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Netflix, DreamWorks team up on original series for kids

With "House of Cards" now officially a smashing success for Netflix, it's no surprise the company is looking to expand its programming.

The company announced today that it has teamed up with DreamWorks Animation to launch another original series on its streaming service. The show, "Turbo: F.A.S.T." will debut in December and is a spin-off of "Turbo," the DreamWorks Animation film premiering in theaters July 19.

Netflix's first original series, "House of Cards," starring Kevin Spacey, has been critically acclaimed for its depiction of U.S. politics. … Read more

Apple CEO: We've looked at a few big companies to buy

Apple had considered a few blockbuster acquisitions in the past, but ultimately stuck with smaller deals.

That's according to CEO Tim Cook, speaking at an investor conference hosted by Goldman Sachs this morning. He said that Apple at points had looked at buying large companies, but in each case, they failed to pass muster.

"It didn't pass our test for various reasons, and we've looked at more than one," Cook said. "Would we look again? I'm sure we will."

Apple's decision to stay away from bigger deals has helped it avoid … Read more

Rarefied Retina MacBook Pros get priced closer to earth

MacBook Pros equipped with a Retina display are not exactly priced to move. Best Buy and Amazon are trying to change that.

Best Buy, for example, is now selling the 128GB version (model MC975LL/A) of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro Retina for $1,549.99, $150 off the regular $1,699.99 price.

Need 256GB of solid-state storage with that gorgeous Retina screen? That model (MD213LL/A) is now $1,799.99, $200 off the regular price of $1,999.99.

The pricier 15.4-inch models with 256GB and 512GB solid-state drives (MC975LL/A and MC976LL/A, respectively), also … Read more

AT&T's look outside the U.S. may include more than M&A

AT&T is considering ways to expand abroad besides just making acquisitions, the wireless carrier's chief executive said today.

Randall Stephenson, speaking during a conference call with analysts following AT&T's quarterly earnings report, said the shift to mobile in the U.S. over the past five years has been "impressive," and said those changes are likely to take place across the world. AT&T just needs to figure out how to take advantage of them.

"We have to ask if there are opportunities to participate in growth outside the U.S.,&… Read more

AT&T picks up Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 tablet

The Lenovo Idea Tab A2107 is now available for purchase through AT&T for $99 with a two-year contract or $199.99 without a commitment.

The 7-inch tablet runs Android 4.0, has a 1,024x600 pixel resolution, 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, and 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 SC CPU. The Idea Tab A2107 also has a microUSB port, a VGA front-facing camera, and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera.

The AT&T version of the tablet operates on 3G or Wi-Fi, but Lenovo also offers a Wi-Fi-only model. The Wi-Fi-only option, now available in stores, differs in … Read more

AT&T eyes international expansion for growth

AT&T is interested in buying a European carrier for growth, according to the Wall Street Journal.

With the U.S. market about to get more competitive, AT&T is looking at markets in Europe where it can upgrade technology and roll out new services and pricing strategies, the Wall Street Journal said, citing unnamed sources. It reported that AT&T is studying potential acquisitions, and could strike a deal by the end of the year. In particular, AT&T is looking at the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands.

While the U.S. carriers have … Read more

SurfCast and Microsoft prep for September 3 'live tile' trial

Later this year, a handful of bankers and former IBM executives from tiny SurfCast could square off against Microsoft in the U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine, in a patent dispute where potentially hundreds of millions of dollars would be at stake.

On October 30, 2012, SurfCast filed a complaint alleging that Microsoft's use of dynamically updating "live" tiles in its Windows 8 user interface infringes on SurfCast's U.S. patent. Since the filing of the suit, the two parties have been in discovery in anticipation of a September 3, 2013, trial date. 

The … Read more

A Kickstarter project promises crystal-clear-sounding speakers

Tech startup Coleridge Design Associates is trying to raise $45,000 on Kickstarter to manufacture a sleek-looking and transparent-sounding desktop speaker system, the aCube BMR. I've covered Kickstarter projects before, but this time I had a chance to listen to the product, and the sound definitely piqued my interest.

The aCube uses an advanced 4.5-inch BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) driver mounted in handmade clear-cast acrylic 6.5-inch cube enclosures. The $180 speaker houses a stereo 20-watt Class-D amplifier, but if you want stereo sound, you have to buy a second speaker (without the amp) for $120. Optional at … Read more

Sony XBR-X900 series: 4K gets smaller, cheaper

LAS VEGAS--4K isn't just for wall-size, five-figure TVs anymore.

Sony is among the first major TV makers to announce it will sell 4K, aka Ultra High Definition (UHD), televisions in sizes less than 84 inches. The XBR-X900 series, which currently counts a $25,000 84-incher as its sole member, now includes 65-inch and 55-inch sizes, which will sell for $4,999 and $6,999 respectively. They'll be available beginning April 21.

UHD/4K in this TV's (and most other's) case means a pixel count of 3,840x2,160 -- four times as many pixels as today'… Read more