lenovo screen

Lenovo updates the performance and value line of its ThinkPad laptops

Lenovo has been on a roll lately, announcing a plethora of new devices to fit many needs. The company recently announced updates to its business and consumer line of laptops. Today, the company furthers its onslaught by announcing updates to its performance and value line of business ThinkPad laptops.

"Improvements include new user inspired designs and longer battery life while continuing to support full connectivity capabilities that commercial customers depend on. The new performance systems are thinner and lighter devices with clean designs and maintain MIL-SPEC tested ThinkPad durability and reliability", says Lenovo.

By Brian Fagioli -
half-eaten apple

Apple fails to excite -- allows Google to keep taking bites

Today, Apple announced two new iPhones, the 5S and 5C. Sadly, through various leaks and rumors, the wind was taken out of the fruit logo company's sails; the element of surprise was lost. Surprise or not, either way, both new smartphones look really well made, attractive and full-featured. There is only one problem -- no one cares.

Well, "no one cares" is an exaggeration. I'm sure existing iPhone users care and these phones will sell well. Unfortunately, it won't be enough to lure the people Apple really needs to target -- first-time smartphone buyers and Android users. In other words, Google will continue to erode Apple's market-share, one chomp at a time.

By Brian Fagioli -
frederic_news_image_blog1

Google+ adds author attribution and embedded posts

Google+ is a great social media service for people to interact with friends and strangers alike. However, much like fellow social media sites Facebook and Twitter, it also serves as a great tool for bloggers and writers.

Yesterday, Google announced that it is bolstering its social media service with new features aimed at authors of blogs and news sites -- author attribution and embedded posts.

By Brian Fagioli -
woman screaming at phone

Five things I hate about Android

Android is my mobile operating system of choice. While I am unhappy with the new KitKat name for 4.4, I still generally enjoy the OS very much. I like that Android uses the Linux Kernel and is more open than iOS.

However, there are five aspects of the operating system that I simply hate or find unnecessary. Read on for my choices, which like all good lists, are presented in reverse order...

By Brian Fagioli -
ultramobile-hdd-hand-300x225

Seagate wants to stick a spinning hard disk in your tablet

The best and fastest computer upgrade I ever made was when I went from a hard-disk to a solid-state drive. It greatly improved my boot speed and overall performance. However, with great speed came a great decrease in storage space. At the time, I had gone from a 2TB HDD to a 90GB SSD.

However, sometimes storage is preferable over speed, in which case a spinning HDD is more cost effective. Seagate, realizing an opportunity in this respect, today announces the 500GB Ultra Mobile HDD for tablets. According to the company, the drive is "designed exclusively for mobile devices. Integrated with the Seagate Mobile Enablement Kit which includes Seagate’s Dynamic Data Driver software technology, the new storage solution delivers up to 7-times the storage capacity of a traditional 64GB tablet with the same power, performance and reliability of a flash device".

By Brian Fagioli -
PS vita tv

Sony announces game-changing PlayStation Vita TV

In 1994, Nintendo released the Super Game Boy; a special SNES cartridge that allowed Game Boy games to be played on the SNES (and in turn, a TV). Basically, the device turned mobile games into home console games. At the time, it was revolutionary; not everyone could afford both a Game Boy and a SNES. Not only did it expand the game library for SNES owners, it also gave Nintendo a new channel to monetize Game Boy Games -- a win for both the company and its users.

Today, Sony announces a device that follows in the footsteps of the Super Game Boy, called PlayStation Vita TV. The company describes it as "a new entertainment system within the PlayStation family that will allow users to easily access video services, games and various content on their TV at home".

By Brian Fagioli -
lexar

Lexar announces JumpDrive M10 Secure USB 3.0 flash drive

While consumer storage is trending towards the cloud, many people still prefer to store their data locally. Services like Dropbox are undeniably convenient and wonderful, but an internet connection is not always guaranteed. And so, a high quality flash drive is still a smart investment for any tech geek. However, a trip to Amazon or Newegg can leave your head spinning -- there are far too many choices.

Today, Lexar announces a flash drive that aims to grab attention in the crowded market. "The JumpDrive M10 Secure is designed for on-the-go executives, power business users, or anyone holding sensitive information who may want more data security than the average person", says Aaron Lee, director of product marketing, Lexar.

By Brian Fagioli -
girl with sundae

Ubuntu Linux flavors hit major 13.10 beta-1 milestone

I love frozen yogurt; particularly Red Mango. If you aren't familiar, the company offers multiple flavors of the tasty treat which you can then customize with the toppings of your choice. Basically, the variety is what makes the experience fun. For many users, the same can be said for Linux. You see, it offers many different desktop environments -- variety and choice are the spice of unix-like life.

There are many different flavors of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, all special in their own way. Today, many of those flavors have reached the beta-1 milestone of the highly anticipated 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) release.  This includes Kubuntu (KDE), Xubuntu (XFCE), Lubuntu (LXDE) and Ubuntu Gnome (Gnome3). Sadly, the standard Ubuntu version, based on Unity, is not included in the fun.

