| Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2014 - Stocking Stuffers Posted: 01 Dec 2014 02:29 PM PST Jump To: PC Hardware
Gadgets, Gear & Mobile
Soft Gifts
Stocking Stuffers We'd all love to unwrap a shiny new $2,200 gaming laptop, but not everyone lives in homes with solid gold toilets. So, we'e picked a handful of stocking stuffers that would delight any PC enthusiast. *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. |
| Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2014 - Soft Gifts Posted: 01 Dec 2014 02:29 PM PST Jump To: PC Hardware
Gadgets, Gear & Mobile
Stocking Stuffers
Games & Software Rockstar Games sure is taking its sweet little time porting Grand Theft Auto V over to the PC, but we'll get it soon enough. In the meantime, there are plenty of other games worth gifting. If you're feeling particularly cheap, send your recipient the URL to download Dota 2 (it's free!). Otherwise, you can't go wrong with any games on this list. *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. |
| Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2014 - Gadgets, Gear, & Mobile Posted: 01 Dec 2014 02:28 PM PST Jump To: PC Hardware
Soft Gifts
Stocking Stuffers Holiday Geek Gadgets and Mobile If the person or people you're giving gifts to this season already own rockin' PCs, then why not turn your attention to supplementary items. That's where our gadgets and mobile recommendations come into play. From a gnarly new router to a swank gaming tablet, you can't go wrong with any of these gift ideas. *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. |
| Geek Holiday Gift Guide 2014 Posted: 01 Dec 2014 02:28 PM PST 
The best gifts for any nerd With the spirit of Nerdmas nearly upon us, it's that time of year when everyone loses their mind trying to find the perfect gift for that special person. In the shopocalypse that's about to occur, though, you're probably forgetting the hardest person to shop for—you. Sure, you may be able to suss out just what color shoes your significant other wants this holiday, but it's unlikely your partner, sibling, or parental unit knows what to buy for you. So to save you from receiving the equivalent of a Christmas sweater this holiday season, we've dedicated an entire feature to the absolute best Nerdmas gifts any PC enthusiast would want. Jump To: Gadgets, Gear & Mobile
Soft Gifts
Stocking Stuffers PC Hardware At the heart of everything we're passionate about is the PC itself -- that wonderful and all-powerful box where all the real magic happens. Whether you're playing games, editing vacation photos, typing up a TPS report, or simply surfing the web, the PC is the vehicle of choice. Tis the place to start during this holiday gift giving season! *Note: Prices reflect time of print. They are subject to change. |
| Amazon Employs Robot Army to Help Fulfill Holiday Sales Posted: 01 Dec 2014 12:15 PM PST  Let's hope they don't turn against us
Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year, and it follows on the heels of Black Friday, an increasingly busy day for e-commerce. If you're Amazon, trying to keep up with all the orders can be a daunting task, which is why it's getting help from robots. Amazon on Monday unveiled its eight generation fulfillment center, which uses robotics supplied by Kiva Technology to keep everything running smoothly. "The Amazon fulfillment teams are dedicated to innovating in our fulfillment centers to increase speed of delivery while enabling greater local selection at lower costs for our customers. The advancements in our latest fulfillment centers hit all three of these customer desires while continuing to provide a work environment that is great for employees," said Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president of worldwide operations and customer service. Of course, Amazon still fills its ranks with flesh and blood workers, of which it plans to hire 80,000 on a temporary basis to help with seasonal orders. That's a 14 percent bump over the number of humans it brought on board for the holiday shopping season a year ago. As for the robots, Amazon spent $775 million acquiring units from Kiva Systems in 2012 and began using them in July of this year, according to Time. They're 16 inches tall, weigh 320 pounds, and zoom around the facility doing what's needed. Nevertheless, Amazon says it's not looking to eliminate jobs with its robot workers, as evidenced by an increase in hiring this year, and is simply trying to keep up with demand. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Samoas and Other Girl Scout Cookies Finally Go Digital Posted: 01 Dec 2014 11:37 AM PST  A different kind of browser cookie
Have something handy to wipe up your drool? You'll need it because drooling is an involuntary reaction whenever Girl Scout cookies enter the equation. The only problem is, it can be a bit of hassle tracking down a box of Thin Mints or whichever is your favorite, though that's about to become old news. For the first time ever, Girl Scouts of USA is opening up cookie sales online through its new Digital Cookie program. You'll be able to order popular delights like Samoas, Thin Mints, and Tagalongs, along with perhaps some lesser known flavors that include Rah-Rah Raisins, Cranberry Citrust Crisps, and Trios, to name a few. It's a win-win situation, with cookie lovers being able to feed their appetite with the convenience of online shopping, while giving Girl Scouts an opportunity to learn about online marketing, app usage, and e-commerce. "For almost a century, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has been teaching girls to be leaders in the world of business and finance, and we intend to ensure that legacy continues in the digital age," said Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of GSUSA. "Digital Cookie is a game-changer for Girl Scouts, and a quantum leap forward in the evolution of the cookie program, coupling traditional sales activities with an online sales experience that teaches skills like online marketing and ecommerce, all in a digital space that puts an emphasis on learning, fun, and safety. If you buy Girl Scout Cookies online this year, you could be helping to prepare the next female leader of a global tech giant who changes our world forever. Join us in making Girl Scout history this cookie season!" There will be two separate digital sales platforms to order the cookies from, depending on the market area. Some Girl Scouts will choose to utilize a personalized website, while others may also wish to use a unique mobile app. Either way, 100 percent of the net revenue will remain with the Girl Scout council that sponsors the sale. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Microsoft Gets into Holiday Shopping Season, Purchases Mobile Email App Provider Acompli Posted: 01 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST  Microsoft's mobile play is reportedly worth $200 million
