connect

The pace of modern consumer technology has been so swift in recent decades that you can still meet the people who helped change the world, and find that they're still at it and working on what's next. Bob Rennard is an example.

He was one of the developers of the GPS technology we rely on today, and is a co-founder of TeleNav, a provider of GPS-related software and services. The company called me and offered to have Rennard explain its Scout platform. I'm normally reticent to come do a story on a product pitch, but the key … Read more

Sprint's Phone Connect device will now find its way to more people anxious to get rid of their landlines.

Known as Sprint Phone Connect, the "plug and play" device operates via Sprint's 3G network. Users can simply plug their home or office phones into the device, and calls are then carried over the network instead of the traditional landline.

Sprint already sells the product directly. But now the company is offering it to its MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), wireless providers that buy network services from the major carriers and then sell them to customers. This … Read more

Nokia PC Suite is a collection of tools that allows your Nokia handset to connect to your Windows machine and sync data, back up your phone's contents, push software updates to your phone, as well as share files between desktop and mobile phone. Supporting a long list of Nokia phones, Nokia PC Suite is easy to install and launch on your Windows machine.

The interface used by Nokia PC Suite is simple, using a set of icons to show different tasks. When a phone is connected, it appears with its status in the left pane of the software; the … Read more

A number of Audi purists (and a couple of intenders around the office) groaned when I showed them the new S5 with its V6. And it turns out they are on to something. Not that the car isn't responsive, but there is a point where the power flattens out right when you think it will keep coming. You actually have to be good about selecting gears and reading the situation ahead. Welcome to the new downsized world -- and to actually driving, not just throttle pressing. … Read more

Comments about Wi-Fi issues with the iPhone 5 are beginning to pile up on user forums.

While the cause of the issue is not clear at this stage, a thread on Apple's Support Communities page makes repeated references to Wi-Fi router security settings.

"I deactivate... the WPA2 Personal Wifi Security [on the router] and the iphone started to browse the web normally," wrote one poster identified as C4RLOCO, on the Support Communities forum.

And Apple enthusiast site MacRumors, has its own thread on the topic titled "Painfully slow WiFi on new iPhone 5."

This issue … Read more

In the Season 2 premiere of Always On, the Google Nexus 7 takes a beating. Well, it wouldn't be fair to say it takes a beating. It receives a beating, and frankly, doesn't handle it very well. It's one of our more dramatic Torture Tests, and I think it points out that sometimes, you do get what you pay for when it comes to quality and durability. The Nexus 7 is a great tablet in many respects but, well. It's not the toughest little thing. You'll see what I mean.

We'll find out in … Read more

For years Wacom has ruled the digital stylus market for artists, photo retouchers, and others who want to marry the worlds of pens and computers. But touch-screen tablets are rewriting the rules for digital input, and Ten One Design hopes its new Pogo Connect stylus will prosper as a result.

The company already sells the more ordinary Pogo and Pogo Sketch tablet stylus products, which are held like a pen but which a tablet or smartphone sees as a finger. The new $80 Pogo Connect, though, adds a higher-end feature from the Wacom world: pressure sensitivity.

That means the harder … Read more

A while back Foursquare launched its Connected Apps platform, which expanded on how you can interact with a check-in after the fact. At first, the release was small with a few developers getting access to the API, but more developers have started making Connected Apps. There are some real gems available now.

Here is a list of five Connected Apps you should connect to your Foursquare account today.

#Mom We originally told you about Hash tag Mom earlier this year, well before Connected Apps were announced. Just this week, it was updated to make it a Connected App as well. … Read more

The home of the future may be coming to a neighborhood near you.

A number of companies, including AT&T, Comcast, Lowe's, and Verizon are intent on making your home a smart home.

Imagine getting an alert when you leave the garage door open, or when your elderly parents fall down, or when your liquor cabinet is breached by wayward teens. Connected homes give residents the ability to remotely control thermostats, lights, and door locks through mobile devices.

The selling point is convenience; and routine.

"Every single day you get up in the morning and you leave … Read more