Personal Tech - Page 24

May 3, 2016

Why Nokia could get big bucks for its Here digital mapping business

Maps have become a crucial centerpiece of a host of digital technologies and businesses, ranging from smartphones to cars. Now there's a major bidding war pitting software companies, Internet firms, and automakers against one another to acquire one of the foremost mapping companies in the world.

May 3, 2016

Why the Internet of Things is a double-edged sword

Everything will eventually be interconnected online — at least, that's the dream. Dubbed the Internet of Things, turning dumb devices like thermostats and lights into “smart” objects offer a new level of convenience for consumers. But it can also lead to problems.

May 3, 2016

Smartwatches: The death of the smartphone?

As the Apple Watch joins the march toward wearable computing, does it augur the ultimate end of the very device — the smartphone — that the company popularized?

May 3, 2016

Hi-tech Swiss Army knives: It's a bulb and a speaker

It was an old “Saturday Night Live” joke: “It's a floor wax and a dessert topping!” Now, technology is turning the gag into reality. It's not sufficient, for example, to just be a light bulb or just camera any more. It also has to be remotely controlled from thousands of miles away and play music, watch the kids, and keep track of your appointments. It may even help you learn French. The question is do we really want everything to turn into a digital Swiss Army knife of multiple functions and features?

May 3, 2016

Samsung smartens up its phones

Samsung's latest Galaxy S6 (starting at $200) and Galaxy S6 Edge (starting $300), available today, represent the state of the art and unquestionably offer several improvements over previous Samsung models. They also offer a collection of features that technically surpass models such as Apple's iPhone 6. But do you really need more in a smartphone and is it enough to make anyone switch?

May 3, 2016

Why lack of tech talk at New York International Auto Show is telling

How do you know a technology has truly arrived? When people stop talking about it.

May 3, 2016

Apple's streaming music secret weapon

When you spend $3 billion on an acquisition, you better have a good idea - a truly brilliant idea - about how you're going to make it work. Now, it's becoming clear how Apple is going to leverage its investment in Beats, with a clever strategy that may simultaneously extend its tightly spun ecosystem and revive its music business.

May 3, 2016

Test driving the new TV options

Even a whiff of a rumor about Apple brings people running as if pie were about to be served. And so it was this week when old rumors were revived about Apple's imminent launch of a television service that would rival cable companies’ offerings. But there are already two such television channel bundles — Sling TV and PlayStation Vue — available that are streamed over the Internet.

May 3, 2016

Are you ready to buy an Apple Watch?

‘Wearables’ is the rather unsexy designation assigned to fitness bands, smartwatches, and forthcoming smart clothes. On Monday, Apple hopes to turn on the sex appeal when it is expected to officially launch long-awaited Apple Watch. But, are you ready to pay for Facebook on your wrist?

May 3, 2016

What are the consequences of the Net Neutrality rules?

Now that the battle over net neutrality is over - except for the inevitable legal braying and squabbling - what difference is it going to make in your life?