOG_Oo5LE7lSg_4YyRiNtv_KGeB8Pt98u1huoSqSyQX3RGdD2MWFk8ndmf3dd_R2I/s1600/education-130619.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>The second-largest school system in the U.S., the L.A. Unified School District, has awarded Apple with a $30 million contract to provide iPads to every student it serves.</b><br /><br />The deal was approved by the district's board in a unanimous vote on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. The district will pay $678 per device, and the iPads will come preloaded with educational software.<br /><br />Members of the board characterized the deal is one of the "most high-profile contracts" they will ever approve, declaring it "as big as they come."<br /><br />With the board's approval, the iPad will be used by students at 47 campuses in the L.A. Unified School District. The board opted to choose Apple as the sole vendor after students and teachers rated the iPad as the highest quality tablet available on the market.<br /><br />The contract is so significant that Apple's rival Microsoft got involved, asking the district to pilot more than one product and consider its Windows devices. The Redmond, Wash., software company argued that most businesses use Microsoft platforms, and Windows tablets would be a good way to expose students to those devices.<br /><br />District staff, however, declared Apple's iPad the superior product. They said it wouldn't be fair to require some students to use a different, lesser product than the iPad.<br /><br />iPad sales to educational institutions have become increasingly common as tablets have grown in popularity. Data from last year demonstrated that Apple's iPad is definitively replacing sales of traditional PCs in education.<br /><br />One pilot program in Idaho dubbed "iSchool Campus" has earned rave reviews from educators and students alike. In addition to providing a more engaging way to teach students, Apple's tablet has also helped reduce costs at Paul Elementary in Minidoka County, Idaho, by eliminating 20,000 paper copies a month.

Apple Apple wins $30 million iPad contract from LA school district

The second-largest school system in the U.S., the L.A. Unified School District, has awarded Apple with a $30 million contract to provide iPa...

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Apple TV update adds HBO Go, WatchESPN & more channels

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGF8c23o8rYLMte7BYvQ_xBCn7ZXw7skO9tTXhXzdYasc_0lLomKv64Cy1J-1fXelNUGGfOqXd4FLWjJ_HfCNzq6dIdYX4LF1g3QxTM0FExmJtJ48LIYJWoaWNZSnZflx3wSKkwoAE_Y/s1600/appletv-130619-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGF8c23o8rYLMte7BYvQ_xBCn7ZXw7skO9tTXhXzdYasc_0lLomKv64Cy1J-1fXelNUGGfOqXd4FLWjJ_HfCNzq6dIdYX4LF1g3QxTM0FExmJtJ48LIYJWoaWNZSnZflx3wSKkwoAE_Y/s1600/appletv-130619-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <b>Apple on Wednesday issued an update for its Apple TV set-top box, adding HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News and other channels to the home screen for new, integrated streaming video options.</b><br /><br />The free Apple TV software version 5.3 update is now available for download for second- and third-generation Apple TV devices. Other content providers included in the update are Crunchyroll and Qello.<br /><br />"HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits on Apple TV," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We continue to offer Apple TV users great new programming options, combined with access to all of the incredible content they can purchase from the iTunes Store."<br /><br />The new options join established programming partners Hulu Plus, Netflix, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF1RgVJkt_pN8etHaBEKEy5euiIgKP8myppzR7K3sbUBMWaKaI_Ts2xUCIo19DFH72935-oUPvtzYpmXF28WkEMuClpszQ79kuAbb76L2qnBF9vuPWi7jzQups-kqnBDf2KygbSU6kVw/s1600/appletv-130619-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF1RgVJkt_pN8etHaBEKEy5euiIgKP8myppzR7K3sbUBMWaKaI_Ts2xUCIo19DFH72935-oUPvtzYpmXF28WkEMuClpszQ79kuAbb76L2qnBF9vuPWi7jzQups-kqnBDf2KygbSU6kVw/s1600/appletv-130619-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />HGO Go requires a paid cable subscription to HBO. The streaming service offers users access to original HBO programming, movies, sports, documentaries, comedy specials and more.<br /><br />WatchESPN includes live sports content from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line for those who already receive ESPN's networks as part of their subscription through affiliated providers. Also included with WatchESPN are original shows like E:60, Outside the Lines, SC Featured, Sports Science and others.<br /><br />Qello isn on-demand streaming service for high-definition concerts and music documentaries. Free and paid subscriptions are both available.

