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New PlayStation may debut this month

Friday's CNET Update deciphers the shapes:

Stories from today's tech news roundup:

- Sony expected to unveil a new PlayStation this month -- before E3

- Verizon has new prepaid plans for 3G smartphones

- Nokia is researching a new material called graphene

- HBO Go may be coming to Apple TV

- Amazon beefs up its Prime Instant Video streaming with Downton Abby and is also creating original kids shows

- Netflix premiered the series, "House of Cards," and all 13 episodes are available now

- CNET's Download team highlights free alternatives to the new Office 2013 and Office 365Read more

Apple to stop Mac Pro sales in much of Europe on March 1

Apple today told retailers and distributors in most European countries that it will stop selling the Mac Pro on March 1 because the desktop system doesn't meet electrical regulations.

The Mac Pro's ports and fans don't comply with a new amendment -- which goes into effect at the beginning of March -- addressing safety and electrical standards for electronics, according to Macworld.

An Apple spokesman confirmed the decision to CNET. The regulation affects the 27 countries of the European Union, which includes the U.K., Germany and France, and the four countries in the European Free Trade Association (… Read more

Play with a virtual friend using Talking Ben the Dog Free

Potentially keeping the user entertained for hours, this app offers great graphics and is packed with humor. Talking Ben the Dog Free is a great alternative to the typical games and activities found in entertainment applications, and might be interesting to those who are looking for something different and need something to keep them occupied.

Talking Ben the Dog Free appears to be a pretty big app for a time-killer. After you install the main application, another download, of about 35MB, is required to actually use the program. The total size of the application tips the scales at around 50MB … Read more

Battle zombies on your Android device with Vikings vs Zombies Free

For anyone craving some gory arcade-style action, this app might be a good choice. The overall look and feel of Vikings vs Zombies Free is good and the gameplay is fast and fun. However, you can only play one level with the free version.

A very light and quick download begins the action. Vikings vs Zombies Free loads easily. The level that the free version permits you to play consists of an overhead view of a map and Viking figures you may place. Once the game begins, waves of zombies begin pushing through the map and it is up to … Read more

Protect your Android device with Zoner AntiVirus Free

With the large number of threats out there, mobile device security has become a serious subject. A good antivirus tool is essential in the prevention of intrusions and malicious software. Zoner AntiVirus Free is a great choice for those who don't want to purchase expensive software. It functions well and is packed with useful features.

Following a quick download, Zoner AntiVirus Free prompts the user for the typical initial scan. Once the device has been determined safe, the main menu becomes available. With clean, easy-to-read text, the main menu is simple to navigate. The current status of the device … Read more

Tweak your media with Zoom Player Free

There's a media player out there for just about everyone, from technophobic grandpas to people who edit various types of media for fun and profit. Zoom Player Free is definitely geared toward the more advanced users, given the depth of its features and its tendency to be a bit less-than-simple to use.

Once installed, Zoom Player Free greeted us with a long list of additional components to download. If you don't know what FFDShow, DirectVobSub, and FFMPEG Core Files are, you're likely going to be frustrated by the fact that you're being asked to make decisions … Read more

Convert video and audio files with Green Free Video Converter

We're big on small tools that let us convert video clips into different formats that we can play on our various and sundry devices. Ditto audio: while we tend to save music in the highest available quality, we also like to be able to play MP3s on the go, and software that can convert both audio files and video formats to other audio formats is of no small interest, too. One more thing: freeware, please. Green Free Video Converter just happens to cover all those bases. It's free, it's easy to use, and it converts files to … Read more

Convert Flash vids to MP3s with FLV to MP3 Free Converter

Video-hosting sites like YouTube are also a great source of free tunes. Even if the audio quality isn't usually the best, at least you can hear the song you're searching for, maybe with a video of a turntable spinning the vinyl original. You can save the YouTube vid, but to play the tune on your MP3 player or add it to your MP3 collection, you'll need to extract the audio. That's easy to do, though: Just convert Flash videos saved from YouTube and other sites into MP3s. Generally speaking, you have two choices: 1) an all-in-one … Read more

Exclusive free giveaway of Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3

Some of us use our camera phones to take photos and edit them on the fly. Some others prefer to use a real camera and edit them professionally, using a photography software on their computers. Whoever you are, there is a solution out there for you, but this special giveaway I'm running today is specifically for PC users -- a free copy of Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3. What does it do? Well, good question - as the software title states, it puts you in the director chair and helps you manage your photos, edit, enhance and so much more.

Rated … Read more

Honda adding 'Eyes Free' Siri integration in some 2013 cars

Automaker Honda today said it plans to integrate Apple's Siri voice assistant in some of its upcoming Honda and Acura vehicles.

On the list is the 2013 Honda Accord, and two Acura models, the 2013 RDX and ILX.

The feature in question is Siri's "Eyes Free" mode, a way to use Apple's iOS voice assistant without having to rely on visual cues, or interact with on-screen menus. The functionality, which was introduced at last year's WWDC, works over Bluetooth and connects through Honda's HandsFreeLink setup just like other mobile phones.

From Apple's … Read more