Technology

Runtastic Turns Workouts Into Enjoyable Data-Crunching Exercises
May 31, 2013

If you've used any of the free tracking apps -- like Google's My Tracks, which records your path, speed, distance and elevation change while you exercise and then maps the route, charts elevation and speed, and tots it all up in a set of statistics -- you'll understand the concept behind Runtastic Pro. Runtastic Pro additionally promises to help you reach goals and track health improvements.

How to Get Music Onto Your Smartphone
May 31, 2013

One of the advantages of carrying a smartphone is that it's an all-arounder, and one of its killer features is that it can function as a personal media player. It's functionality that an iPod or MP3 player would have provided a few years ago -- and Sony Walkman before that. The principal difference between a smartphone and a classic MP3 player is that the smartphone now includes connectivity.

Apple to Give Pegatron a Slice of Its China Pie
May 31, 2013

Foxconn, a supplier that has occasionally embarrassed Apple, will no longer be the exclusive maker of the iPhone and iPad. More work reportedly will be funneled to another Chinese electronics firm, Pegatron. The shift of product to Pegatron began in 2011, when some iPhone business was awarded the company. Last year, Apple chose Pegatron to fill its retail channel with iPad minis.

What's Ahead for the Net: Mary Meeker Explains It All
May 30, 2013

Mary Meeker, aka the "Queen of the Internet" and one of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers' star analysts, has issued her latest report on Internet trends. The 117-slide presentation is more of an opus than a typical report, providing a wealth of data on current digital trends and the direction they are heading.

SoftBank, US Forge National Security Deal
May 30, 2013

SoftBank has reached a national security agreement with U.S. authorities, perhaps clearing the way for the Japanese company to purchase Sprint Nextel. U.S. officials have expressed concerns about potential ties between SoftBank and Chinese telecommunications firms like Huawei. Chinese telecoms drew the ire of Congress in late 2012, and security rhetoric has recently ratcheted up.

Facebook Shovels Out Some of the Filth
May 30, 2013

Facebook is enmeshed in yet another brouhaha over its advertising policies, but this time it's not the users making a fuss -- it's the advertisers. Major clients such as Nissan and Nationwide recently pulled the plug on their Facebook campaigns after their ads showed up next to objectionable, sometimes downright hateful, content.

What's Riding on Jony Ive's iOS Redesign
May 30, 2013

Jonathan Ive, the famed knight and industrial designer of the world's most admired Apple gadgets, has his work cut out for him. On the surface, he's the guy at Apple who's going to get rid of the hideous green felt that is our Game Center iOS app and the yellow lined notebook paper in the Notes app, along with other silly skeuomorphic designs in iOS.

Chrome Games: To Play, You Must Persevere
May 29, 2013

Chrome Experiments has debuted two very innovative games this week, suggesting that Google might be in play to break into the casual game market, even taking on the likes of Nintendo and other portable game developers. At first glance that might be a valid assumption, but the shortcomings of these offerings suggest Google might have something different in mind.

Chinese Hackers May Have Pinched US Military Designs
May 29, 2013

Chinese hackers were accused of stealing the designs for more than two dozen U.S. military weapons systems in a press account appearing Monday. The system designs reportedly pinched by the hackers were for systems critical to the country's missile defenses and its combat aircraft and war ships. The revelations were based on confidential sections of a government report.

Tim Cook's Lips Zipped on Apple's Next Big Thing
May 29, 2013

CEO Tim Cook took the stage for an interview at D11, reiterating his faith in Apple's direction without divulging any secrets or bold plans. Cook fielded questions about whether Apple has lost its touch recently, as it has been faced with a plunging stock price, increased competition from rivals, persistent patent and antitrust battles, and an investigation into its corporate tax policies.

China to Conduct Digital War Games
May 29, 2013

President Obama will definitely have something to talk about. Beijing announced that China will conduct its first "digital war games," a proclamation that will likely do nothing to allay United States concerns about China's propensity for hacking and cyberespionage. The timing of the announcement is noteworthy: Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Obama next month to discuss cybersecurity.

Through the Looking Glass Watson
May 29, 2013

I was recently discussing Watson -- the IBM super silicon brain that won Jeopardy! -- with a reporter writing an article. Around the same time, I was also looking into Google Glass, the wearable computer that enables people to record what they see and to see what they're recording through a teeny tiny screen mounted on a frame over their eyebrows.

Apple Stews in EU Pressure Cooker
May 29, 2013

The European Union reportedly is launching an antitrust investigation into Apple's iPhone sales tactics. Company CEO Tim Cook may have made it through last week's congressional hearings on the company's corporate tax policies relatively unscathed, but that doesn't mean the regulatory pressure is off for the tech giant. The EC last week sent several telecom operators a nine-page questionnaire.

Samsung Lights a Match for New Innovation Trail
May 28, 2013

Samsung piqued media interest this week with an invitation to a June 20 event in London, where it is expected to unveil its latest Galaxy smartphones and tablets, along with new entrants in its ATIV lineup of Windows devices. What exactly the company has up its sleeve is speculation at this point. However, there's some consensus as to the likeliest prospects for a big reveal.

European Commission Probes Apple's Tactics
May 28, 2013

The European Commission is taking a closer look at whether Apple is engaging in unfair sales practices. The EC, which is the executive branch of the European Union, sent a questionnaire last week to several European mobile network operators probing Apple's distribution terms -- specifically, whether those terms preclude rivals from offering a better sales deal.

Xbox One vs. Shield: Evolution vs. Revolution
May 27, 2013

There is an interesting battle forming between the most powerful game console with the most potential, Microsoft's Xbox One, and Nvidia's Shield -- a rebel platform that I think is worth a look. Microsoft is pushing the envelope on the breadth of things a console can support and variety in the user interface, while Nvidia is creating a device focused on gaming in a wide variety of modes.

Galaxy S4's Camera Wins Shootout With iPhones
May 25, 2013

The Samsung Galaxy S4's rear-facing camera beats those in the iPhone 5 and 4S as well as other Samsung smartphones, according to a report from digital image specialists DxO Lab. The 13 MP GS4 camera tallied an overall DxOMark score of 75, while the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III all scored 72. First place was taken by the Nokia 808 PureView.

Coordinated Care Models in Digital Health
May 25, 2013

Coordinated care models emphasize the basic relationships between patients and doctors, focusing on the continuum of care. The models reward doctors for the outcome of care instead of pure volume. The two dominant models are the patient-centered medical home and the accountable care organization. The patient-centered medical home model has enjoyed broad market interest since 2007.

Kim Dotcom: Two-Step Authentication Patent Is Mine
May 24, 2013

Kim Dotcom, founder of the seized file-sharing site Megaupload, hinted via Twitter that he might sue the slew of companies using two-step authentication, for which Dotcom claims to own the patent. Dotcom provided a link to a patent that deals with two layers of identification, corroborating his purported ownership.

Yahoo Pulls PlayerScale Under Its Umbrella
May 24, 2013

Yahoo hasn't been playing around when it comes to acquisitions. Its latest, announced Tuesday, is PlayerScale, which makes software infrastructure for cross-platform gaming. Four-year-old PlayerScale has built a sizable audience, and it could fit well with Yahoo's new direction. "This deal is intriguing for a couple of reasons," said tech analyst Charles King.