Apple Apple TV update adds HBO Go, WatchESPN & more channels

  Apple on Wednesday issued an update for its Apple TV set-top box, adding HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News and other channels to the home screen...

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Google's Nexus 7 tablets dying early, possibly due to cheap memory

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6my69KRpB3wrS3znB1ZwIdgLkheggL-NYmUB-OCW2EEPZ4yUfbtN79V8ed7oneD0woQ22AnjNMZomZ4VMyoo9vakCFi5CwxjDfcryBfHenf2OylepMOY_h1Noz71wFHkq8E1Uu6BiIs/s1600/nexus7-120628.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6my69KRpB3wrS3znB1ZwIdgLkheggL-NYmUB-OCW2EEPZ4yUfbtN79V8ed7oneD0woQ22AnjNMZomZ4VMyoo9vakCFi5CwxjDfcryBfHenf2OylepMOY_h1Noz71wFHkq8E1Uu6BiIs/s1600/nexus7-120628.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Less than a year after hitting the market at an exceptionally low $199 price point, Google's Nexus 7 mini tablet is causing an uproar among early adopters who complain the device is already beginning to fail with frustrating lag and frequent periods of unresponsiveness.</b><br /><br />"I cannot pick up my Nexus 7 without experiencing problems like a lag of ten seconds, or more, just to rotate the display," Early wrote. "Touches refusing to acknowledged; stuttering notification panel actions; and unresponsive apps."<br /><br />Early said he was originally "blown away" by the Nexus 7, writing "it was the perfect form factor for Android, and probably the best Android device I had ever used at the time. All for just $200. You simply couldn’t ask for more in a device."<br /><br />Despite trying a factory reset and then "drastic measures, like rooting and installing CyanogenMod 10.1" which Early "thought would surely fix everything" based on the assumption that "performance problems were merely a lack of software optimization," he concluded, "nothing seems to work."<br /><br />

Apple Google's Nexus 7 tablets dying early, possibly due to cheap memory

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Apple tweaks Siri responses to help prevent suicides

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmkefcHceCMDNm7DMMhni4ODTQnM2hhvCfhzXJnc5FHNuN3LteLULRQnfh_ev6vULPp9sJVcoxPZrVikVqTONQBgiLhHPe9t40DZ3bI7tExfAEgIOZD_oS8g2WbqkAZU0iWgqjgARP0k/s1600/siri-watching-out-for-you-130618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmkefcHceCMDNm7DMMhni4ODTQnM2hhvCfhzXJnc5FHNuN3LteLULRQnfh_ev6vULPp9sJVcoxPZrVikVqTONQBgiLhHPe9t40DZ3bI7tExfAEgIOZD_oS8g2WbqkAZU0iWgqjgARP0k/s1600/siri-watching-out-for-you-130618.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Apple often touts how its products affect the lives of their users, and a recent update to Siri suggests that the company is committed to doing what it can to save those lives as well.</b><br /><br />When the iOS digital assistant Siri is presented with a user that indicates he or she is considering suicide, the program will offer to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Before this most recent addition, Siri would show the locations of centers but not offer to call them.<br /><br />The change to Siri's recommendations will be a feature in both iOS 6 and iOS 7. On devices without a calling feature, such as the iPad and the iPod touch, Siri will list and read off the NSPL phone number, but will then search for nearby suicide prevention centers.<br /><br />The change appears to be a server-side alteration to Apple's digital assistant. Previous alterations have made Siri less tolerant of long-winded questions and improved her ability to tell and take jokes.<br /><br />Apple's forthcoming iOS 7 update will give Siri even more capabilities, including the ability to control settings, search Twitter and Wikipedia, and search Google or Bing. Siri will also gain additional voice options, giving users the ability to a male or female voice for the digital assistant.

Apple Apple tweaks Siri responses to help prevent suicides

Apple often touts how its products affect the lives of their users, and a recent update to Siri suggests that the company is committed to do...

