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T-Mobile changing the contract game
CNET Update will pay you Tuesday for a smartphone today:
Google Reader is shutting down in July, and its demise can impact citizens who have Internet access restricted by their government. The Change.org petition to keep Google Reader has about 12 percent of its signatures from people living in countries that have Internet censorship. People in Kazakhstan and China have left comments urging Google to keep the Reader tool because it's the best way to access banned websites and uncensored news.
Also featured in Tuesday's news roundup:
- Next week, T-Mobile is expected to announce a new way to pay for smartphones … Read more
BlackBerry's Heins: Apple's iOS is a little long in the tooth
BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins thinks it's about time Apple starts innovating again.
Speaking to the Australian Financial Review in an interview published today, Heins acknowledged that Apple "did a fantastic job in bringing touch devices to market [and] they did a fantastic job with the user interface," but he thinks the company might have become too complacent.
"History repeats itself again I guess ... the rate of innovation is so high in our industry that if you don't innovate at that speed you can be replaced pretty quickly," Heins told AFR. "The user interface … Read more
Hottest tech products (winter 2013)
I don't know why I make this job harder than it needs to be. Every week I wrack my brain trying to think of a topic that will tap into the collective CNET zeitgeist. Sometimes I hit it just right, and sometimes I get nothing. But I could save myself a lot of trouble.
Without fail, the most popular Top 5 videos we produce here are the "Hottest Product" roundups. I think you guys get a voyeuristic kick out of knowing what everyone else is looking at.
Well, who am I to deprive you? This time around … Read more
BlackBerry plans Z10 launch event
BlackBerry issued invitations this morning for a March 21 event in New York to launch its new Z10 smartphone and BlackBerry 10 OS.
That timing would place the event the day before the Z10 is scheduled to land in AT&T stores and be available to the carrier's customers. AT&T, which started preorders this week, is the first U.S. carrier to release the device, which runs on the new BlackBerry 10 OS.
With promised performances by Janelle Monae, Young the Giant, and DJ Z-Trip, the event should be more party than press conference. BlackBerry Global … Read more
Revived BlackBerry still needs to prove itself in U.S.
BlackBerry has built up a nice head of steam. The question is whether it can keep the momentum going.
So far, there's been a lot to like about the BlackBerry Z10's launch. Early consumer sales have been stronger than expected; retailers have acknowledged strong demand; and BlackBerry said an "established partner" placed an order for 1 million units -- the largest order in the company's history.
All of this is fuel for BlackBerry's turnaround ambitions. The company hopes its next-generation BlackBerry 10 platform, led by the Z10, gives existing BlackBerry users a reason to … Read more
WhatsApp now available on BlackBerry 10
WhatsApp for BlackBerry 10 is now available in BlackBerry World, which means droves of new users will get the ability to send and receive messages without having to pay for SMS.
In WhatsApp for BlackBerry 10, users get the ability to exchange messages with other users, no matter what platform they may be on, all through a carrier data connection or Wi-Fi connection. The app also offers instant push notifications for incoming messages and full integration with BlackBerry contacts.
While Android and iOS users might be scoffing at the news, the addition of another platform should, in fact, affect them, … Read more
As Z10 preorders start, BlackBerry nets huge order for new devices
BlackBerry announced today that an "established partner" has ordered 1 million BlackBerry 10 devices. Though a company spokeswoman declined to name the partner in a phone call with CNET, the order is the largest single purchase in the company's history.
The news came just as Verizon Wireless revealed that it would start accepting preorders for the new BlackBerry Z10 beginning at 8 a.m. ET tomorrow. Devices will then arrive in stores and be available for direct purchase online two weeks later on March 28.
Big Red, which promised that it would carry the Z10 moments after … Read more
Anti-aging cream made with 'space diamonds'
Anti-aging! Space diamonds! Groundbreaking medical research! Wow, Celestial Black Diamond Night Cream sure sounds like a miracle. Let's take a closer look.
The product description says the cream includes black diamond particles "believed to have formed in space." Huh? Either they came from space, or they didn't. Manufacturer 111 Skin doesn't divulge the sourcing method for the particles, but it does describe them as "microspheres that penetrate the deeper dermal layer of the skin in order to transport three essential youth restoring ingredients: patent-pending NAC Y2 formula, Collagen type I and III and Hyaluronic acid."… Read more
Play bare-bones, classic blackjack on your iPad
There is a wide range of gambling and card game apps on the App Store. While actual gambling is not permitted through apps, the scope of simulation varies substantially. Some are very complex with Game Center support and matching features while others are bare-bones, offering only a pure rendition of the original game. Such is the case with BlackJack for Millionaire. Upon starting the app, you will find no menus, only an option to start playing. Place your bet and your hand is dealt. You can then choose a new card, stand, double down, surrender or split. If you've … Read more
