second screen

Singles go for smartphones, while couples like tablets?

Now singles can look at what device someone is using to decide whether they're married and if it's safe to hit on them.

Singles seem to prefer smartphones while married folks go for tablets, according to a new study released today by marketing firms The Search Agency and Harris Interactive.

"Married people are often older, have more disposable income and can more easily justify superfluous pieces of technology, such as tablets," The Search Agency's marketing strategy vice president Mike Solomon said in a statement. "At the same time, baby boomers are often more tech-literate … Read more

How iOS 6 changes the iPad

Every year, we engage in the same dance: Apple announces a new version of iOS, and we instantly start wondering how our devices will change as a result.

iOS announcements tend to work forward for phones (the new iPhone is expected this fall), but for iPads they work backward: the third-generation iPad with Retina Display came out in March.

A host of new iOS 6 features change some of what the iPhone can be. Will iOS 6 change the iPad, too? Yes, if you're thinking of heavily using Siri or own a 4G/3G third-gen iPad or iPad 2.… Read more

Five lessons from E3 2012

LOS ANGELES--I've lost track of how many E3 shows I've been to. It doesn't matter. What's important is that the show used to be larger, more vibrant...and more relevant. What happened?

If you boil down this year's show, new hardware was scarce and new software didn't fill the gap. Still, trends were present and lessons, too, that I hope get applied to next year's show. Yes, it was an odd year this year. … Read more

E3 2012: A closer look at Xbox SmartGlass

LOS ANGELES--Xbox SmartGlass was one of the lone new technologies unveiled by Microsoft at this year's E3, but its potential as a second screen -- using your own smartphone or tablet running Windows 8, Android, or iOS -- is fascinating.

Xbox SmartGlass was demonstrated in more detail in a breakout session this evening, showing off video, gaming, and remote control possibilities as well as running through future concepts. I got as close as I could and took a few photos.… Read more

PlayStation Mobile and PlayStation Vita: Too many screens for Sony?

LOS ANGELES--If E3 2012 is The Year of the Second Screen, then what does that make Sony, a company that seems to have one too many solutions to a single problem? The PlayStation Vita and the PlayStation 3 form a perfect hardware tandem, theoretically: with as many inputs as a Wii U tablet and a screen just an inch smaller, the Vita could the PS3's best friend. … Read more

Microsoft has a new gaming handheld...and it's the iPad

LOS ANGELES--You can forget about your dreams of an Xbox 360 Portable. That's so 2006. No, at this year's E3, Microsoft did something much more surprising: instead of getting proprietary, it hopped on everyone else's platform instead.

Xbox SmartGlass was the touted application, service, technology -- whatever you want to call it -- that stood for a new product at Microsoft's E3 press conference this morning in Los Angeles. It needed some jolt of new produce excitement, arguably, and SmartGlass can stand in as this year's "what is that?" buzzword, a second-screen concept for turning seemingly any smartphone or tablet into an additional display when watching movies, playing games, or browsing online. … Read more

Reporters' Roundtable: New tools for inventors

The game is changing for inventors. It costs less than it ever has to build a technology product or launch a company to sell it. There are new marketplaces to sell your goods, too--even if you haven't yet built a single unit.

Securities laws in the U.S. are also about to change, which will dramatically expand the funding possibilities for new companies. So get ready to be barraged with requests to help build small new companies, and prepare to be tempted to do it yourself.

Today we're talking with two real innovators who have built companies that make it possible for anyone with an idea to pre-sell products, learn how to design and build them, and manufacture prototypes and even the first batch of units. Our guests:

Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter Jim Newton, founder of TechShop

Our episode, in two acts, is below:

… Read more

Reporters' Roundtable: The Apple TV is a big fat deal

Of the two products Apple launched this week, I think the more important was the Apple TV update. Because it's in the living room where Apple has the more interesting battle going on. This "hobby" of a product is still imperfect, but it's making major waves with consumer electronics companies, content producers, and cable firms. Why? Because with an Apple TV (or a competing product, like a Roku), you can bypass the old-line media economy.

Or can you? We're discussing today how Apple is trying to rewrite the living room entertainment experience. We have two great guests on the show:

John Falcone, CNET's executive editor for reviews in New York. Matthew Moskovciak, our home theater editor, also in New York.

… Read more

Reporters' Roundtable: The couch potato, version 2

Next week, on March 7, Apple will introduce the next generation of iPad. Why is the tablet form factor working so well? What is it about a machine that is best used on the couch?

One growing use case for tablets is the "second screen." It seems we aren't satisfied with just watching TV anymore. Now we need a second screen to keep us engaged. Businesses are growing up to build second screen apps, and programmers are starting to take the multiscreen user seriously.

Today I have two guests who are working on these apps who will discuss the emerging market space:

Ole Lutjens, chief creative officer and co-founder of MX Jeremy Toeman, chief product officer, Dijit

… Read more