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Solar charging stations with Apple Lightning & 30-pin connectors come to New York

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Ymbj-r9lVMeBnrupL7Q5cBOrJkFfCPFj7HWTZhD6zY8pHZCGk2bSsPcudd5jKEYyDZ9U21rauPCTLlztI6pzjxGpQLJmF7AUsWIiCP6ToWBX5kocNDzaSNsEb3HRIJ9j39HX3dprOY/s1600/charge-130618-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Ymbj-r9lVMeBnrupL7Q5cBOrJkFfCPFj7HWTZhD6zY8pHZCGk2bSsPcudd5jKEYyDZ9U21rauPCTLlztI6pzjxGpQLJmF7AUsWIiCP6ToWBX5kocNDzaSNsEb3HRIJ9j39HX3dprOY/s1600/charge-130618-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>iPhone, iPad and iPod users on the go can now receive a free boost at a handful of new public solar charging stations in New York City, with more set to appear across the city over the coming days and weeks.</b><br /><br />Goal Zero, AT&T and Pensa collaborated on the new Street Charge stations, which feature three 15-watt solar panels. Each pole has six USB connectors, including 30-pin and Lightning plugs for Apple devices.<br /><br />The charging stations also include a micro-USB plug for non-Apple devices, as well as three female USB plugs for users who may have a charging cable on them.<br /><br />As of Tuesday, the first official charging stations are now live at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1, Fort Greene Park, Governor's Island, and Riverside Park Pier 1, according to AT&T. Another station is scheduled to open Wednesday at Union Square.<br /><br />The program grew out of the Superstorm Sandy disaster, when AT&T found that citizens were flocking to its generator-powered distribution centers to charge their phones. That led AT&T to partner with Goal Zero and Brooklyn-based design firm Pensa to develop what it's pitched as a "sustainable charging solution."<br /><br />"We’re excited to team up with AT&T and Pensa to help make New York a little greener and solar power a little more accessible," said Joe Atkin, President and CEO of Goal Zero. "Nearly half of all Americans own a smartphone and the amount of time we spend on handheld devices has increased dramatically. All too often, we hear the dreaded low-battery beep and it happens at the most inconvenient times. Street Charge will fix that."<br /><br />Goal Zero has said its Street Charge stations will be modular to meet specific needs. For example, the stations can be modified to add solar-powered lighting, Wi-Fi, and signage for advertisements.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIj7paU-3QrzZR7F8ovb9A3a2KBFvB3Gr53ud8V41ZKaSK5L97U533nYzHSj7Eh7T5EAHxMiSSsSA6Q0bpBfqp4o_l4AObe-vvqYxVzrjQG9t9ZPPJwHNQmIZjGVa7IUr6Z1JanVrI2M/s1600/charge-130618-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIj7paU-3QrzZR7F8ovb9A3a2KBFvB3Gr53ud8V41ZKaSK5L97U533nYzHSj7Eh7T5EAHxMiSSsSA6Q0bpBfqp4o_l4AObe-vvqYxVzrjQG9t9ZPPJwHNQmIZjGVa7IUr6Z1JanVrI2M/s1600/charge-130618-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The stations will come to other heavily trafficked areas of the city this summer, including Coney Island, Rockaways, Summerstage in Central Park, Randall's Island, and Hudson River Park.

Apple Solar charging stations with Apple Lightning & 30-pin connectors come to New York

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High resolution images claim to show 'iPhone 5S' and iPhone 5 display assemblies side-by-side