Consumers aren't the only ones looking to make purchases during the ongoing Black Friday and Cyber Monday festivities, firms are going on spending sprees as well. One of them is Microsoft, which today announced it has acquired Acompli, a venture-backed startup in San Francisco that offers a self-titled mobile email application available for both iOS and Android platforms. "This acquisition is part of our company-wide effort to help people accomplish more with their mobile devices. This year we brought Office to the iPad and the iPhone, and we recently announced that we're bringing Office to Android devices. These are significant steps in our work to deliver the best productivity experiences across mobile platforms, and we're continuing to push forward," said Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President, Outlook and Office 365. Acompli CEO Javier Soltero echoed Microsoft's sentiment, adding that he's "incredibly excited" to join the Redmond outfit and become part of its "ambitious effort to reimagine productivity for the mobile era." Neither company talked much about what the future holds in terms of the acquisition, though Soltero said his team remains committed to the original Acompli vision of serving multiple platforms and services with its mobile email application. App accounts will continue to function as they always have, and will now benefit from new functionality every couple of weeks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though Ina Fried at Recode reckons Microsoft paid more than $200 million for Acompli, adding that the deal underscores the company's seriousness about supporting mobile OSes outside of its own. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Windows 8 and 8.1 Finally Topple XP in Market Share Posted: 01 Dec 2014 08:47 AM PST  A once mighty giant has fallen
With so many people clinging to Windows XP despite Microsoft's repeated attempts to bury the legacy OS and the lukewarm (at best) response to Windows 8, it didn't seem like the latter would ever overtake the former in market share. Never say never, right? For the first time ever, the combined share of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is higher than that of Windows XP, based on the latest data provided by Net Applications. Windows XP's share of the market has been slowing declining for the past couple of years, but the biggest plunges have only occurred recently. Here's a rundown: - August: 23.89 percent
- September: 23.87 percent
- October: 17.18 percent
- November: 13.57 percent
Just five months ago, Windows XP was still found on a quarter of all PCs; now it's fast approaching just 1 out of every 10 systems. This recent rapid decline has allowed Windows 8 to catch up and surpass XP, at least if you factor in version 8.1 installs as well. The combined share for both platforms for the past four months looks like this: - August: 13.37 percent
- September: 12.26 percent
- October: 16.8 percent
- November: 18.65 percent
Data from StatCounter tells a similar story, though with different numbers. According to StatCounter, Windows XP's share of the desktop is down to 11.84 percent, trailing Windows 8.1 at 12.12 percent and Windows 8 at 5.42 percent, which combine for a 17.54 percent share of the market. Of course, Windows 7 is still the go-to OS for Windows users. Net Applications and StatCounter have Windows 7 sitting handsome at 53.71 percent and 55.75 percent, respectively. Image Credit: Flickr (Daniel Oines) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Google Glass with Intel Inside May Happen in 2015 Posted: 01 Dec 2014 08:22 AM PST  Out with Texas Instruments, in with Intel
Intel may be pairing with Google Glass, replacing Texas Instruments as the supplier of chips that power the wearable device. The Santa Clara chip maker is said to be producing processors for a new version of Google Glass that's expected to come out next year. If true, this would give the chip giant a vested interest in a wearable platform that hasn't seen much media attention lately. Citing "people familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal reports that Intel plans on actively promoting Glass to places such as hospitals, while simultaneously developing new workplace uses for the technology. At present, Glass is largely considered a consumer device, though it sounds like Intel wants to change that perception. Following the initial hype, excitement over Glass seems to have waned, though that hasn't stopped Google from rolling out improvements to the technology. Glass is now compatible with prescription lenses and ships with twice as much RAM as when it first debuted. Having Intel involved in the technology could revitalize a bit of excitement into the category, depending on what new tricks Glass learns. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| QNAP Intros TS-451S Turbo SSD NAS Posted: 30 Nov 2014 10:47 PM PST  To be available next month
QNAP Systems has unveiled the TS-451S Turbo NAS (network-attached storage) device, a 4-bay NAS appliance that it says is its response to increasing consumer appetite for SSDs (solid-state drives). Featuring a quad-core Intel Celeron processor clocked at 2.0GHz (Turbo Boost up to 2.41GHz) and 4GB of DDR3L RAM (upgradable to 8GB), the NAS vendor's latest offering packs four 2.5-inch bays, having been designed with high-speed SSDs in mind. "Users can enjoy numerous benefits when using SSDs in a Turbo NAS, including a smaller physical size to host at least 4 SSDs, higher-density storage capacity, RAID 5 configuration for data protection, quieter system operations, a home theater multimedia experience with the HD Station, and the exclusive QvPC Technology that allows the Turbo NAS to be used as a PC," said Jason Hsu, product manager of QNAP, in a press release Friday. "The new SSD NAS series features an exclusive hardware design that allows users to easily upgrade their RAM to enjoy smoother multi-tasking operations, especially for heavy users who run lots of multimedia applications." The company has already begun shipping the TS-451S to its sales partners across the world and expects the SSD NAS to become available to the general public within a month, the company said in the press release. However, QNAP has yet to announce the price of the upcoming NAS model. Image Credit: QNAP Follow Pulkit on Google+ |
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