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Among the news items this week from the world of Apple, the folks over at AppleInsider uncovered a rumor that Apple may be having a launch event next week for a new line of MacBook Pros. According to the story, this would put the launch event a week ahead of schedule.

As usual, Apple remains tight-lipped about what features will be unveiled in the new laptops, but the one sure thing is that it will include Intel's latest generation Sandy Bridge processor.

Whatever is introduced next week (if the rumor turns out to be true), you can bet we'll have all the details here. Make sure to check back on launch day for photos, specs, and everything else about Apple's latest devices.

This week's apps include an image enhancement tool that produces cool-looking shots and an RTS game that closely resembles one of the most popular strategy games of all time.… Read more

By now we've come to terms with the fact that the Sony Ericson Xperia Play is not the PSP Phone that we were all wishing for, but we still think it's worth comparing it against the game-centric Sony NGP, announced just a few short weeks ago.

The Xperia Play is the first PlayStation-certified smartphone on the market, which means it will be capable of downloading content from the PlayStation Store. Its 1Ghz Snapdragon processor promises 60-frames-per-second performance without wiping out the battery.

We're not sure if the Xperia Play can satisfy the gamer who wants the latest and greatest from the portable gaming scene, but the Xperia Play will probably offer the closest approximation to it of any smartphone around. The real question is whether consumers will find the need to own an Xperia Play in addition to a portable system like the NGP or 3DS.

For a head-to-head look at the Xperia Play and NGP, consult our spreadsheet below.

… Read more

Almost all American homes now own at least one tech gadget, according to a new study released yesterday by Pew Internet.

In its "Generations and their gadgets" report, Pew revealed that 85 percent have their own mobile phones, while 90 percent live in a household with at least one working cell phone.

Pew based its findings on a survey of 3,001 Americans ages 18 and older that was conducted between August 9 and September 13.

Though mobile phones were by far the most popular gadgets, computers were also near the top of the list, with desktops owned by 59 percent and laptops by 52 percent of those polled. Drilling down, desktops are still more common than laptops among virtually all age groups expect the younger crowd. Among adults 18 to 34, 70 percent own a laptop compared with 57 percent who have a desktop.… Read more

Last week we rounded up our thoughts and impressions of Nintendo's 3D portable, the 3DS. Not to be outdone, Sony revealed the follow-up to the PSP last week in the form of the NGP (Next Generation Portable). Today we'll wrap up all of the news from last week's announcements and say what we think the NGP will cost.

Before our NGP discussion, we're debuting a cinematic trailer for one of our most-anticipated games of 2011, InFamous 2. Then, we'll get a sneak peek at First Strike, the Xbox 360-exclusive DLC for Call of Duty: Black … Read more

It's not just a bad pun to say that the "key" step in configuring a Wi-Fi network is protecting it with an encryption key that must be entered into each compatible device. Wireless Key Generator is a free tool that generates strong wireless encryption keys and saves them to a text file that you can store on a USB drive or other portable device and use to secure your home or office network.

The program's compact, dialog-based interface has two drop-down menus: Security Type, with two choices, WEP and the stronger WPA/WPA2; and Key Strength, … Read more

It seems like just yesterday that the only mobile gaming systems in existence were Nintendo Game Boys. Now, we have choices, perhaps too many.

Nintendo last week took the wraps off of its latest portable, the 3DS, which offers a dual-screen gaming system with a glasses-free 3D screen for a new generation of games.

Then, this week, Sony debuted its next-generation portable, code-named, well, Next Generation Portable (NGP). It packs an impressive-looking OLED display, control sticks, and multitouch surfaces into a sleek-looking package.

And for more casual gamers, the iPhone and iPod Touch (as well as the iPad) offer an inexpensive, extensible platform with a load of games. Many iOS hardware owners don't even realize they have a powerful gaming device in their pockets, but they do. And now with the iPhone hitting Verizon, the audience is expanding. … Read more

A major difference between the NGP and 3DS lies in the two devices' touch-sensitive technologies. The 3DS will reuse the original DS' resistive touch screen, whereas the NGP will have two capacitive touch areas (front and rear), of the type most tablets and smartphones use today (including the iPhone and iPad).

The 3DS' resistive touch screen requires some depression (hence the stylus), but can also respond to a finger press. The technology offers a nice level of precision (like when handwriting or pecking at small virtual keys), but certainly requires a bit of a learning curve when being used in tandem with a stylus.

With the introduction of the NGP's front and rear touch capabilities, players will essentially have another dimension of interaction at their disposal. At first glance the rear pad might seem silly, but after the insightful video to the right, we're beginning to think it might actually provide a more seamless gaming experience. The video showcases a game called Little Deviants, in which the player drags a finger across the rear panel to manipulate the world onscreen. We're excited to see that for the first time gamers can interact with a portable gaming device without their fingers blocking the screen.… Read more

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Sony unveils a new handheld gaming device called the Next Generation Portable

Sony also announces that it will bring PlayStation games to Android devices as apps

Amazon.com launches Kindle Singles for short works of literature

Facebook lets you use the site with an extra layer of encryption

The Obama Administration takes to social networks to answer questions

Netflix states its intention to publish statistics about ISPs that are slowing down its streaming service

The New York Times is considering a WikiLeaks-type site of its own

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be on … Read more

Excuse the stormy portmanteau, but last night's snowbotomy has left Jeff stranded in New Jersey, so Joseph Kaminski from CNET's Digital City Podcast takes his spot and lugs in a 21-inch Apple iMac to show his dedication to desktop computers, and Wilson ain't complaining.

Oh, and in case you're wondering about today's show title, it's a reference to Joey's nickname "Turbo Thundersnow," which stems from his undisputed breakdancing skills and the winter phenomenon in which precipitation takes the form of snow instead of rain.

At a live event in Tokyo today, Sony revealed its next-generation portable gaming device that many thought would be called the PSP2, but the official name is actually the Sony Next Generation Portable, or NGP. Rolls off the tongue, right? Tongue-twisting names notwithstanding, the portable device features a 5-inch high-resolution OLED display that's four times the resolution of the current model and equivalent to the graphics on the PlayStation 3.

The portable device also has a touch screen, but Sony encourages players to use the rear-mounted touch pad to control gameplay without obstructing the display, although it's going to look weird when you see people fondling their NGPs on the subway.

Sony also unveiled a new platform called the PlayStation Suite that will allow first-gen PlayStation games to run on a variety of Android-enabled smartphones and tablet PCs. Sony hopes this will reinvigorate its portable gaming market, especially in the wake of last week's Nintendo 3DS announcement.

Enough about gaming, check out this Chicago-based start-up called Grubwithus that introduces strangers to the world of "social dining."

The service helps strangers meet potential friends by taking care of all the restaurant busywork: the Grubwithus team makes the reservation, sets the menu, introduces the diners to one another, and even calculates the tip prior to the meeting--Grubbers just have to show up, eat, and socialize.

Grubwithus founders Daishin Sugano and Eddy Lu may have accidentally stumbled upon a new way to meet new partners, based on a new study that claims couples end up in bed quicker as a result of "digital intimacy."

The study interviewed a sample set in which 38 percent of women believe texting, Facebook, and other social networking tools break the awkward communication barrier earlier than meeting IRL, and thus help to quicken the many steps to intimacy.

Joey and I work together in the lab and I've observed his interactions with the gentler sex, so Wilson and I pick his brain for tips on how to segue from an online chat to in-person meetups. It's not as easy as you think!