ie8 fix

ces2012

HipGeo weaves travel pics, maps into collage

If you love sharing your travel stories and photos, road-tripping app HipGeo recently got a redesign that lets users document and share their experiences with remarkable ease.

The free iPhone and iPad app from Los Angeles-based HipGeo passively records your location as you travel. It can then mash your pics and comments into an animated map and travel diary for sharing.

The app tags photos, adds captions, and pinpoints its location on a map. You can share by logging on to the HipGeo site and clicking on "create and share trip." Dead simple. … Read more

Can the education-focused OLPC XO 3.0 tablet teach consumer manufacturers anything useful?

Nearly 18 months ago, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) laid out plans to introduce a $100, education-focused tablet. While the design and features of that original mockup have changed, at CES 2012, OLPC and Marvell finally introduced a working model, the X0 3.0.

We briefly covered the announcement during CES week, but in getting some hands-on time with the device and speaking with the developers of this unique tablet, it got me thinking. With its low-power, low-cost approach to tablets, is there anything useful the XO 3.0 can teach consumer tablet manufacturers?

Honestly, to avoid burying the lede too much here, I'll say that I'm not sure it can. What sets the XO 3.0 apart from consumer tablets is that consumers won't actually have access to it.… Read more

Low Latency No. 6: It's not a hard concept

Jeff: First, a disclaimer. I happen to think Razer makes great products. I've personally reviewed a handful of its gaming accessories and have, on average, been impressed each and every time.

For the second time in a row now, though, Razer has nabbed the People's Voice Award at CES, this time with the impressive yet borderline science fiction Project Fiona portable gaming tablet.

While it's certainly an impressive concept design, one has to wonder where "concept" ends and where practicality begins. We finally got some hands-on time with last year's winner, the Razer Blade gaming laptop, but even its design has seen significant changes compared with just 12 months ago. Will Project Fiona suffer the same fate?… Read more

Snoozing my way through CES

Editors' note: This is a guest column. See Roger Entner's bio below.

This year's CES was pretty dismal for anyone interested in wireless. Sure, AT&T had some good stuff and the Microsoft launched the LTE Windows Phone 7. But other than that, most people would've been better off hitting the snooze button.

Last year, by contrast, AT&T and especially Verizon Wireless made a huge splash with 4G announcements. There was so much excitement that I thought it might upstage the CTIA Show in the spring, which could have faded into oblivion like so … Read more

Padintosh turns iPad 2 into classic Mac

There's something magical about the 1980s and Apple computers. The fashions sparkled. The computers were lovably chunky.

Hop into the DeLorean of your mind and go back in time by inserting your iPad 2 into Thumbs Up World's Padintosh cover. It instantly transforms your svelte modern machine into a classic Macintosh, right down to the dingy off-whitish color.… Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 16: Whew! iPad 3 is coming! (podcast)

Rumor Has It gets the dubious honor of being the last show live on the CNET main stage of CES 2012, and we use it to cry, "The iPad 3 is coming! The iPad 3 is coming!"

After spending seven full days in the city of sin, covering a bazillion and two live blogs, running around the show floor looking for pretty objects, and editing the glut of content CNET produced from CES, we somehow slap on our fancy pants, shellac on some lipstick, and make this show happen.

This show is a record-breaker for many reasons; first … Read more

The 404 973: Where no hoots given here (podcast)

It's our first day back from CES so we'll give you quick recap of last week's shows, but you should really go back and hear them for yourself!

We'll also give you a backstage pass today for some of the events that happened when the microphones turned off, and tell you why the CES acronym should be changed to stand for the Chinese Exports Show.… Read more

Windows 8 will not be kind to Intel this year, says analyst

Intel will have to slog through a tough 2012 before it sees any real windfall from Windows 8, according to investment bank Piper Jaffray.

"We believe CY12 (calendar year 2012) is shaping up to be a difficult year for Intel.... We expect 2H12 (second half 2012) to be weak ahead of the launch of Windows 8, the most significant upgrade to the operating system since Windows 3.0," Piper Jaffray analyst Gus Richard wrote in a research note today.

Intel traditionally benefits from Microsoft operating system upgrade cycles as companies and consumers buy new Intel-based PCs along with … Read more

How apps for your appliances represent the next opportunity

Smart televisions I sort of get. But smart refrigerators and washers?

If Samsung Electronics is right, developers may flock to smart appliances as the next opportunity. At the Consumer Electronics Show, the consumer electronic giant unveiled its vision for a wider range of smart appliances. That included music apps such as Pandora on the refrigerator and an app on the washer that can ping you when a load is done.

The move underscores just how pervasive the app world has become, moving beyond PCs and smartphones into all sorts of devices. Samsung has arguably been the most aggressive in pushing … Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 15: The CES hangover (podcast)

LAS VEGAS--CES 2012 ended with a bang, and CNET was there till the bitter, exhausted, don't know what to do with ourselves, end.

What better way to end the week than to dish about all the products we saw (and didn't see) and what it means for the tech world at large? And what better place to have a gambling show than in the gambling capital of the universe? Exactly.

In this episode, Apple rumors abound (of course), Angry Birds has basically jumped the shark big time, and where was HTC's quad-core phone? Also, Humiliation Day! And … Read more