Touchscreen notebooks increase in popularity -- but why? Why? WHY?!
We're all used to getting touchy-feely with our phones and tablets, but it's only in the past few months that touchscreen laptops have really gained any ground. A report by NPD DisplaySearch states that by the end of 2013, touchscreen devices will account for 11 percent of all notebook shipments -- that's around 19.8 million notebooks with touchscreens -- and there has been a steady increase in market share since the beginning of the year.
Richard Shim, senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch explains that "Premium pricing and a lack of compelling uses for touch screens on notebooks continue to hinder adoption", but goes on to say that "as touch interfaces become increasingly common across all mobile devices, it is just a matter of time before the technology also becomes more prevalent in notebooks".
PayPal Checkout gains support for prepaid gift cards
When you’re short of ideas for presents, the easiest thing to do is to pop a check or some cash in a card -- it may not demonstrate the most thought, but at least it shows you haven't forgotten. More recently, cash and checks have been replaced with gift cards for the likes of Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. There are also prepaid cards from well-known financial institutions such as Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover. These are great in theory, but they cannot be used in every web store.
PayPal found that a quarter of people had experienced problems trying to make online purchases with this type of prepaid gift card and -- just in time for the holiday season -- has come up with a solution.
Nokia unveils Lumia 525 Windows Phone
The Nokia Lumia 520 is a very good entry-level Windows Phone which is only held back by its measly 512 MB of RAM. This prevents the handset from being able to run all the latest games and apps and hinders its multitasking ability. Considering that it is among the best cheap smartphones on the market today, the low amount of RAM gets a pass. After all, something has got to give.
Today, Nokia announces the successor of the Lumia 520, called Lumia 525. The new Windows Phone solves the memory problem that affects its predecessor, as it ships with 1 GB of RAM. This will allow users to enjoy more resource-intensive apps and games, improve multitasking and make the device more future-proof than the older model.
Microsoft compares Surface 2 to iPad Air -- Surface wins!
Microsoft has been on fire today in the video department. First, the company released a controversial video declaring that a Chromebook is not a laptop. While that should be enough controversy for the day, it is not resting.
Today, Microsoft releases two new videos comparing its own Surface 2 to the iPad Air. Shocking to no one, the Surface 2 beat Apple's tablet. Was it a fair fight? You tell me.
Acer Chromebook C720P -- reach out and touch it
Despite the fact that I love Microsoft's recent Scroogled advertisement (which claims a Chromebook is not a laptop), I am a huge fan of Chrome OS. It is a stable, safe and affordable computing platform; it is based on Linux after all. By offering computers as low as $199, many Americans can achieve modern computer ownership -- something that may not have been possible before.
Speaking of the $199 Chromebook, Acer was the pioneer in that pricing. The computer manufacturer's C7 series of Chromebooks has been a heaven-sent offering of value. Today, the company announces it is continuing to deliver value with the all-new C720P -- a touchscreen Chromebook for a rock-bottom price of $299. Holy moly.
Microsoft's attack on Chromebook is the latest Scroogled embarrassment
While the staff here at BetaNews is a fairly close knit bunch, that doesn't always mean we agree on everything. In fact, debate is a part of daily life. To that end, earlier today my colleague Brian Fagioli took it upon himself to call the latest Scroogled ad, this one against the Chromebook, the "best Scroogled ad yet".
He seems to think all of this behavior is acceptable, even amusing and honest. I suppose if you are a fan of the show Pawn Stars, then you may find it of mild interest. However, what it also turns out to be is utterly untrue.
Microsoft partners with Pawn Stars for the best Scroogled ad yet
When it comes to TV advertisements, they can usually go two ways -- flashy or informative. For the most part, flash dominates the airwaves. Sometimes I watch an advertisement and have no idea what the product is. Microsoft is no stranger to the flashy commercial. If you recall the original Surface ads, they featured trendy people dancing, with a focus on the sound that the kickstand made. It was an overall dud.
It is hard to fault a company for taking this approach, as informative ads can be considered boring. However, Microsoft may have found the perfect balance in its latest Scroogled ad, which features the stars of hit TV show, "Pawn Stars". It is one of the best advertisements I have seen in recent memory and Microsoft deserves applause.
Microsoft announces the Thanksgiving collection for Windows Phone
Thanksgiving is only two days away. Across America, people have begun thawing out their turkeys in preparation of the big meal. Yes, the carcass of a slaughtered bird is being prepared for consumption, as is the custom. While the traditions of the holiday go back hundreds of years, there is no reason that modern technology cannot be utilized to improve upon it. Today, Microsoft announces the best Thanksgiving apps for Windows Phone.
