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Remembering my first iPhone

Editor's note: The iPhone is 5 years old. Last year, I reflected on my very first iPhone, and what owning one was like before the smartphone landscape had utterly changed...before the App Store...before iPads. What I wrote last year is still true now, maybe even more so, although one important event has transpired since: Steve Jobs died October 5, 2011, less than four months later. What follows is what I wrote, along with photos of that iPhone that I still have kicking around, compared with the iPhone 4S. Looking at them side by side, it's amazing how little has changed in terms of form.

It was only 2007 when the iPhone debuted. It seems like longer. My first HDTV, my Wii, and my PlayStation 3 all existed before the first iPhone. Yet, in 2007, BlackBerrys were all the rage. The Motorola Q was an eye-catching phone. Android didn't exist.

Also, my grandparents were still alive. I wasn't married. I didn't have a kid. I was freelance-writing a novel. My life was different then.

The iPhone lines were crazy, but if you picked the right time you could sneak into an Apple Store and buy one. That's because the first iPhone started at $499. No one knew yet whether the device was a smash hit. Apple didn't have a reservation system in place yet, or claim tickets. In the summer of 2007, the iPhone was a novelty. … Read more

Intel showcases futuristic technology

Who doesn't love hypothesizing about our future flying cars or robotic housemaids? Or better yet, seeing an actual demo.

Tuesday's Research@Intel event trotted out the technology we might be using in the next 15 years. Like headlights that adapt to weather conditions. Ever notice that when it's raining, you can't see for toffee? Smart headlights use a high-speed camera and processor to predict the raindrop's location and then turn off the light in that precise spot so instead of seeing a reflection, you can see through the rain. As a San Franciscan, I was … Read more

Sony HX850: Early candidate for Best LCD TV of 2012

Though plasma is still a firm favorite with reviewers and videophiles, it's overwhelmingly LCD televisions that most people actually buy. And if you want to know what the best LCD TV released in 2012 will be, then we may already have an answer for you: the Sony HX850.

Until the arrival of the excellent HX850, Sony looked to be in dire straits with a massive debt and an anemic TV lineup compared to companies like Samsung and LG. Sony's second-best new-for 2012 TV, the HX750, did nothing to quell our concerns, with picture quality far below what we … Read more

HTC's Mobile World Congress press invite remains clue-less

A raspberry, pointing fingers, flowers, and a cat? Sometimes companies plant exciting clues in their press conference invitations. And other times, you're better off putting the puzzle out of your mind.

Of this I am certain: HTC is throwing a press conference the night before Mobile World Congress officially kicks off (February 26), and I'm going.

Thankfully, there are enough rumors and leaks to guess that one device we could be seeing is the HTC Edge, which could also be the world's first quad-core phone. We caught whiff of that one back in November.

There's also … Read more

Vizio Razor M550SV: Quick take

Back in December 2011 we reviewed the Vizio Razor M3D550SR, a 3D smart television that offered decent performance and features for the price.

The only thing we didn't really go for was the 3D implementation--it was a little strong, resulting in unnatural images, and couldn't be dialed down. If 3D isn't important to you then Vizio's dedicated 2D set, the 55-inch M550SV, may be of interest to you.… Read more

What to expect out of HTC at Mobile World Congress

HTC has begun sending out press invitations to a February 26 event that takes place on the literal eve of Mobile World Congress.

After essentially skipping out on Las Vegas and CES altogether, we should be in for a real treat next month. Details for at least three Android handsets and one tablet have already emerged with perhaps more on the horizon.

You may recall, HTC had six devices on the agenda for the show last year including the Flyer tablet. Judging by the early rumors, the company may not reach that number for the 2012 event, but it is … Read more

Vizio's Google TV delayed until early fall, now edge-lit

LAS VEGAS--Google TV has a way of disappointing expectations, and one strong case in point is the Vizio's VIA Plus platform for TVs.

At CES 2011 we named the VIA Plus models as our favorite TV product of CES. They used Google TV to deliver what the company described as interoperability between the TV and Android-equipped phones and tablets. Among other features, Via Plus was also said to support the OnLive gaming service. Those extras, along with the same kind of full-array local-dimming backlight we know and love, was enough to convince us that the so-equipped TVs were going … Read more

Fuel cell microgrids to get spark from renewable biogas

An energy project in Austria will use biogas-powered fuel cells at homes and businesses to pump power into the grid.

ClearEdge Power today announced a deal with Austrian energy company Gussing Renewable Energy to supply 50 megawatts worth of fuel cells between now and 2020 for installation in Austria. The deal will be worth $500 million over that time, making it one of the biggest contracts for stationary fuel cells.

In the first phase, ClearEdge Power's large refrigerator-size fuel cells, which each can generate five kilowatts of electric power and heat from gas, will be installed to power groups … Read more

Could Sony's HX750 LED TV be a stealth value?

LAS VEGAS--As a rule, no company divulges pricing at CES anymore, but we still have reason to suspect that when its price actually does get announced, the Sony HX750 series might represent a good picture-quality-for-the-buck proposition.

This set is the least expensive in Sony's admittedly small 2012 CES announcement lineup to offer the edge-lit local dimming we liked so much on the NX720 from last year.

Sony has slowly begin competing in price in some TV categories over the last couple of years, and the HX750's feature mix eschews the MotionFlow 960 of the step-up HX850, settling for … Read more