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IkWkyhcfu27-zHDgpx9DkT5HJEwo-9ygMhFKB9JN2_6fjmXRZdDMrUWoAAJz_AahdAvwSfYufZ5giOEcv589TS3n9-CrOyB6GqY_NB-6JFcKoHvI14b2L0uKqWg6s9DvE7sUZNjy_Ec/s1600/13.06.18-iPhone5SDisplay-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IkWkyhcfu27-zHDgpx9DkT5HJEwo-9ygMhFKB9JN2_6fjmXRZdDMrUWoAAJz_AahdAvwSfYufZ5giOEcv589TS3n9-CrOyB6GqY_NB-6JFcKoHvI14b2L0uKqWg6s9DvE7sUZNjy_Ec/s1600/13.06.18-iPhone5SDisplay-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>A set of high resolution images were posted to the Web late Tuesday claiming to show a side-by-side comparison of the display assemblies for Apple's iPhone 5 and a rumored next-generation model dubbed "iPhone 5S."</b><br /><br />The photos come from FanaticFone, which alleges to have gotten their hands on a sample of the iPhone 5S display assembly some months before analysts expect Apple to unveil the next-gen handset.<br /><br />Tuesday's high-resolution pictures come on the heels of an identical images revealed on Monday, which appeared to match up with a supposed iPhone 5S logic board "leaked" that same day. While Monday's photos appear to be congruent with the latest imagery, it is not clear whether the display assembly is a production model, a prototype, or merely a well-crafted mock-up.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBmcRW-BpkfuPNkJnPrIRy5EP4dnuy-ojWOE5uOXTwSkTHGhFalgKq1EPSCbOVs5QsCA3VQA5m4rTjshY4XZoSKN9JthV1wZh075dbYj3hcmcqhBH3EgugP3Y3ARvAjcvlQLzxOZY9f4/s1600/13.06.18-iPhone5SDisplay-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBmcRW-BpkfuPNkJnPrIRy5EP4dnuy-ojWOE5uOXTwSkTHGhFalgKq1EPSCbOVs5QsCA3VQA5m4rTjshY4XZoSKN9JthV1wZh075dbYj3hcmcqhBH3EgugP3Y3ARvAjcvlQLzxOZY9f4/s1600/13.06.18-iPhone5SDisplay-2.jpg" width="548" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>FanaticFone's images, while clear and unobstructed, are of unusually high quality, with no shadows or digital artifacts. The photos' metadata shows the pictures were taken with a prosumer D-SLR without flash, meaning an external lighting source such as a light box was used to capture the nearly flawless images.<br /><br />Assuming the part is legitimate, it appears as though Apple made only minor changes to the display assembly, with chassis anchor points, camera holes and even antenna plugs located in identical spot. The most obvious difference between the two components is the flex cable that feeds information and power to the panel, and touch data back to the handset.<br /><br />As the end of Apple's annual refresh cycle draws near, an increasing number of purported leaks are showing up online. Supposed leaks include a new FaceTime camera, home button, dual-weight vibration motor, SIM tray, volume rocker, and mute switch.

Apple High resolution images claim to show 'iPhone 5S' and iPhone 5 display assemblies side-by-side

A set of high resolution images were posted to the Web late Tuesday claiming to show a side-by-side comparison of the display assemblies for...

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Turkey's 'silent man' vigils go on as protests fizzle out

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTxaxU1j7ZkFDw4sW6RNOittPK4WezcfjG1OzIZgFsJDwkg31tujWC8wSjqMgGd9v1oTK8yiYHD7z9H2mXYcY_2uHkxdI_AOJkecYk5ZCXxC6dTIDRjty3eWBvHtMPBKOXE8kEIIYYD0/s1600/51c187d85ea87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTxaxU1j7ZkFDw4sW6RNOittPK4WezcfjG1OzIZgFsJDwkg31tujWC8wSjqMgGd9v1oTK8yiYHD7z9H2mXYcY_2uHkxdI_AOJkecYk5ZCXxC6dTIDRjty3eWBvHtMPBKOXE8kEIIYYD0/s1600/51c187d85ea87.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>ISTANBUL: Riot police on Wednesday clashed briefly with groups of anti-government protesters in two Turkish cities, but there was no fresh unrest in Istanbul where demonstrators switched to silent protests after a heavy crackdow</b>n.<br /><br />A day after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory over the mass demos that have defied his authority for nearly three weeks, several dozen protesters held a quiet vigil on Istanbul's Taksim Square, standing still and silent in the midday heat.<br /><br />But the police presence on the square was much smaller than in previous days and the area was mostly overrun with tourists and commuters resuming their normal routines.<br /><br />The so-called “standing man” protest, which began with a lone choreographer in Istanbul on Monday, also spread to the capital Ankara, the southern city of Adana and the western city of Izmir, with hundreds standing motionless in public spaces in a peaceful act of quiet defiance.<br /><br />The only reports of fresh clashes overnight were in Ankara and the central city of Eskisehir, where police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters, according to local media.<br /><br />The protests against Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted government have lost some of their intensity since police on Saturday stormed Istanbul's Gezi Park, the epicentre of the nationwide demos, evicting thousands of protesters and sparking a weekend of violence.

Turkey's 'silent man' vigils go on as protests fizzle out

ISTANBUL: Riot police on Wednesday clashed briefly with groups of anti-government protesters in two Turkish cities, but there was no fresh u...