By Brian Fagioli -
Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro_Image_7

Lenovo Flexes and does Yoga with new convertible and dual-mode computers

Earlier in the week, Lenovo announced some intriguing new products -- business-focused laptops and a game-changing display. For most companies, this would be enough excitement for a year, let alone a week. However, the computer maker seems to be focused on clobbering consumers over the head with great products -- hey, no complaints here!

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed the Yoga 11s. While I loved the machine, I did mention its Ivy Bridge processor as a very slight negative in the current Haswell world in which we live. Fortunately Lenovo will start giving the machine options of Haswell up to Core i7. This is great news as an already great laptop only gets better.

By Brian Fagioli -
galaxy smartwatch

Watch Out! Samsung announces Galaxy Gear wrist-wear

When I was in elementary school, I thought I was pretty cool. You see, I wore the Nintendo Tetris watch. Sadly, I have not been cool since. I have patiently waited over 20 years for a watch to match the epic-awesomeness of that game watch. The rumor-mill has been churning out a lot of smart-watch news this year, pointing to Apple and Google.

Today, Samsung beats both of those companies to market and announces the Galaxy Gear smart-watch. The company describes this new watch as "a perfect companion device that further integrates the Samsung Galaxy experience into everyday life. Samsung Galaxy Gear combines smart device connectivity, tailored technological features, and stylish design as a single premium accessory".

By Brian Fagioli -
linux penguin

Ubuntu Linux finally defaults to 64-bit

I still remember buying my first 64-bit processor -- the AMD Athlon 64 3200+. I bought it a decade ago for a system built in 2003. At the time, home computers were still mostly using 32-bit processors and running 32-bit software. However, one of my favorite Linux distributions, Ubuntu, has been offering 64-bit versions since 2004 with the Warty Warthog release.

Even though Ubuntu has offered a 64-bit version since then, Canonical has always suggested the 32-bit variant as the recommended or default download option -- even today. However, things are about to change. According to Dmitrijs Ledkovs of Canonical, "on the download pages starting from 13.10 release the messaging will be adjusted to direct users by default at the 64-bit image, and hints will be given as to when users should select a 32-bit option instead."

By Brian Fagioli -
android kitkat bar

Gimme a break Google! Android sells out

In 2004, Major League Baseball announced a Spiderman 2 promotion. The first, second and third bases would display the superhero's logo. As expected, baseball fans were livid and, as a result, the promotion was cancelled -- they did not want to cheapen the sport that they love. However, baseball is not just a game. It is an identity. Yes, people actually identify with the pastime, and the same can be said for Android. Sure, some may view it as just a mobile operating system, however, many geeks and nerds actually identify with the mobile OS. It is not just an operating system to them. Android is their stance against the establishment and a way to bond with other Google OS users.

Today, the search giant announces that the next version of Android will be named KitKat, after the iconic Nestlé candy bar. Much like the way that candy bar can be broken into 4 pieces, the hearts of many geeks and nerds are broken too. You see, this is the first time that the operating system is named after a corporation's product. It is signaling that Android has "jumped the shark" and is no longer cool. What's next? L'Oréal? M&Ms? Nike?

By Brian Fagioli -
lenovo-x240-hero

Lenovo finally evolves to Haswell -- new Business ThinkPads and ThinkVision display

When it comes to quality, the name Lenovo is one that comes to mind. Following in the tradition of IBM before it, Lenovo has maintained the tank-like construction and elegance for which the ThinkPad brand is known. Unfortunately, many of their recent products, while wonderful, are powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge and not the current-generation Haswell. Today, that changes as the company announces an evolution in the product line -- Haswell is here.

"The ThinkPad T440s, T440 and X240 Ultrabook laptops demonstrate a deliberate and purposeful look and feel. The new modern design of the ThinkPad laptops delivers the performance users expect in business while eliciting the excitement and appeal of a consumer designed laptop. This includes 20 percent thinner form factors, a variety of panel options and up to 45 percent larger trackpads with improved click functionality supporting Windows 8 gestures", says Lenovo.

By Brian Fagioli -
pressy

Pressy -- an impressyve way to add a physical button to Android

I just reviewed the Moto X and absolutely loved the hands-free voice activated experience. However, sometimes I still yearn for actual buttons to push. On-screen buttons are all the rage on Android, but a new Kickstarter campaign has launched with the aim of adding a physical one to Android devices via something called "Pressy".

According to the designers, the device is "a tiny physical button that connects to your phone through the headphone jack. Connecting the Pressy Button with the free Pressy app lets you easily customize and use your favorite, everyday actions. For example, if you use your flashlight on regular basis, set a Click-combination [in] the app for turning on your flashlight and start clicking the button".

By Brian Fagioli -
kicking

Linux environment Gnome fires Google over security concerns

I love Linux, it is no secret. Sure, I may stray to Mac and Windows every once in a while, and bash code-names, but I always come back to my first love; Linux. This week, I even had an argument with its creator Linus Torvalds over some measles, but even that can't stop my love.

My love for Linux, however, is very much focused on Fedora and Gnome3. And so, I am happy to see that Gnome has kicked Google to the curb as the default search engine for its Epiphany Web Browser (aka "Web"). Instead, it will use the privacy-focused DuckDuckGo.

By Brian Fagioli -
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