Huawei challenges Android with a backup plan

Amir Efrati on The Information: And to hedge its bets against Google’s control of Android, Huawei is also secretly developing an alternative mobile operating system, according to three people briefed about the project. Android forks do exist, but not all companies can offer a compelling alternative. The problem lies in Android Apps and Services: although

Continue Reading

Amazon Kindle (2016) seems cheaper than Paperwhite but it’s not

The new Amazon Kindle (2016) is thinner, lighter, has ads -with Amazon’s “Special Offers” and most interesting, has Bluetooth audio support (for blind readers). But it doesn’t have physical page flipping buttons, and resolution is still its weak point against its eldest brother, the Kindle Paperwhite. This e-book reader is pretty much invincible if you want

Continue Reading

Microsoft Edge efficiency isn’t (that) important: usability and options are

Microsoft has published a recent study about its browser capabilities and its power efficiency. The numbers don’t lie: if you want to maximize your battery life, you should use Microsoft Edge and forget Chrome, Firefox and Opera. The results speak for themselves: Microsoft Edge outlasts the rest, delivering 17%-70% more battery life than the competition.

Continue Reading

The 3.5 mm unnecessary goodbye

I’m sure you’ve already heard that the new Moto Z has no headphone jack. The well-known 3.5-mm minijack has said goodbye in this device that detonated back the debate about that future in which both Lightning -for iPhone users- and USB-C -in other platforms- will be the ports we’ll connect our headphones to. This is not

Continue Reading

4 questions about the troubling app subscription model

The news coming about the new App Store subscription model -that, by the way, will be applied to Google Play as well– are really interesting, but I find them troubling. There is certainly content on which subscriptions make sense, but I’m not really sure apps and games can really benefit from this model. The questions arepretty obvious: Developers won’t probably

Continue Reading

The Xbox One will focus on games, and that’s a good thing

When Microsoft launched the Xbox One it made it in two different keynotes: one devoted to TV and video content, and the second one devoted to games. This console was meant to conquer our sitting room and be our entertainment hub, but users spoke: they just wanted games, and that’s what ultimately made the PS4

Continue Reading

Voice assistants’ worst enemy? Our embarrassment

Today Cortana arrives on Xbox One (for preview members) and I suspect it’s use will be pretty common among their users for two reasons: Many of them were already using Kinects to shout some voice commands, and now that interaction will grow between them, but even more importantly,  They will be able to use the feature

Continue Reading

Microsoft’s ‘mixed reality’ sounds like a confusing plan B

Terry Myerson at Computex 2016: Today, we announced that Windows Holographic is coming to devices of all shapes and sizes from fully immersive virtual reality to fully untethered holographic computing. Today we invited our OEM, ODM, and hardware partners to build PCs, displays, accessories and mixed reality devices with the Windows Holographic platform. It’s good

Continue Reading