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US reporter who felled Gen McChrystal dies in crash

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUYtpqxm0Rz8DHUFfE6ny3IYwYXtMVKoPPObv9BdBN3W4m-YsMaPPLbWHjkdJzj3EueM_ZTS71ATvMpUwl7T8KdXFoZLzf_ldvKhlBC9__nL7eE2QcqDYqr4BSYG3LXzkZcIRqER2Qlw/s1600/51c119a694d0b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUYtpqxm0Rz8DHUFfE6ny3IYwYXtMVKoPPObv9BdBN3W4m-YsMaPPLbWHjkdJzj3EueM_ZTS71ATvMpUwl7T8KdXFoZLzf_ldvKhlBC9__nL7eE2QcqDYqr4BSYG3LXzkZcIRqER2Qlw/s1600/51c119a694d0b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>LOS ANGELES: Michael Hastings, the Rolling Stone journalist who triggered the 2010 downfall of US Afghanistan commander General Stanley McChrystal, died in a car crash Tuesday, his employer announced.</b><br /><br />Hastings, whose profile of McChrystal quoted the four-star general as criticizing President Barack Obama and his senior advisers, died in Los Angeles. He was 33, according to his current employer, BuzzFeed.<br /><br />“We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone,”said Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of the news website which the late reporter joined in February last year.<br /><br />“Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians,” he added.<br /><br />McChrystal was summoned to Washington by Obama in June 2010 and swiftly relieved of his command after comments attributed to him and his aides in the magazine article, headlined “The Runaway General.”In the profile, McChrystal aides mocked Vice President Joe Biden, called the president's national security adviser “a clown,” and said the general was “disappointed” by his first meeting with Obama.<br /><br />McChrystal himself was quoted deriding the US special envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, and saying he felt “betrayed” by the ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry, who had raised pointed objections to his war strategy.<br /><br />Such journalists give off “the sense that there are stories burning inside them, and that there's no higher calling or greater way to live life than to be always relentlessly trying to find and tell those stories.<br /><br />”Obama replaced McChrystal in Afghanistan with David Petraeus, the talismanic general who rescued a losing war in Iraq and was one of the most decorated and respected military people of his generation.<br /><br />Petraeus went on to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2011, but resigned in disgrace in November 2012 after admitting an affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell, 20 years his junior.

US reporter who felled Gen McChrystal dies in crash

LOS ANGELES: Michael Hastings, the Rolling Stone journalist who triggered the 2010 downfall of US Afghanistan commander General Stanley McCh...

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US-Taliban breakthrough: Talks to begin in Doha tomorrow

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3o_9_ApHcSgnoXHxKmsaT0Xr7NSAkDeRMfggmqvLcseutSsmp-TKIAstZoprhlU_xxxERIsakRmSXjc_rEylwbg8bJzlb6k_Gk3v-madQbaJb4vHaidYrMCVkStBP4mGgej-_rOOatc/s1600/51c08abf70a41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3o_9_ApHcSgnoXHxKmsaT0Xr7NSAkDeRMfggmqvLcseutSsmp-TKIAstZoprhlU_xxxERIsakRmSXjc_rEylwbg8bJzlb6k_Gk3v-madQbaJb4vHaidYrMCVkStBP4mGgej-_rOOatc/s1600/51c08abf70a41.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>KABUL: The Taliban and the US announced on Tuesday that they would hold talks on finding a political solution for ending nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan as the militant movement opened an office in Qatar.</b><br /><br />A senior US official said the talks would start in Doha on Thursday.<br /><br />But President Barack Obama cautioned that the process won’t be quick or easy. He described the opening of the Taliban political office as an “important first step towards reconciliation” between the group and the government of Afghanistan, and predicted there would be bumps along the way.<br /><br />President Obama, who was attending the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland, praised Afghan President Hamid Karzai for taking a courageous step by sending representatives to discuss peace with the Taliban.<br /><br />British Prime Minister David Cameron called opening the office “the right thing to do”.<br /><br />US officials said the process could take many years and be subject to reversals.<br /><br />They said they hoped the meeting would open the way for the first official peace talks between the government of President Karzai and the Taliban.<br /><br />The top US commander in Afghanistan, Marine Gen Joseph Dunford, said the only way to end the war was through a political solution.<br /><br />The Taliban have for years refused to speak to the government or the High Peace Council set up by President Karzai three years ago, because they considered them to be US ‘puppets’.<br /><br />Taliban representatives have instead talked to American and other Western officials in Doha and other places, mostly in Europe.<br /><br />Officials said President Obama was personally involved in working with Mr Karzai to enable the opening of the office and Mr Kerry had also played a major role.<br /><br />President Obama briefed other leaders at the summit meeting about the development.<br /><br />James Dobbins, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was scheduled to leave Washington on Tuesday to visit Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan, focusing primarily on “reconciliation efforts”, according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.<br /><br />Recalling Pakistan’s role in the establishment of office, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said it had “played a constructive and positive role in helping accomplish this important milestone in support of a peace process for Afghanistan”.<br /><br />It said Pakistan was committed to continuing to facilitate the process for the sake of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

