When Apple released iOS 7 in June, the company incorporated a proximity-based service called iBeacon that is now being used in retail stores. Mobile retail app developer Shopkick recently announced a service called ShopBeacon that uses iBeacon technology to track customers when they enter and move around the store, and allows the business itself to interact with the customers as they shop. ShopBeacon’s first official trial partner is Macy’s. Continue reading Macy’s is First Major Retailer to Use Apple’s iBeacon Tech

The world’s most powerful smartwatch will soon be released, and it wasn’t created by Apple or Google, but a 19-year-old college dropout. The Kickstarter-funded product, named Neptune Pine, will be able to ship as soon as it has FCC approval and the Kickstarter funds are delivered for mass production. The project’s video depicts a working prototype with a 2.6-inch frame, front- and rear-facing cameras, and Web browsing, among countless other features. Continue reading Neptune Pine Smartwatch is Just as Capable as a Smartphone

Nokia will offer its first Windows-based tablet, the Lumia 2520, for as little as $199 through AT&T in the U.S. starting November 22. Verizon also plans to carry the new tablet, but has yet to announce a launch date. The tablet is equipped with a 10.1-inch HD screen and LTE technology. Nokia opted for Windows RT rather than the full version of Windows 8.1 to boost battery life and keep the device thinner. So far, however, Windows RT tablets have been a tough sell for some companies. Continue reading Nokia to Release its First Windows-Based Tablet This Week

Google is opening temporary showrooms in six U.S. cities to display and promote its latest gadgets. Consumers can visit the holiday-themed pop-up stores, dubbed “Winter Wonderlabs,” to check out devices such as the Nexus 7 tablet, Google’s Chromebook laptops and the digital TV receiver Chromecast. The Winter Wonderlab in Canoga Park opened over the weekend. Additional locations include Chicago, New York City, Sacramento, Washington DC, and Paramus, NJ. Continue reading Wonderlabs: Google Promotes Devices in Pop-Up Showrooms

Sony sold more than one million units of the new PlayStation 4 on the first day of the highly anticipated video game console’s availability. Fans lined up outside retailers such as GameStop Friday evening, while Best Buy and Amazon reported on their websites that initial inventory had sold out. Some stores had only enough supplies to fill pre-orders, which left a number of consumers empty-handed. Sony projects it will sell five million units by March. Continue reading Sony Sells One Million PlayStation 4 Consoles on First Day

The FCC released a free app for Android users that allows users to test their mobile broadband performance and speed. Early next year, the Commission will also release interactive maps that will allow consumers to get detailed information of network speeds from different mobile providers across the country. It’s the first tool that will give consumers the power to accurately assess which providers give the best coverage in their area. Continue reading FCC Releases Free App for Testing Mobile Broadband Speed

Researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Tokyo, and Microsoft Research have developed a technique in which cheap, functional electric circuits can be printed using only $300 of material and equipment. This technique uses silver nanoparticle ink instead of utilizing sintering. The researchers were able to print a circuit in roughly 60 seconds onto almost any material that can go through a printer, though some materials worked better than others. Continue reading Researchers Print Micro Circuits with Cheap Ink-Jet Printers

IDC reports that the first time, Android has reached more than 80 percent market share for global smartphone shipments. Third-quarter numbers indicate that 261.1 million smartphones were shipped worldwide, of which 81 percent run Google’s operating system. A Strategy Analytics study released last month revealed similar findings. Samsung currently holds the lead for phones running Android. Additionally, Windows Phone shipments jumped 156 percent year-over-year. Continue reading Worldwide Growth for Android and Windows Phone Shipments

Just when it looked like Samsung was taking over Android, Google swooped in with a new in-app search function, as well as app content in mobile search results, for Android users. In the next few days or so, the features will be available not only for phones using the recently released Android 4.4, or Kit Kat, but also for older Android models within Google’s Search app. Google partnered up with Expedia, Trulia, Etsy and about nine other apps for the launch. Continue reading Google Launches In-App Search, Retains Control of Android

The Panono Camera offers a compelling solution for recording panoramic shots. The device is a ball with 36 embedded cameras that can be tossed into the air to capture 360-degree photos. Images are beamed wirelessly to a mobile device, and then stitched together in Panono’s cloud service. Creator Jonas Pfeil developed the prototype, which was roughly the size of a cantaloupe. Now he and the Panono co-founders plan to release a grapefruit-sized version in 2014 for $599. Continue reading Panono Camera Can Be Thrown into Air for Panoramic Shots

In its effort to get apps, games and entire desktops running on the cloud, Amazon is launching two new Web services. The first, AppStream, enables developers to run and render an application in Amazon’s cloud. It can then be distributed to users on a variety of platforms. The second, WorkSpaces, will allow virtual desktops to be managed through Amazon’s cloud, a solution that Amazon claims would run for less than half the cost of a company maintaining its own virtualization servers. Continue reading Amazon Unveils New Web Services to Stream From the Cloud

Netflix has launched a visually richer interface with rotating images for subscribers who access the streaming service via television. The new interface is designed to improve discovery and playback, in an effort to increase the amount of time subscribers watch Netflix content on their TVs. Three automatically rotating images will appear for each selected title, featuring a short synopsis for each TV show or movie, and easy access to recommendation tools. Continue reading New Netflix Interface Improves Video Discovery and Playback

YouTube Capture is an easy-to-use app that allows smartphone and tablet owners to record videos of any length that can then be edited and shared. Google updated YouTube Capture for iOS this week with new editing features geared toward those who want to take their creativity beyond simple Vine and Instagram options. With the update, users can easily record video footage, edit, rearrange multiple clips and add music to create a single video. Continue reading YouTube Capture for iOS Update Includes Splicing and Music

High-end camera sales have taken a dive this year, as the popularity of smartphones with powerful built-in cameras and related apps rises. Research firm IDC predicts shipments of digital single-lens reflex, or DSLR, cameras will decrease by more than 9 percent from last year. The two biggest camera manufacturers, Canon and Nikon, have even lowered their expected sales numbers, raising questions about whether consumers’ tastes are changing in an era of mobile devices. Continue reading DSLR Sales Impacted By Ease and Quality of Phone Cameras

A common discussion about wearable technology is whether consumers will actually want to wear products like Google Glass. A survey among consumers commissioned by technology writer Jessica Lessin indicates that more people believe they might be more likely to own Apple’s smartwatch than they would Google Glass. A large number of respondents, however, also indicated they didn’t think they were likely to own either. Continue reading Survey Suggests Consumers Prefer Smartwatches Over Glass