metro

MetroPCS TV service debuts on Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G

Nobody looking at the long antenna sprouting from MetroPCS' new Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G would suggest that Samsung's bringing sexy back, but for TV lovers, the throwback has a purpose.

The prepaid carrier and Samsung teamed up to introduce the Dyle Mobile TV service, which delivers live, local broadcast TV over Metro's 4G LTE network. The service is free once you buy the phone.

Dyle has been in the works for years, and is certainly an interesting. Now how about the Lightray itself?

The Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset is a version of U.S. Cellular's … Read more

Is 'Metro' now a banned word at Microsoft?

For the past year-plus, Microsoft has been playing up its Metro design language/philosophy as the crux around which its future product design revolves. But in the past few days, I've been hearing from a number of my contacts that Microsoft is trying to slow, if not halt, internal and external use of the term "Metro."

What gives?

I've heard from a few sources that they believe Microsoft is stepping away from "Metro" because of a possible copyright dispute with some other entity. (No idea who/what entity that might be, if it were … Read more

Watch live TV on your phone! No, really

A while back, when I first heard about broadcasters' plans to build their own network to deliver local and live TV to smartphones, I have to admit I chuckled a little.

The idea that broadcasters, with little to no experience in the wireless world, could accomplish such a feat seemed ludicrous. Equally laughable was the idea that people would tune into Judge Judy on their phones. With so many other stories floating around (at the time, the big question was: when will the iPhone come to Verizon?) it was easy to ignore the seemingly half-baked project.

But more than two … Read more

Get to know America's carriers, big and small

How well do you know your carrier options?

Maybe very well, if you happen to follow the ins and outs of changing plans and perks. However, you may not be aware that Cricket has a roaming agreement with Sprint, or that Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile now have 4G.

If you're a beginner, or just happen to enjoy carrier trivia, check out this quick guide to carriers.

Microsoft Touch Mouse to get a feel for Windows 8 gestures

Microsoft is sprucing up its Touch Mouse to give upcoming Windows 8 users a helping hand.

Both the Touch Mouse and the Explorer Touch Mouse already support horizontal as well as vertical scrolling. So users who upgrade to Windows 8 can continue to use both devices just as they are.

But Microsoft is unveiling a new set of gestures designed specifically to help you navigate your way around Windows 8. Tapping into the new gestures will be a matter of downloading Microsoft's new Device Center, a program that can take full advantage of your mouse and keyboard in the … Read more

How to log in directly to the Windows 8 desktop with Start8

Update, October 18, 2012: Early versions of Start8 required the user to choose a setting to enable automatic desktop. This post has been updated to reflect the changes to the latest version of Start8, which defaults to automatic desktop.

The start screen in Windows 8 has been a polarizing change from Windows 7, to put it mildly. If you click the desktop tile immediately after logging in, a free program by Stardock can save you some time. With Start8, you can automatically load the desktop immediately after logging in to Windows 8. Start8 will even add back the Windows Start button.… Read more

This is not the future of Windows 8 convertibles

In case you missed it (which is likely), Fujitsu has entered the Windows 8-ready fray with a convertible "tablet PC."

You probably don't remember tablet PCs because they weren't big with consumers. Nor businesses for that matter.

But they've been around for at least a decade. For instance, there's the Compaq-branded Tablet PC TC1000 that Hewlett-Packard launched in 2002.

Or the more recent -- relatively speaking -- HP EliteBook Tablet PC series.

So now, in 2012, in the age of the svelte, 903g Microsoft Surface tablet, we have the 13-inch Fujitsu Lifebook T902 (PDF). … Read more

Buying an ultrabook? Consider the Windows 8 Metro factor

An ultrabook six months from now will make today's designs seem so last year. You can thank Windows 8 and the Metro interface for that.

The next Windows operating system -- which we now know is slated for release October 26 -- will bring touch screens to laptops. So, the standard ultrabook today sans a touch screen may seem a bit frumpy by comparison when new designs hit for the holiday season.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini said yesterday that "more than 40" touch-enabled Windows 8-based ultrabooks are in the pipeline. That would include designs like the Acer Aspire S7.… Read more

Lots of Windows 8 touch-screen ultrabooks coming, says Intel

Get ready for the touch-screen laptop.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini said today that "more than 40" touch-enabled Windows 8-based ultrabooks are in the pipeline. All of those use the chipmaker's Ivy Bridge processor, he said.

Otellini was speaking during a conference call after the company announced second-quarter earnings today.

In total, there are more than 140 Ivy-Bridge based ultrabook designs in the pipeline, he said. About a dozen of those products will be so-called convertibles that allow a laptop to be converted to a tablet.

A recent example of a convertible is the dual-screen Asus Taichi.

Otellini … Read more