Microsoft’s Windows 8 headaches just got bigger
Think that you’re anxious for Windows 9 to come out? You’re probably clamoring for it nearly as much as Microsoft executives. The Wall Street Journal reports that China’s state-run television station has declared war on Windows 8 over security concerns similar to those flagged by German IT officials last year.
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Microsoft wants to prove the Surface Pro 3 can replace your laptop
Microsoft is done fighting over the crowded tablet market — the Surface Pro 3 is a laptop replacement. At least that’s how the company wants us to think of its latest device. Equipped with the new Surface Pen, a fully adjustable kickstand, a lineup of keyboards, a USB port and the ability to run Microsoft Office, the Surface Pro 3 could be the first Microsoft tablet to make a splash… no matter how light it is.
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Latest YouTube Android update finally adds a badly needed feature
Want to check out the latest Jack White video on your Android phone but are annoyed that you have to watch it on a low resolution? Not to worry — per 9to5Google, the latest YouTube update for Android will let you choose your videos’ resolution as long as it’s 720p or lower. There’s still no option to set your video resolution to 1080p or higher, likely due to concerns about mobile data use or battery consumption. Clicking on the “auto” resolution option will simply give you the best recommended resolution for your video based on your detected connection speed. The update is slowly rolling out to Android devices so hopefully you’ll be able to get it within the next few days.
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You can now play PC games with your Xbox One controller
It’s finally time to retire your Xbox 360 controller. Microsoft announced today via the Xbox Wire that PC drivers for the Xbox One controller are now available to download. The drivers will be included as part of an upcoming Windows update as well, but if you want to connect your controller as soon as possible, the download links can be found at MajorNelson.com. Any games that supported the Xbox 360 controller in the past will also be support the Xbox One controller. All you need to do is download the drivers, connect your Xbox One controller to your PC with a micro USB cable, and you’ll be ready to start playing.
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How LG could have made the G3 even better
Although we haven’t yet used the LG G3 extensively enough to write a full review, the look of the phone alone is terrific and a huge improvement over the LG G2 in just about every way. Speaking with Trusted Reviews, LG design executive Chul Bae Lee revealed that he’d originally pushed to make the G3 even better looking by making its side bezels even slimmer than they are right now.
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Verizon tells Netflix to stop trashing its service quality… or else
Uh-oh! It looks like Verizon is really, really not happy that Netflix is telling its customers to blame Verizon for slow streaming speeds. CNBC brings us word that Verizon has now sent Netflix a cease and desist letter that tells the company to stop blaming its network for service interruptions and that accuses it of misleading customers to gain an upper hand in the public relations battle over the two companies’ peering dispute.
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Here’s an awesome Google search trick you probably don’t know about
Have you ever been in the grocery store and gotten the urge to cook something really fancy but you didn’t know the ingredients? Google is now here to help. Android’s official Twitter account on Wednesday posted a picture showing an Android phone that had searched for “lasagna” recipes on Google and that also displayed a full checklist of key ingredients that you would need to concoct the dish.
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Survey: 79% of gamers say they still won’t buy a cheaper Xbox One at $399
When Microsoft first announced that the Xbox One would cost $499.99, gamers and industry watchers gasped. At a full $100 more than Sony’s rival PlayStation 4, it seemed like Microsoft was setting itself up for second place in the next-generation console war. But of course, the bundled Kinect sensor added tremendous value, and there was still hope that gamers would see that following the console’s launch.
Fast forward to last month, and Microsoft announced a $399.99 Xbox One option that would be sold without a Kinect sensor.
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Scariest GoPro video yet shows gunpoint robbery, helps police catch bad guys
A GoPro user in South Africa recorded the scariest experience of his life using a wearable GoPro camcorder while biking through Somerset West in South Africa last week, and he posted the resulting video on YouTube. A man holding a gun helped by two others stopped Malcolm Fox on Saturday, asking for his belongings and bike, all the while ignoring the GoPro camera on his helmet that was recording the whole ordeal.
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The affordable robot assistant of the future is already here
SoftBank CEO and Sprint chairman Masayoshi Son has become something of a maverick. He said he bought Sprint because “I am a man, and every man wants to be number one, not number two or number three.” He also convinced Steve Jobs to give him exclusivity for the iPhone in Japan before Apple had even announced the device, and before Son had bought the mobile carrier SoftBank.
Now, he wants to sell you a $2,000 robot.
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