"With T-minus two days to Thanksgiving 2013 here in the US, many people are double-checking shopping lists and firing up their stoves for a lazy day of holiday feasting, family, and football. That’s where our newly updated Thanksgiving collection for Windows Phone comes in: it’s full of apps to help organize, upgrade and generally ease your plans for the big day", says Michael Stroh of Microsoft.
Family Guy **spoilers** highlight the problem of the web ruining TV
***Warning! There are no spoilers ahead!***
Whether you're a fan of Family Guy or not, you can’t help but have heard that there has been a big storyline -- there was no need to seek out the news, you could just sit back, let it wash over you and absorb it by osmosis. I love Family Guy and I'll admit to getting seriously pissed off at a friend of mine who spilled the beans on Facebook. No warnings, he just straight out announced what had happened in the show. What a bastard! But he wasn't the only one.
Motorola Moto G available to buy now in US for just $179
Motorola's answer to Apple's iPhone 5c and Google's Nexus 5, the Moto G, is available to order now, starting at $179. Despite coming in at just "one third of the price of current high-end phones", this is an entry-level smartphone that still manages to pack a punch. There's a 4.5-inch display and a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, and Motorola is claiming all-day battery life. It is the GSM version that is available now, and in January it will be possible to buy the CDMA model in the US as well.
It has already been launched in a number of territories including Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and parts of Europe, but now the US is getting some Motorola loving too. Buy direct from Motorola and the handset is free from contract, has no SIM lock, and has an unlockable bootloader -- a tweaker's dream! At 1280 by 720 HD, 329 ppi, the Moto G's screen is above and beyond what you might expect to find on a handset around this price.
Google maps your holiday travel in Street View
Despite summer being viewed as 'vacation season', the holidays are a popular travel time, with families reuniting from far-flung locations. Travel, especially at the holidays, can be tricky, with added crowds and delays. In fact, this year it could be complicated on the US east coast, thanks to inclimate weather expected over the long Thanksgiving weekend.
Google Street View, which seems fearless in its roamings, is looking to help out the wayward traveler. The search giant unveils new travel maps that encompass various depots, such as airports and train stations.
BetaNews obtains an exclusive unreleased Microsoft Scroogled product
When Microsoft launched the Scroogled store, it was met with both criticism and praise. Even in the BetaNews newsroom, it was a polarizing topic -- Wayne called it a "new low", while Joe called it "genius". Regardless of your stance, one thing is for sure, the products have been popular. Much of the Scroogled merchandise sold out very quickly and now show either an "Out of stock" or "Ships within 3-4 weeks" message.
Heck, I felt compelled to buy something from a collector standpoint. After all, Microsoft selling anti-Google products is a notable moment in the history of technology. With that said, I frantically pulled out my credit card and bought the mug before it sold out. While I did receive the mug, I received something unexpected too -- a second mug, with an unreleased design. Whoa.
Restore Point Creator provides an easier way of managing Windows System Restore
Windows System Restore is a very useful PC safety net which regularly backs up your key system settings and files, then helps you restore them later if disaster strikes. So it’s a shame that its interface is so poor, difficult to find and requiring the maximum number of clicks to do anything at all.
Restore Point Creator is a free and portable tool which aims to change all that, and you only need launch it to see major improvements. Everything you need is available in the same dialog: the list of restore points, a "create new" option, a "restore to selected" button, and more.
Microsoft offers Xbox One voice and gesture commands cheatsheet
Despite the small number of problems reported by customers of the new Xbox One, Microsoft is still heavily pushing the new generation of its gaming console. The latest version comes with a learning curve, though not a steep one. Still, for the average user, it will take some getting used to.
Now, Larry Hryb, better known as Major Nelson, wants to help out new users in finding their way around. To do so, the Xbox Live chief has released a cheatsheet to teach everyone a bit about controlling the Kinect with voice and gesture commands. "I tweeted images of a Kinect voice and gesture 'cheat sheet' earlier today, but I was able to get my hands on the high resolution PDF of them both as one file that will print out at a much higher quality", Hryb states.
Microsoft offering 'awesome' Black Friday deals on Surface
If my colleague Mark Wilson’s list of five reasons to choose Surface 2 over iPad Air has you considering purchasing one of Microsoft’s slates, you’d better get your wallet ready.
There are always bargains to be found on Black Friday (and the days surrounding it) but you can never guarantee that the tech you’ve got your eye on will be discounted. The good news for would-be Surface owners is Microsoft has confirmed it will be offering "awesome deals" on its tablet PC.
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