US-Taliban breakthrough: Talks to begin in Doha tomorrow

KABUL: The Taliban and the US announced on Tuesday that they would hold talks on finding a political solution for ending nearly 12 years of ...

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Volvo Tests Electric Road That Charges Cars

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwK50kUH8zRvik5jVFUVNfJ1rTMfBE2OadQNF9muMpPamSFqLAZAV782B9bUFfMh9BTc-5Ez7YADKipyzNKyzmpKuWVM01mIc8v1S30T_KSIUGHavHg4yD34A3kqPkC630FJ2uXg9pZ4/s1600/RoadLines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwK50kUH8zRvik5jVFUVNfJ1rTMfBE2OadQNF9muMpPamSFqLAZAV782B9bUFfMh9BTc-5Ez7YADKipyzNKyzmpKuWVM01mIc8v1S30T_KSIUGHavHg4yD34A3kqPkC630FJ2uXg9pZ4/s1600/RoadLines.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />While modern Teslas work on new wireless recharging, particularly for electric vehicles in urban areas, one Swedish project is testing a system designed to power EVs along the highway. The method, developed by the Volvo Group and the Swedish power company Alstom with support from the Swedish Energy Agency, would involve putting two power lines directly into the road. As vehicles pass over, they’d continuously be supplied with electricity.<br /><br />The Volvo Group constructed a quarter-mile track embedded with cables last year at its Hällered testing facility in Sweden. The test truck contains a current collector that comes into contact with the power lines. As it moves over the lines, 750 V of direct current is delivered and routed to a water-cooled heating element, Gizmag’s Paul Ridden reported.<br /><br />To ensure safety, a section of the power line can only be live when a truck passes right over it, the Volvo Group said in a description of the testing. For now, the company is using a diesel engine Volvo FH12 truck on the track but they have plans to try out an electric motor one in the future.<br /><br />But such high-tech roads could potentially work well in the United States, where many of highways are aging and natural disasters often mess with elevated power lines. Back in the day cable cars were a normal part of American life. This is just the cable car of the future, and we each get to drive one.

Volvo Tests Electric Road That Charges Cars

While modern Teslas work on new wireless recharging, particularly for electric vehicles in urban areas, one Swedish project is testing a sys...

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A Motorcyclist's Dream: Google Glass in Helmet Form

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JZDcuZjSpsUiYE9r25RjoUbOT580CwqxB_NftDj_-7E27cLkFsCFrExsI58sTbt2qJmLEO77lBhw1P2hiFkV3jYVVL6vRSuNY-pWX9NBKnhe6Nbz_j-nIGgwcfN1Cb5aGkEE5Q1McJg/s1600/reality-motorcycle-helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JZDcuZjSpsUiYE9r25RjoUbOT580CwqxB_NftDj_-7E27cLkFsCFrExsI58sTbt2qJmLEO77lBhw1P2hiFkV3jYVVL6vRSuNY-pWX9NBKnhe6Nbz_j-nIGgwcfN1Cb5aGkEE5Q1McJg/s1600/reality-motorcycle-helmet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Using high-tech dashboards, drivers can reference navigation systems and voice control in the comfort of a quiet car, but motorcyclists still don't have an effective, high-tech solution. Referencing maps requires a roadside stop, and GPS systems can be distracting.<br /><br />Now, the team at LiveMap is looking to fund a project that would bring built-in navigation and augmented reality to helmets. Think Google Glass in helmet form.<br /><br />The motorycle helmet, which is currently listed on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, comes with technology and features so powerful only fighter pilots currently have access. The project already has the financial backing and support from the Moscow Department of Science and several other Russian organizations, but LiveMap is looking for additional funding to get it up and running.<br /><br />For long drives, the motorcycle helmet features two 3000-mAh batteries, a microphone for voice control that keeps both hands focused on driving and a digital compass for head movement tracking. In case a motorcyclist runs into trouble, the command "help" will notify local authorities.

