Bitcoin has risen from the dead… again
Bitcoin survived a hellish spring period when its value crashed to $320 from winter highs topping $1,000. With the price now hovering around $570, the cryptocurrency faces a series of important events in the coming weeks that could determine its future.
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Facebook wants you using its apps at work even more than you already do
Facebook is interested in users relying more on its services while they work, TechCrunch reports, although not for time-wasting activities. Instead, Facebook’s London division is working on a “FB@Work” initiative that would turn some of Facebook’s existing assets into productivity tools meant to improve daily activities at work.
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Messaging mania has shocked tech leaders twice – in 1994 and again now
One of the most unanticipated developments surrounding mobile phones is the fact that people don’t really want to use them to talk to each other. They want to use them to send messages. This phenomenon was so counterintuitive that it has now disrupted the entire tech industry twice — first in 1994 and later in 2012. It was messaging that turned Nokia into king of the mobile phone market in 1990s and then WhatsApp into one of the most successful startups in the history as Facebook was forced to pay $19 billion for a tiny company that was just five years old.
The astonishing popularity of text-messaging on phones has now blindsided two generations of tech leaders. It goes to show how difficult reading consumer behavior can be for even the most accomplished companies.
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The world’s first Android Wear watches: Here’s everything you need to know
Samsung and LG on Wednesday finally took the wraps off their first Android Wear smartwatches after Google revealed on stage at I/O 2014 that the Gear Live and G Watch will be available to order from the Google Play Store starting today.
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Google’s major hardware mystery
I was pretty excited for Google I/O coming into Wednesday but after watching the company’s rambling keynote presentation that never seemed to end, I have to admit I’m confused. Or rather, it’s Google that seems confused, or at the very least going through a transition of some kind.
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Our society’s view on commuting (and telecommuting) is still painfully warped
A Google employee peers down at an Android Wear smartwatch demo, and notices that — based on real-time traffic information — it would take him 55 minutes to get to work. “Commute’s not looking too bad!,” he exclaims, before swiping to the next card on the demo.
How severely damaged must our society’s state of mind be to make such a comment?
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IPAD AIR 2 LEAK: Thinner next-gen iPad Air model with Touch ID compared to current version in new video
Late summer and early fall this year are going to be huge for Apple. After months without any new products, the company is expected to launch a flurry of new devices beginning with two completely redesigned iPhone 6 models, one with a 4.7-inch display and one with an even bigger 5.5-inch screen. Also expected are a new 12-inch Retina MacBook Air, a new Apple TV, an iWatch, a refreshed iPad mini and a sixth-generation full-size iPad, currently referred to as the “iPad Air 2.”
Now, a mockup believed to be an accurate representation of Apple’s next-gen iPad Air has been shown on video and compared to the current iPad Air model.
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HTC: Both the One (M7) and One (M8) are getting Android L
Awesome news for everyone who owns one of HTC’s last two flagship phones: You’ll be getting the latest version of Android… at some point. HTC announced on Wednesday that it will bring Android L to both the HTC One (M7) and the HTC One (M8) “within 90 days of receiving final software from Google.” It’s not surprising that the One (M8) is getting Android L since it just came out earlier this year but it’s good to see that HTC is committed to bringing Android L to anyone who bought its 2013 flagship smartphone as well.
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It looks like the Galaxy Note 4 may barely beat the iPhone 6 to market
Apple is looking to get into the phablet game this fall but the original phablet king is hoping to undercut it by releasing what should be its best giant smartphone yet. SamMobile points us to a new report in Korean publication NewsTomato claiming that Samsung is rushing to get Galaxy Note 4 production up to speed so it can launch the device right after its unveiling at IFA 2014 this September.
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Paid apps gone free: CalCube for iPhone is one of the coolest calendar apps we’ve ever seen
The calendar app is one of the most important apps on any smartphone and since iOS 7 first launched, Apple’s iOS calendar has left much to be desired. Luckily, Apple has built the best mobile software ecosystem in the world, so there are dozens of great third-party calendars to choose from. We have covered several different calendar options here on BGR in the past, but today we want to bring your attention to one in particular that is unlike any other iOS calendar app you’ve ever used.
Read more here: Boy Genius Report