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How the PC industry killed the ultrabook

commentary Well, it was fun while it lasted.

The personal computer industry backed a promising candidate in the ultrabook concept, convincing even a skeptic like myself that a new class of superslim, superlight laptops was the key to exciting consumers. Ultrabooks were well on their way to becoming the PC form factor of the future.

And now, it's already over.

In record time -- something less than six months -- the ultrabook term has become so overused and amorphous that it's well on its way to being useless. … Read more

Microsoft, Nokia spending $24 million to educate developers

Microsoft and Nokia are looking to create a new generation of developers for their mobile platforms by pouring money into education.

The two mobile partners will each contribute 9 million euros ($12 million) to fund a new program on mobile app development at Finland's Aalto University. The training, dubbed AppCampus, will focus on Windows Phone but will also cover Nokia's Symbian and Series 40 platforms.

Set to launch this May, AppCampus will be geared toward students and entrepreneurs from around the world looking for an education in mobile technology, design, and funding with an eye toward building their … Read more

Samsung Series 9, 15-inch: Hands-on with the 13-incher's bigger brother

There's no doubt about it: Samsung's Series 9 has always been a hot-looking laptop. Thin and every bit as iconic as a MacBook Air, the 2011 Series 9 laid the groundwork for all the sleek and sexy ultrabooks we've seen so far and throughout January's CES.

We've peeked at the second-gen Series 9 13-incher a few months ago, but we also knew that a larger-screened version was on its way. I saw it at CES, and wondered how the concept of a thin ultrabook would work on a 15-inch scale. Well, it's here now at CNET, and before I dropped it off at the Labs for testing, I spent a little time with it up close.… Read more

Otterbox shipping Defender Series case for new iPad

Most people don't want a bulky case for their new iPad, but some folks are looking for some serious protection. While there are plenty of tough cases for the iPhone 4S, the selection is more limiting for the iPad, and Otterbox remains among the top choices in rugged iPad cases with its Defender Series case.

The company has made some tiny tweaks to the design of the Defender (the new case fits both the iPad 2 and iPad third-generation). You get three layers of protection, including a built-in screen cover, and the Defender's outer "shield stand" … Read more

Leaked ad outs Sony Vaio U hybrid tablet PC

A supposed tablet/laptop hybrid PC from Sony made an appearance today in a leaked ad that appears very authentic.

The computer, known as the Vaio U series, reminds us of the concept hybrid computer shown by the Japanese company at CES this year. The information comes to us via a leaked flyer, courtesy of PocketNow, that contains little information other than various low-resolution angles of the hybrid PC. That doesn't stop us from figuring out several possible details, though. … Read more

Sony warns of Walkman woes

Sony is warning consumers in Japan that a defect may cause their Walkman music player to malfunction.

According to the warning, the 2GB Sony NW-E052 Walkman can simply stop turning on or remain stuck at the boot screen. The company warns that other unrelated issues may cause similar errors but is confirming an issue within the integrated circuit for several large ranges of serial numbers: 7120001 to 7160000, 7190001 to 7210000, 7250001 to 7350000, and 8150001 to 8220000.

While this Walkman is limited to Japan, it is worth noting that Sony produced a very similar Walkman, the NWZ-E460 series, in … Read more

Intel 520 Series SSD review: SandForce on steroids, kinda

It wouldn't be a huge stretch to call the new Intel 520 Series solid-state drive (SSD) SandForce on steroids.

The new drive uses the popular SandForce SSD controller but now with a little tweak: Intel's special 400i firmware.

And that makes a big difference. The new drive offered great performance in my testing, faster than most all other SSDs I've seen that use the same controller.

However, that's not the most special thing about the drive. It's the first I've seen that comes in the new 7mm thickness, meaning that it will fit in … Read more

How to use the Chromebook photo editor

The Chromebook photo editor is not a Chrome app, as you might think. It's integrated into the file manager. To use it, launch the file manager by hitting Ctrl+M, then navigate to where your photo is located.

Once you click on the photo you want to edit, two options will appear in the lower right-hand corner--View and Edit and Delete. Click on View and Edit to launch the photo editor.

You can allow Chrome OS to autofix the image or crop it.

You can also change the brightness and contrast, or change the orientation of the image.

That'… Read more

Comedy series rumored to be in the works at Netflix

The next stab in the Netflix vs. HBO tit-for-tat rivalry was revealed today with rumors that Netflix is planning to produce a new comedy series, according to Bloomberg News.

The series, called "Orange is the New Black," would be 13 episodes and based on the diary of a communications executive who served time at a low-level women's prison on drug-related charges, according to Bloomberg News. Jenji Kohan, who made "Weeds," is said to be the show's creator.

Just last week, Netflix debuted a series similar to the "Sopranos" called "Lilyhammer." … Read more

Looks can be deceiving with the SteelSeries Simraceway SRW-S1 racing wheel

If you've ever compared a Formula 1 racer steering wheel with the one in your street car, you probably found yourself taken aback by the sheer number of buttons, knobs, and controls crammed onto the relatively small surface of the former.

That's exactly the feeling that I got when unboxing the SteelSeries SRW-S1 steering wheel for the Simraceway online racing game. Compared with, for example, the Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel, S1 (for short) more than doubles the number of buttons available to the player--an attribute that may be daunting to some novices and enticing to many hard-core gamers. However, despite my initial impressions, I'd learn during testing its control scheme (and lack of pedals) it is probably a better fit for casual players than its complex appearance belies. … Read more