A Motorcyclist's Dream: Google Glass in Helmet Form

Using high-tech dashboards, drivers can reference navigation systems and voice control in the comfort of a quiet car, but motorcyclists stil...

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Steve Jobs Bio to be Released in Paperback on Sept. 10

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpjxR02aUk2UmXojeosXuj6kHda1x56wzbU6Gfgr-GrgqW_U8NZzxcMT3r73I2-eSZW2GQjR1f_76GqgRbHIjPktFXrx3foW9o1VCWAYQZp4IncOTGDM2s8iSfKC_edtDyou_kXi9Fs0/s1600/steve-jobs-book-covers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpjxR02aUk2UmXojeosXuj6kHda1x56wzbU6Gfgr-GrgqW_U8NZzxcMT3r73I2-eSZW2GQjR1f_76GqgRbHIjPktFXrx3foW9o1VCWAYQZp4IncOTGDM2s8iSfKC_edtDyou_kXi9Fs0/s1600/steve-jobs-book-covers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />The critically acclaimed and bestselling Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson will be released as a paperback on September 10 by Simon & Schuster, the publisher said on Sunday.<br /><br />According to All Things D, Simon & Schuster said the paperback version of Steve Jobs: A Biography will have an afterword that wasn't included in the hardcover when it was published in November, 2011 — one month after the late Apple CEO's death on Oct. 5, 2011.<br /><br />The photo of an older Steve Jobs, photographed in 2006 by Albert Watson, adorns the hardcover version of the book. It features a similar pose of Jobs, taken 22 years later. <br /><br />I've read the Steve Jobs biography, and I can tell you that it's one of the most fascinating books I've read, offering tremendous insight into Steve Jobs' complex and often maddening personality. If you haven't read it, the September release of the paperback version might be a good time to dive in.

Steve Jobs Bio to be Released in Paperback on Sept. 10

The critically acclaimed and bestselling Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson will be released as a paperback on September 10 by Simon &a...

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Awesome Audi S6 Is the Car of the Future, Now

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOLvUmyJIsqnrAVLMriH2pY7dBYgui20fxBxp894vMVc6A4MkgbIbo5_bmm4Mad6H5ZRIglhjrBpbN8R5L0mvHAH28_uLiMn0EIHA39pXentZ1wK9KY9z7vbK-1ngdsBJNJU-8KOB8wU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOLvUmyJIsqnrAVLMriH2pY7dBYgui20fxBxp894vMVc6A4MkgbIbo5_bmm4Mad6H5ZRIglhjrBpbN8R5L0mvHAH28_uLiMn0EIHA39pXentZ1wK9KY9z7vbK-1ngdsBJNJU-8KOB8wU/s1600/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Buckle up, because you're about to experience the Audi S6, one of the fastest sedans in the world. Besides its muscular performance, it's bristling with the latest car tech, so advanced that it gives you a hint of what's to come in the future of self-driving cars.<br /><br />Audi lent us this car for a week, giving us a close-up look at the most advanced technology available in cars, circa mid-2013. The option-packed Audi S6 we tested ($87,720) is not the most expensive car from this upscale German automaker, but it's high enough on Audi's hierarchy to show off the tremendous power and astonishing technology of today's best cars.<br /><br />At first glance, this ominous black chariot looks like a low-slung, curvy version of your dad's sedan. Don't be fooled. A closer look reveals clues about its true nature. Look how it sits on its haunches ready to pounce, with that Angry-Bird look on its face. Check out the wide track of its fat, low-profile tires, and that little badge on the side that says "V8T." Yes, those are hints that this is most certainly a hungry wolf in an ornery black sheep's clothing.<br /><br />The S6 also allowed me to plug in my iPhone, giving me control of all of my tunes on board, as well as letting me play Pandora radio. This also allowed the S6 to use my iPhone's LTE network, which is 10 times faster. However, this is not a new feature at all — we have the same iPhone plug-in capability in our 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid. <br /><br />If you're looking to use apps in the S6, you'll be disappointed. There's no such compatibility here — even the cheapest car we tested, the Chevy Spark, had better app compatibility than this. But perhaps the target audience for this luxo-sport monster doesn't care much about apps. It felt to me like in this context, the S6's smartphone friendliness (along with its other technical niceties) was just enough, offering easy Bluetooth connectivity that lets you upload your phonebook and place hands-free calls using speech recognition. <br /><br />Another excellent use of speech recognition was the easy access to online points of interest, where you can search Google for restaurants, gas stations and other locations, either nearby or on your programmed route. This felt like science fiction to me, giving me live data from the Internet to assist me in finding anything I wanted in the physical world. Best of all, it was relatively easy to use compared with all of the other touchscreen-based infotainment systems I've tested.<br /><br />That's not to say the Audi S6's infotainment system is perfect. Discerning someone's conversational meaning is difficult even for humans in a noisy environment, so it's not surprising that speech recognition inside a car barreling down the highway at 70+ MPH might not be completely accurate. But in most cases, inside the S6's exceptionally quiet cabin (even when traveling way beyond any U.S. speed limit), its recognition was just good enough to get the job done.

