KARYNE: Hey, I�m Karyne Levy
ERIC: And I'm your guest co-host this week, Eric Franklin.
KARYNE: And, welcome to Rumor Has It, the show where we round up the
week's biggest tech rumors.
ERIC: And vote on what sounds like it'll actually happen, or what's
probably BS.
KARYNE: And remember: you can vote on all the rumors in the poll in the
interactive player, if you're watching on CNET.
ERIC: First up, two of the worst kept tech secrets get possible release
dates!
According to DisplaySearch, we'll see a new iPad Mini as early as the third
quarter of this year featuring a 2,048x1,536 Retina Display. Not to be
completely outdone, word from the same source says to expect the Nexus
7 follow-up, largely rumored to be unveiled at Google I/O in May, to feature
a 1,920x1,200 resolution screen, which equals a crazy PPI for a 7-inch
tablet.
KARYNE: You know what's really crazy?
ERIC: The fact that I've been covering tablets for CNET for over two years
and have yet to burn out?
KARYNE: That AND the fact that you just got away with saying "crazy PP"
on camera.
ERIC: [Shakes head] Inappropriate...
KARYNE: Next up, a couple days after the insane launch of Samsung's
Galaxy S4, some leaked specs popped up for the possible next Google
phone, the LG Nexus 5.
Seems like REALLY good timing, or it seems like a troll, but either way, the
site Android and Me claims to have received an unverified tip that Google
plans to release the Nexus 5 phone around October and is currently
evaluating prototypes from multiple manufacturers, including one from LG
code-named "Megalodon."
...Megalodon.
ERIC: Yeah, the specs on Megatron read like a fanboy's wet dream.
Snapdragon 800 CPU AND a 16-megapixel back camera that wait for it...can
shoot 4K video?
KARYNE: Yeah, if it actually shoots 4K video, then Megaphone or whatever
it's called will cost like $5,000! We haven't even seen many prosumer
cameras that can shoot 4K, let alone a phone.
ERIC: Even though the code name is the name of a prehistoric shark, I
wouldn't hold my breath.
KARYNE: This rumor is going to sink.
ERIC: This rumor will sleep with the fishes.
KARYNE: Smells kinda fishy.
SARAH: STOP.
ERIC: Next, Panasonic, a name synonymous with quality plasma TVs, may
be leaving plasma TVs.
Japan-based newspaper Nikkei says that Plasma TVs just don't sell as well
as LCDs and that Panasonic is losing billions as a result. The company is
apparently thinking of dropping plasma TVs altogether because while it's
making tons of high quality plasmas, people just aren't buying them. It's
like when people chose VHS over Betamax.
KARYNE: Or VHS over Laser Disc.
ERIC: Or the Game Boy over the Atari Lynx.
KARYNE: The 2600 over the Intellivision.
ERIC: Or quadraphonic sound, or Digital Audio Tapes. The list goes on and
on. But, there is an important takeaway here.
KARYNE: That we're constantly choosing inferior technology, throwing into
question our own self worth as a society?
ERIC: That AND the fact that I got through a list of underrated tech without
once mentioning the Apple Newton...oh sh*t
KARYNE: Finally, Apple seems to be in a bit of a funk. But, Morgan Stanley
analyst Katy Huberty predicts that there will be a comeback.
According to her, the iPhone 5S will have a killer feature that will raise the
company back into our good graces, and we will have a million parades
celebrating the wonder that is Apple.
ERIC: You mean a really cool and useful feature like Siri?! Or maybe you
mean a feature that after which the novelty of it wears off, no one will ever
use.
KARYNE: Oh, I see what you did there.
What do you guys think? Will the iPhone 5S have a killer feature? Will it
just be a little better or faster than the iPhone 5? What do you think this
killer feature could be? Don't forget to vote or leave a comment, and then
we'll see what the CNET Council thinks...
ERIC: And the CNET Council's verdict is a very close -- NO. Three editors
said that it won't have a killer feature, but two editors are holding out hope!
KARYNE: That�s our show everyone, share your rumors at
rumorhasit@cnet.com or call us at 1-800-750-CNET. And tweet us! And
thanks to this week's co-host, Eric!
ERIC: Tune in next week for more tech rumors.
