tablet

I suppose it's still a fair assumption that more people listen to music than movies with headphones, but there has to be a growing audience listening to movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos via their headphones. Thanks to the booming popularity of tablets, might the ratio of movies-to-music listening time be moving away from music? Or not?

I watch a lot of movies at home with headphones on. They present a level of detail that you can get from speakers only when you play them really loud. With headphones, I don't have to crank the volume. They're … Read more

I like digital photo frames. I think the reason most people don't is that it was always a hassle to add new pictures. The Kodak Pulse solved that problem nicely, as it could receive photos via e-mail and pull them directly from your Facebook account -- but, alas, it's a discontinued product.

But here's a thought: Why not turn a tablet into a photo frame? It's got a great screen (and a touch screen at that), access to the Internet, and a slim, countertop-friendly design. All you need is the right app.

The Google Play Store … Read more

With the release of the Windows 8 Surface Pro, Microsoft has reclaimed some of the good will it lost with the Surface RT. Unlike the earlier Surface product, the Pro features the full version of Windows 8, uses a powerful Intel Core i5 CPU, and can install and run just about any software app that a standard laptop or desktop PC can.

But while it's probably the single best example of a Windows tablet we've seen to date, it's far from perfect. The modest battery life, high price, and lack of features all mean the Surface Pro … Read more

So here's something I didn't know: When Motorola released the inevitable successor to its popular Xoom tablet, it was called the Xoom 2 -- in Europe. Here in the U.S., Motorola decided to call it the Droid Xyboard.

Droid Xyboard. I'll let that sink in for a moment. That may not rank among the dumbest tech-product names of all time, but it's up there.

How about we just agree to call it the Xoom 2 and get on with our lives, 'kay? Good. Today only, and while supplies last, Daily Steals has the refurbished Motorola Xoom 2 + 4G LTE tablet for $219 shipped. … Read more

On the cusp of hitting the market last fall, the Wikipad Android gaming tablet hit a snag. Citing "a last-minute opportunity to enhance the Wikipad bundle as well as a minor refinement needed to ensure our first customers are completely satisfied," Wikipad Inc. delayed the release a month before the tablet's scheduled launch date.

Just over four months later, the company is once again preparing to release the Wikipad. And since we saw it last, the tablet has undergone a fairly major design tweak, going from a 10-inch screen to a 7-inch version. The smaller screen also … Read more

Sprint Nextel won't be abandoning its unlimited data plan or current pricing structure any time soon.

The company isn't considering any changes to its current offering, CEO Dan Hesse said during a conference call with investors today.

"We always reserve the right to make changes, but we are not anticipating any," Hesse said.

Over the past few years, Sprint has stuck to the unlimited smartphone data plan even as larger rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless moved to plans with limits and family-style data bundles. Hesse considers the unlimited offering to be Sprint'… Read more

People looking to buy Lenovo's Helix laptop may not have to wait that long after all.

The convertible Windows 8 laptop will begin shipping in early March, a Lenovo spokesman told CNET today, though he couldn't say exactly when it will hit retail stores. The Helix will be sold worldwide, but availability will vary by country.

This bit of news follows a Facebook post on Monday from a Lenovo representative saying that the Helix would be delayed until March or April. The rep added that more details would be announced soon.

Demoed at CES last month, the Helix … Read more

By some standards, the Microsoft Surface Pro is the best-ever hybrid of tablet and laptop, combining a full windows 8 OS with an Intel Core i5 CPU, and a best-in-class detachable keyboard cover.

But, at over $1,100 if you include a 128GB SSD and the keyboard, it's also very expensive, especially if a slim Windows 8 touch-screen ultrabook, Atom-powered tablet, or something non-Windows-based would work for your needs.

The following is a quick survey of the major alternatives to the Surface Pro, from other Core i5 tablets to Apple's new 128GB iPad.

Windows 8/Core i5 tablets (Example: Acer Iconia W700) … Read more

Ultrabook sales sent NAND flash memory revenue down in 2012, new data from IHS iSuppli has revealed.

The company said today that revenue fell 7 percent in 2012 to $19.7 billion from $21.2 billion in 2011. Ultrabooks proved to be the culprit for the decline, according to the research firm.

"A major drag on the NAND industry was the disappointing sales of Ultrabooks, negatively impacting the flash memory prospects of cache solid state drives (SSD) used in the superthin computers," iSuppli wrote today in its research posting. "While Ultrabooks have had some success penetrating into … Read more