Awesome Audi S6 Is the Car of the Future, Now

Buckle up, because you're about to experience the Audi S6, one of the fastest sedans in the world. Besides its muscular performance, it&...

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Top 10 Tech This Week

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PGWgPtKvnnKiU1RSZfJ6w1-PLJ94u1V9hffEuZeMIcR7qhayA80E8R_KdYTz0qRASzTK8Cqa8yNINeTytxMqw2VyiU_oYshJ7W0hJadAECmlaOWbwCFYkpIT4Ih42Zj54ZHFjt2bhak/s1600/spray-640x360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PGWgPtKvnnKiU1RSZfJ6w1-PLJ94u1V9hffEuZeMIcR7qhayA80E8R_KdYTz0qRASzTK8Cqa8yNINeTytxMqw2VyiU_oYshJ7W0hJadAECmlaOWbwCFYkpIT4Ih42Zj54ZHFjt2bhak/s1600/spray-640x360.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />This week was filled with unpredictable weather, feverishly anticipated conferences and big announcements. It was almost too much to keep up with, but fear not. Top 10 Tech is here to catch you up on all the latest, hottest techno-news of the week.<br /><br />The biggest announcements of the week came from Apple’s WWDC conference on Monday. With the launch of iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks, Apple aficionados will be seeing a lot of changes in their objects of desire. <br /><br />Facebook also announced integration with hashtags. The announcement, like most of Facebook’s changes, was met with mixed reviews.<br /><br />And in other news from social networks, MySpace has gone through a redesign and is now Myspace. It now is a music-discovery site and comes with a mobile app.<br /><br />Google is in the news again after buying mapping app Waze and Sony finally orchestrated its big PlayStation 4 reveal.<br /><br />Like we said, lots of big news this week, so you’ll want to check out our Top Ten Tech gallery above.

Top 10 Tech This Week

This week was filled with unpredictable weather, feverishly anticipated conferences and big announcements. It was almost too much to keep up...

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Wearable Tech Bracelet Brings You Smartphone Notifications

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAeygEGdbfFzg79kIvZVDpazKC2fAp-Y4Eq7s18_eL_8lYML0zyZeROQsmkvLTF-Hztx_85kwJpGBatx0JKo931xpmf3WiHizfu3YMUHdVKLrcu2gAzhj_kpM09C9fHtKqguusCuHlOU/s1600/embrace-smartphone-bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAeygEGdbfFzg79kIvZVDpazKC2fAp-Y4Eq7s18_eL_8lYML0zyZeROQsmkvLTF-Hztx_85kwJpGBatx0JKo931xpmf3WiHizfu3YMUHdVKLrcu2gAzhj_kpM09C9fHtKqguusCuHlOU/s1600/embrace-smartphone-bracelet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Tech giants aside, smaller companies are also entering the wearable tech space, including Embrace+, which alerts wearers to smartphone notifications "through a combination of visual and tactile cues." What's more, this happens all while the mobile device remains inside a purse or pocket.<br /><br />"Through a simple set-up of some basic parameters on the smartphone you already have, the Embrace+ will show you what you want, and when you want to know it," according to the company's Kickstarter page. "What it shows, how it displays your information and how frequently you see the information is completely up to you."<br /><br />The funding period for Embrace+ ended on June 9, with the company having raised close to $265,000 on Kickstarter — more than three times its original goal of $80,000

Wearable Tech Bracelet Brings You Smartphone Notifications

Tech giants aside, smaller companies are also entering the wearable tech space, including Embrace+, which alerts wearers to smartphone notif...

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