Business

Recently, Apple announced it would revamp its popular MacBook Pro line of laptop computers. Now, a new report suggests the Cupertino-based company will provide similar updates and upgrades for all of its major products, including the MacBook Air, ... iPad tablet computer, and iPhone, in 2012. The new MacBook Pro has much-improved hardware, including faster processors and larger hard drives. Luckily for Apple fans, the new MacBook Pro's price point hasn't changed, even though the new hardware upgrades offer considerably better performance than before. iPad Updates, iPad 3 Expected by Late 2012 ... (view more)

Few books in recent years have received the kind of attention given Steve Jobs' newly released biography. One of the more interesting sections in that bio focuses on Jobs' relationship with former Microsoft chief executive officer Bill Gates. In a ... recent interview, Gates discussed (and mostly dismissed) Jobs' criticisms of him. This past weekend Gates appeared on the ABC program "This Week with Christiane Amanpour," where the host asked Gates questions on a number of different topics, ranging from his recent philanthropic pursuits to the state of the American economy and finally his ... (view more)

Google is now taking its popular (though sometimes controversial) Google Maps Street View off the sidewalk and right into the brick-and-mortar of prominent businesses. Right now, a number of establishments have allowed the search giant to post ... pictures of their business environment on the web. Google Maps Street View is a handy little search tool that extends the basic Google Maps experience. It allows users to see the actual location from the street. It's extremely useful when you're unfamiliar with an area and need to know exactly what the destination looks like from a street level. Privacy ... (view more)

We've heard a lot in recent weeks about attempts by Acer and Asus to overcome Apple's dominance of the high-speed, extreme-portability niche computer market with the release of their 'Ultrabooks' . Only time will tell if these slick and slim new PCs ... can take down the MacBook Air, but in the meantime Apple is boosting the power of its MacBook Pro line of not-so-portable but exceptionally powerful computers. This is the first update that the MacBook Pro has received from Apple since early this year, when the company introduced Intel's Sandy Bridge processor architecture. Hardware Specs Up, ... (view more)

A new rumor making its way through the Internet's tubes suggests that we might actually see a commercial release for Windows 8, Microsoft's next operating system (OS), as early as next August. What's even more surprising is that Microsoft is said to ... have a Windows 9 release for late 2014. The rumor comes to us in the form of a leaked roadmap available through the minimalist tech blog "MS Nerd." The roadmap reveals Microsoft's tentative plans for future releases and, as usual, the greatest interest has been drawn to the company's popular operating systems. The roadmap shows a Windows ... (view more)

A Lithuanian software company has created a new Kinect-based, motion-activated user interface that lets people manipulate and manage their bank accounts with a flick of the wrist. Microsoft released its Kinect software developer kit free for ... download last June, allowing developers to create Windows-based applications that can interact with Kinect hardware. Since the kit release, literally thousands of applications have popped up, taking advantage of the Kinect camera- and microphone-based input. Banking does have to be among the most surprising applications, however. A New Spin on "Casual ... (view more)

According to a new study, older people are able to read text off the iPad much faster than if they were using a "real" book. In fact, the iPad proved easier for reading than even e-readers like the Kindle. The study was performed by a research team ... from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, in Germany. "E-books and e-readers are playing an increasingly important role on the worldwide book market," the researchers said in their report. "However, readers can be particularly skeptical when it comes to e-books and electronic reading devices. The objective of the study was to investigate ... (view more)

Microsoft is proposing a new patent that would see its Xbox 360 peripheral, the Kinect, take on the role of a virtual babysitter. It works by automatically restricting a child's access to certain television shows or video games that carry a mature ... content rating. Through the use of its 3D depth camera, the Kinect would be able to measure the bodily proportions of a user and detect whether or not a child is in the room. The entire concept is based on parental control and would be treated as a manageable feature. The system could also be further tweaked to specify certain restrictions and ... (view more)

Apple has announced it sold more than four million iPhone 4S handsets in the first three days after its launch. However, legal action could put a halt to sales in Japan and Australia. Apple iPhone 4s: Fastest Selling iPhone to Date According to ... reports, Apple racked up the four million sales this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, making this the fastest-selling iPhone model. While it won't keep that pace up as the initial rush winds down, there's still a good chance it could set a world record. Guiness World of Records is monitoring sales across the next two to three months, paying particular ... (view more)

With the iPhone 4S pre-ordering like hot cakes, it appears the value of Apple's regular, old iPhone 4 is plummeting in value. According to recent reports, the resale price of a standard iPhone 4 is being reduced virtually every day. Word of the ... value reduction comes from NextWorth, which reported to MSNBC that up until the announcement of the iPhone 4S one could get $250 for a 16GB iPhone 4 in average condition. Now, one would be lucky to get $200 flat for that same phone, or $215 for the larger 32GB version of the device. Most iPhone 4's Available for $200 Similar values are being reported ... (view more)