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With Google's I/O developer conference just a week away, all eyes are on the company's plans for the next version of Android.

For much of the last year we expected to see Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. After all, leaked slides from a January Qualcomm presentation showed a midyear debut for this next build, but they were immediately pulled from the Web site.

But now, recent rumors suggest that we might actually see the debut of 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of Android 5.0. Details found in various server logs show that a JWR23B build … Read more

At long last, Nokia Lumia 900 owners will receive an update that can make its interface look like modern Windows Phone 8 handsets -- cosmetically, anyhow.

Although the Lumia 900 and other Windows phones of its generation hit something of a dead end in software development, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.8 update gives them the appearance, at least, of being Windows 8 phones.

OS 7.8 installs resizable widgets that let you cram or expand more-dynamic live tiles onto the home screen at will. You'll also find an expanded color palette at your disposal, and the ability to … Read more

Apple's next mobile operating system is showing up increasingly in Web traffic logs ahead of its public debut.

That's according to Onswipe, a startup that makes Web sites more touch-friendly for tablets and smartphones. The company tells TechCrunch the testers running the yet-to-be-released version of the software made up nearly a quarter of people visiting sites that used Onswipe's technology last week.

In a follow-up report, Macrumors says it too has noticed a bump in devices running iOS 7 that are visiting its site.

It's not unusual for future versions of Apple's software to get … Read more

In this week's episode of Hooked Up, Kevin Frazier hangs out with Grammy Award winner and multi-Platinum recording artist Nelly. He talks about all the tech he can't live without, and how he co-founded Vatterott College in St. Louis and the Extreme Institute to teach students skills for making music.

Nelly also talks about his MacBook Pro, Canon EOS 7D that he uses for shooting videos, and the Monster Diamond Tears headphones that surprised him with their sound.

I'll break down the best dSLR cameras for shooting video with Kevin that broadcast professionals are using today. And … Read more

A Japan-based report indicates that production of at least one key component for the next iPhone will begin next month.

Sharp will begin volume production in June of the display "panel" for the "next" iPhone model at its Kameyama plant in Mie prefecture, according to a report in Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a major Japanese industrial newspaper.

Sharp's Kameyama plant has not been operating at anywhere near full capacity but production of the next iPhone's display is expected to bring the plant to "full production," the report said.

The specifications for next iPhone … Read more

Experts recommend that those who use computers for long time periods need to take frequent breaks to prevent health issues from arising. Dejal Time Out for Mac allows users to track when these breaks should occur and has a number of useful options for the task.

Both download and installation of Dejal Time Out for Mac completed quickly, despite the lack of a native installer. There were no user instructions or tutorials available, which was a disappointment since some of the options required trial and error to figure out. Technical support did not appear to be present either. The actual … Read more

Looking for a compact and powerful Web browser designed for all your multitasking needs? Roccat for Mac offers many options, customizable features, and overall good performance. However, while this browser makes surfing the Web fun and easy, it could use a makeover.

Once the application has downloaded, you are immediately ready to start browsing. With a simple interface that resembles Safari, Roccat for Mac is a basic browser ideal for multi-tab browsing. Users have the option of importing bookmarks and settings from other browsers, too. The toolbar is elementary and is equipped with a URL shortener. A neat feature to … Read more

Pop-up advertising impacts most users' Web browsing experience. GlimmerBlocker for Mac blocks most advertisements adequately, all while stopping the need for reinstallation after browser updates.

Download of GlimmerBlocker for Mac completed quickly and the program installed as a separate application modified from the main computer preferences menu. Unlike other third-party ad blocking applications, this program is outside of the Web browser, itself, which prevents it from being deleted or modified when the browser updates. The application has no menu of its own during operations and works in the background to prevent animated ads from playing. Support for product updates is … Read more

Apple is good at addressing design oversights. Will Microsoft be as adept?

The Retina iPad, for example, violated Apple's design creed: products should get thinner and lighter -- aka, cooler. Not thicker and heavier.

But Apple fixed this quickly (six month later) with the iPad Mini trifecta: thinner, lighter, cheaper. And the iPad, reinvented as the Mini, has been a runaway success.

Now that Microsoft is in the business of making tablets, can it act fast when it commits product-design sins?

Surface is not a success -- yet. The Surface Pro is too big and heavy (and expensive), according … Read more