cnet update

Make free voice calls on Facebook's app

Thursday's CNET Update does exist:

Stories from today's tech news roundup:

- Facebook updated its Messenger app for the iPhone and iPod Touch, allowing people in the U.S. to make voice calls through a Wi-Fi or data connection.

- iPhone users can finally buy music from Amazon from their device. Amazon launched its mp3 store for iPhone and iPod Touch users, but the catch is that purchases must be made through the Web browser, at amazon.com/mp3. And the songs can be played on the Amazon Cloud Player app.

- The cloud storage service MediaFire is now available for AndroidRead more

What to expect in the next BlackBerry

Wednesday's CNET Update gets a glimpse of the future:

Today's tech roundup looks at the leaked specs of the BlackBerry 10 L-Series all-touchscreen smartphone. TechRadar reports it got the specs from official training documents at Research In Motion. It's expected that all will be unveiled by RIM at an event later this month.

There are also rumors out about Nintendo and Sony. Reports say Nintendo is changing its corporate structure to combine its handheld and console teams into one. And Sony's vice president of home entertainment hinted that we may see a PlayStation 4 by the … Read more

Facebook Graph Search takes on Google

Tuesday's CNET Update is searching for friends who put useful data on Facebook:

Today's tech news roundup looks at Facebook's Graph Search, a new smart-search tool that focuses on specific details within people, photos, places and interests. Instead of searching with a keyword, like on Google, users would narrow down different fields to find data. Some examples:

- Search for friends in your city that like the show Fringe, and it can help you organize a watch party for the finale.

- Search for Mexican restaurants in Palo Alto that your friends have been to, and avoid … Read more

Computer prodigy Aaron Swartz remembered

Monday's CNET Update:

Stories from today's tech news roundup:

- Internet activist Aaron Swartz, 26, committed suicide. He faced $4 million in fines and 50 years in prison for chargest hat he stole millions of academic papers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from JSTOR. In the wake of his death, MIT is conducting an investigation of the school's role in the events before he took his life. Researchers have paid tribute to Swartz by posting links to copyright-protected papers on Twitter, to honor his campaign for open access to documents on the Internet.

- Samsung'… Read more

Wearable tech takes CES 2013 by storm

Thursday's CNET Update from CES 2013:

As the 2013 International CES begins to wind down, here's a look at the rise of wearable tech on display at the show:

- The Pebble Watch raised $10 million on Kickstarter for its smart watch. The Pebble syncs to Android phones and iPhones, and will display incoming messages and caller information. Users can also program it to send custom alerts. The e-ink style LCD display makes it easy to see in bright sunlight, and you can change up the way you want the time to display, such as having it written … Read more

E-ink smartphone on display at CES 2013

Wednesday's CNET Update from CES 2013:

It's day two of the 2013 International CES, and this is the place to see what gadgets could be in our future. There's lots to talk about, but here's a breakdown of the tech that has our attention:

- The YotaPhone has been the most interesting smartphone seen at CES, because it has an e-ink touch screen on its backside.

- Fulton Innovation is showing off technology that lets you wirelessly transfer power from device to device.

- TheEyeTribe has shown how future tablets and smartphones can be controlled with your eyes. … Read more

Ultra HD TVs are big at CES 2013

Tuesday's CNET Update from CES 2013:

The show floor has officially opened at the International CES, and here's a quick breakdown of the highlights so far:

Televisions and home entertainment tend to be the star of the show. This year, LG announced shipping and pricing details for the 55-inch OLED TV that everyone was gawking at last year. The buzz now is more focused around Ultra HD resolution, also called 4K. You need a very large screen to appreciate that extra resolution. Sharp showed two Ultra HD TVs. Samsung unveiled an 85-inch Ultra HD TV with a floor stand. … Read more

Nvidia unveils gaming console at CES 2013

Monday's CNET Update from CES 2013:

There's a flood of news to digest at the International CES, but I got you covered. Update will sum up highlights of CES each day in a handy-dandy three minute video. The show floor officially opens Tuesday, but here are some stories already getting buzz:

- Computer chip maker Nvidia announced that it's getting into the hardware business and making its own quad-core portable gaming console.

- Fitbit unveiled the Flex, a fitness-tracking wristband that will compete with the Nike FuelBand and Jawbone Up.

- Garmin wants to go beyond the … Read more

Ubuntu OS coming to smartphones

Thursday's CNET Update is disturbed:

Rumors come and go quickly in the tech world. A report from TechCrunch stirred up rumors that Apple was planning on buying the navigation app Waze. But CNET has learned that Apple has no plans to acquire Waze. It wasn't a radical idea, since Apple already works with Waze as a partner for Apple's mapping software.

Apple is, however, addressing a bug in the Do Not Disturb feature of iOS 6. The company said it won't be fixed until January 7. Do Not Disturb will silence incoming calls, alerts and notifications … Read more