| 15 Technology Failures Posted: 20 May 2013 03:40 PM PDT 
Duke Nukem Forever, Windows ME, Google Wave, and more! Predicting the next big thing is never easy, especially when it comes to technology. It's easy to lose count of the number of times Microsoft or Google have promised to create products that will revolutionize our lives. Granted, occasionally the corporate gurus are right – smartphones and wireless networks being two great examples. But for all the successful launches, there are as many products that don't quite get it right. It could be a fantastic idea on paper, but when it comes to fulfilling the dream, they become nothing more than technology failures. Following on from our earlier article way back in 2010 covering the 13 Biggest Tech Blunders of the Decade we bring you 15 more embarrassing tech failures that some companies would rather you forget. Did you own or ever use any of these tech blunders? If so, let us know in the comments below! |
| Newegg Daily Deals Posted: 20 May 2013 01:10 PM PDT |
| January 2013: Windows 8 Hardware Posted: 20 May 2013 12:37 PM PDT 
In the PDF archive of the January 2013 issue you can find: - Windows 8 Hardware
- How To: Install Windows 8 from a USB key.
- Samsung Chromebook Review
- Corsair Neutron GTX 480GB Review
- The 2013 Geek Quiz
- Head to Head: Spotify vs. Xbox Music
- Thermaltake Water2.0 Pro Review
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| Sony Teases PlayStation 4 Console Reveal Ahead of Microsoft's Xbox Announcement Posted: 20 May 2013 12:26 PM PDT  It's 'Game-on' between Sony and Microsoft.
Sony today provided a first glimpse of what its next generation PlayStation 4 (PS4) console will look like, though a quick peek is all you get. The reveal comes in the form of a 39-second YouTube clip that flashes between various different close-ups and a blurry shot of the square-shape console as the camera moves increasingly closer, though never coming into focus. Sony is planning to fully unveil the PS4 at E3 on June 10. The timing of Sony's teaser video represents a bit of gamesmanship, as Microsoft is set to announce its next Xbox console (codenamed Durango) tomorrow morning. Thus will begin the next-generation console wars, though it will be a war of words and speculation since both companies are planning to make their respective platforms available to purchase this holiday shopping season. One of the big things gamers will be paying attention to during tomorrow's announcement is whether or not the new Xbox will require an always-on Internet connection. Ex-Microsoft Studios employee Adam Orth ended up resigning after defending always-on devices on his Twitter account by talking down to other users. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Holiday 2012: 2013 Tech Preview Posted: 20 May 2013 12:04 PM PDT 
In the PDF archive of the Holiday 2012 issue you can find: - 2013 Tech Preview
- Killer Software to Shell Out Cash for
- Stardock Start8 vs. Classic Shell
- How To: Disable the Windows 8 Lock Screen
- Cyberpower Zeus M2 Ultrabook Review
- Build It: Setting up a Rig for Steam's Big Picture Mode
- V3 Traverse Gaming PC Review
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| Retina Smetina, Samsung Showcases 13.3-inch Notebook with 3200x1800 Resolution Posted: 20 May 2013 12:03 PM PDT  More pixels than you can shake a MacBook Pro at.
Samsung is taking high resolution displays seriously these days. How serious? Enough to launch a 13.3-inch WQXGA+ laptop at the Society for Information Display's (SID) Display Week 2013 convention in Vancouver. That works out to a 3200x1800 display resolution, packing more pixels per inch (276 PPI) than Google's Chromebook Pixel (239 PPI) or Apple's MacBook Pro 13 (227 PPI). According to Samsung, the high-resolution notebook can deliver 30 percent greater power savings than that of existing LCD tablet displays, a feat it accomplishes by decreasing the number of driver circuits, thereby increasing the efficiency of the LED BLU. Beyond that tidbit, Samsung refrained from revealing any other details about its upcoming laptop model. The company did say, however, that it also plans to show off a 10.1-inch WQXGA (2560x1600) LCD for tablets, a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) mobile AMOLED display with the world's broadest color gamut, and an 85-inch Ultra HD (2840x2160) LCD TV panel with "extremely vivid color and low power consumption." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Changing PC Landscape Puts the Pinch on BIOS Designers Posted: 20 May 2013 09:10 AM PDT  Singing the BIOS blues.
