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Helping 'Star Wars' newbies finally embrace the Force

SAN FRANCISCO--What I'm about to tell you is 100 percent true, no matter how much you will want to tell me I'm full of it: there are American adults who have never seen "Star Wars."

The 1977 George Lucas film is a timeless global phenomenon and may be one of the most embedded of all our cultural artifacts. It spawned an empire that Disney ended up buying for $4 billion, in large part because of the passion and commitment of its worldwide audience. But still some people, even those who watch other movies, and are part of mainstream society, managed to make it to 2013 without ever seeing it.

For one group of "Star Wars" newbies, though, their lifelong exclusion from one of the biggest clubs on Earth is over. … Read more

Intel describes next-gen 'Iris' graphics chips

Intel has released details on the next-generation graphics chips that will appear in upcoming laptops, hybrids, and desktops.

Iris graphics will be integrated into the 4th Gen Intel Core, aka, Haswell processors, the chip giant announced Wednesday.

"Iris graphics brings [an] eye-popping visual experience -- no extra graphics card required," Intel said in a statement.

There will be a 2X (two-fold) 3D performance increase over the 3rd Gen Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" chips for both the U- and Mobile H-series processors designed for ultrabooks and higher-performance laptops, respectively, Intel said.

For desktop R series processors, there … Read more

Toledo Mud Hens mark May the 4th with Chewbacca uniforms

The Toledo Mud Hens, a minor league baseball team in Ohio, are about to become the Toledo Wookiees for a weekend. Unfortunately, the team isn't going so far as to all dress up in big, brown fur suits, but they will be wearing some pretty special duds. The uniforms have an exaggerated Chewbacca-hair pattern all over them. Talk about sci-fi stylin'.

The "Star Wars" outfits are just the beginning for May the 4th celebrations at Fifth Third Field. The first 3,000 fans will get a free kazoo to participate in a massive post-game kazoo band version of the "Star Wars" theme song. There will be "Star Wars" face painting for the kids, too.… Read more

Intel confirms USB bug in 'Haswell' chipset

Intel confirmed a USB bug in its next-generation "Haswell" chipset.

The bug can cause USB (Universal Serial Bus) 3.0 devices, like thumb drives, to disappear after entering standby. In some cases, removable devices have to be reconnected again, according to a report at BSN.

The company issued the following statement this afternoon. The bug, in Intel parlance, is referred to as an "errata." The chipset is silicon that accompanies the main Haswell processor:

4th gen Core is on track for a midyear launch. Intel issued a PCN (Product Change Notification) documenting a chipset USB errata … Read more

Intel's upcoming 'Haswell' chip primed for gaming

Intel wants to make its future "Haswell" chip better than past generations of silicon at gaming and announced tools to make this happen at the Game Developers Conference today.

The world's largest chipmaker announced tools, known as extensions, for software developers that allow Intel's 4th generation Intel Core, aka Haswell, to process demanding special effects.

The first of these extensions, called PixelSync, allows programmers to more realistically render smoke, hair, windows, foliage, fences, and other complex geometry and natural phenomena, according to Intel.

"The artists working on Grid2 have been requesting this type of effect … Read more

iPhone, iPad sales to surge over next two quarters, says analyst

The iPhone 5 and new iPads will trigger a surge in sales for Apple this quarter and next, says Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty.

In an investors note out today, Huberty pointed out that key suppliers for both devices say their own revenue will be higher than anticipated for the current quarter. They're also seeing above-average orders from Apple for next year's first quarter. And demand could rise even higher before the year is over.

The analyst believes the iPhone 5 will drive more customers to upgrade this quarter and on into next year. At the same time, … Read more

iPad 4 now in stock at Apple Store

Consumers eyeing the fourth-generation iPad can now buy one through Apple's online store without any wait time.

The Apple Store shows all three flavors of the Wi-Fi-only edition now in stock. The 16GB version goes for $499, the 32GB version for $599, and the 64GB version for $699.

The new iPad's immediate availability is a change from the earlier shipping estimate of three to five business days. The status also is the same for Apple's online stores in the U.S. and abroad, a sign that the supply of the tablet seems to have caught up with … Read more

Is the iPad Mini worth it?

The iPad Mini is here! The 7-inch tablet market is going to be one of the hottest this holiday season, but did Apple do enough with the iPad Mini to justify its $329 starting price point?

iTunes 11 is pushed back to November, which is something to be thankful for after seeing what happens when Apple rushes out features like Siri and Maps.

The new fourth-generation iPad is also here, and it's a beast when it comes to performance. Plus, we'll break down Apple's big management shake-up and tell you how it might affect you. One thing'… Read more

Apple Byte: Has Apple lost some of its magic?

Apple's iPad Mini event was received by onlookers with mixed reviews, so has the company lost its edge? We'll break down everything Apple didn't tell you at the iPad Mini keynote presentation.

There were plenty of exciting hardware releases, including all-new iMacs, Mac Minis, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, but it was the updated, fourth-generation iPad that caused the most controversy. Just seven months after the "new iPad," we're getting another? I'm throwing out the Bad Apple.

Did Apple reignite your passion for technology with its latest keynote address? Or … Read more