It's the little guy that often gets overlooked in various circumstances, and when it comes to computers in general, BIOS makers fit that description, even though their chips and code play a big role in the operation of your PC. Like every other PC player, BIOS designers are feeling the hurt from weakening PC sales, leaving them to find alternative means to flip a profit amid a changing market place. Insyde Software, Phoenix Technologies, and American Megatrends (AMI) have all started taking measures to deal with the impact of a slowed market, sources within the upstream supply chain tell Digitimes. Each is going about it in a different way. Insyde Software, for example, is focusing on Android and server-related products to try and offset losses from the PC segment. Phoenix, meanwhile, reportedly "streamlined" its workforce to cut costs, while AMI is still looking for a solution. BIOS makers are in a bit of a pickle. Some believe tablets are a passing fad that will no longer be around in five years, while Gartner predicts that tablet sales will top traditional PCs by 2017. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Strange Saga Continues: John McAfee's Island Home Burns to the Ground Posted: 20 May 2013 08:52 AM PDT  Antivirus founder's wild ride isn't over.
John McAfee, the British-American programmer who used to work for NASA before founding McAfee Associates (now owned by Intel), a computer antivirus company, no longer has a home in Belize. Apparently his island abode burned down last Thursday amid circumstances he deemed "suspicious," according to a FoxNews.com report (don't hate, this guy's bizarre circumstances screams FoxNews, does it not?). "I believe that there are a select few with great power in Belize that will go to great lengths to harm me," McAfee told FoxNews.com. "This fire was not just a strange coincidence." The keyword there is "strange," which appropriately describes McAfee's descent from a wealthy antivirus entrepreneur to a man who faked a heart attack after fleeing Belize, where he was wanted for questioning in a murder case involving his neighbor, and making his way to Guatemala. It was there that he played the "crazy card" to avoid being deported to Belize and was ultimately put on a plane headed for the U.S. Two main structures belonging to McAfee burned to the ground, each one valued at around $250,000. It's being classified as a bush fire, though McAfee suspects foul play on the part of Belizean authorities, who he maintains are out to do him harm. According to McAfee's official blog, an investment group was about to close a deal in the next few days to purchase his property. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| YouTube Turns 8 Years Old Today Posted: 20 May 2013 08:14 AM PDT  Google-owned site is still growing.
Thanks to YouTube, we have funny memories like Leeroy Jenkins leading his team to slaughter and declaring after the bloodbath, "at least I have chicken"; the art of Rickrolling; Old Gregg introducing a new audience to how a transsexual merman rolls; and so many more. Heck, if it weren't for YouTube, shows like Tosh.0 probably wouldn't exist. Pretty remarkable for a site that turns 8 years old today. What started off as a modest video sharing site has grown into so much more in the past 8 years. According to YouTube, would-be directors upload more than 100 hours of video to YouTube every mintue. On a monthly basis, it's seeing 1 billion visitors come to the site. And earlier this month, YouTube announced it was seeing 6 billion hours of video uploads each month. "And so, this Monday, on our eighth birthday, we'd like to thank you for making YouTube the special place that it is," YouTube stated in a blog post on Sunday. "For showing us how video can create connections, transcend borders and make a difference. For clicking these links even if you aren't sure what they'll be, but you trust us. In short, thanks for making us better in big ways and small ones, too. We can't wait to see what you come up with next." The most viewed video on YouTube is Gangnam Style with more than 1.6 billion hits, followed by Justin Bieber's Baby video featuring Ludacris (859.2 million hits). What's your favorite YouTube video? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
