Articles by Peter Suciu

Microsoft has officially acknowledged that its new Xbox SmartGlass companion app will be available with the launch of the Windows 8 operating system later this week. The application will be a new addition to the Games section of Windows 8, and will also be supported on devices running Windows RT. The free-to-download app is designed not only for W...

Many people know it's a bad idea to open attachments in email received from strangers, but relatively few know they need to take the same precautions when clicking links on social media sites and even VoIP (Voice Over IP) service Skype. In recent weeks, cybercriminals have been targeting individuals through Skype, and the criminals have been picking up their game and increasingly utilizing so-called ransomware or scareware...

Google could be poised to roll out new Nexus tablet offerings at next Monday's press event in New York City. The search giant is also likely to introduce a new smartphone, the LG Nexus 4, powered by Android 4.2 The timing of the event is certainly interesting, as it comes later on the same day that Microsoft is holding a Windows Phone 8 event in S...

Google unveiled a new Samsung Chromebook on Thursday, available for pre-order at US$249. The new model is more streamlined and far cheaper than its predecessors ...

Twitter on Thursday blocked tweets from the accounts of a neo-Nazi group that is in violation of German law. The ban is effective only within Germany. This is the first time Twitter has acted on its "country withheld content" policy, which it first announced in January Twitter enacted the policy in an effort to balance freedom of expression with c...

The days of lugging books back and forth to school could soon be in the past, as Amazon on Wednesday announced a new initiative for schools and business customers that features a scalable online tool for deploying Kindle devices and Kindle content Whispercast for Kindle provides a single access point to easily purchase and distribute Kindle books a...

NASA and IHMC (Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition) have jointly developed a new robotic exoskeleton, dubbed the "XI," that could help astronauts in space stay in better physical shape, while also helping humans on Earth walk. The 57-pound wearable device is in essence a robot that fits over a human body to either assist or inhibit m...

Softbank has agreed to pay US$20.1 billion to acquire a 70 percent stake in Sprint Nextel, the companies announced Monday. The deal will be the largest outbound acquisition by a Japan-based company since at least 2000, assuming it goes through The move is seen as a way for Softbank to grow overseas as its local market declines, and it could help Sp...

With Microsoft's next-generation Windows 8 operating system set to launch later this month, Dell on Friday announced new computers that will support it: the Dell XPS 12 convertible laptop, the Dell XPS One 27 all-in-one desktop, and the Dell Inspiron One 23 all-in-one. Dell also announced an updated version of its XPS 13 laptop All are now availabl...

Sprint Nextel confirmed on Thursday that it was in talks with Softbank of Japan, giving credence to rumors circulating in the press. The deal would likely give Sprint a boost and help the struggling company finance its ongoing turnaround efforts. Sprint is currently the third largest mobile carrier in the U.S. after AT&T and Verizon Softbank may ta...

While they actually appeared on store shelves weeks ago, the Slingbox 350 and Slingbox 500 officially launched on Wednesday. These devices are the latest in Sling Media's revolutionary line of set-top boxes that allow users to connect their TV source to the Internet, and enable remote streaming to a computer, tablet or smartphone The new units wil...

The long-lived and usually reliable mouse could soon be put out to pasture, as Microsoft unveiled this week a new hand-gesture sensor that could allow users to point with their fingers rather than a cursor. The new Digits prototype is part of an effort to create a mobile device that could transform interaction with a computer interface This wrist-...

Lark on Monday introduced its new Larklife wristband, which is designed to track not only the number of steps taken or calories burned, but also food consumed and even hours of sleep The principle behind the device is that getting in shape and staying fit isn't just about the time spent working out -- it's what you do the rest of the day as well. W...

It isn't too hard to see what Facebook users Like, but on Thursday reports surfaced online about something few if any users would find likeable. It appears that sending links via private messages through the social network results in extra Likes for the link targets -- never mind that the link you're sharing may concern something you abhor. Call it a case of Like fraud.

Research In Motion looked to turn the page with its PlayBook tablet on Wednesday with the release of the 2.1 update, which added features many users had hoped to see sooner They include email and PIM enhancements, along with improved Android application support, as well as print via WiFi networks, text messaging with BlackBerry Bridge, and portrait...

The California federal judge who issued a preliminary injunction in June against U.S. sales of a Samsung Galaxy tablet has lifted the ban. Judge Lucy Koh had originally found the Galaxy Tab 10.1 likely violated a tablet design patent held by Apple, but a jury found in August that it did not. Apple was the overall winner in that particular patent ...

Since the arrival of Apple's iPad, tablet computers have primarily remained consumption devices targeting consumers. However, at Thursday's formal launch of its new Atom processor, formerly known by the code name "Clover Trail," Intel showed off eight new devices geared for the enterprise. The tablets, from partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and ZTE, are powered by the Atom Z2760 chip and feature the Windows 8 operating system...

The European Commission will charge Microsoft for failing to comply with a 2009 ruling that had ordered the software giant to provide users in the European Union with a choice of Web browsers, the EU's antitrust chief said Thursday. The EC will likely levy a hefty fine on the company This is just the latest round in a battle that has been waged bet...

The revolving door at Yahoo continued to turn on Tuesday as the CEO Marissa Mayer announced bold new plans that included bringing in a new CFO, Ken Goldman Mayer is the latest in a string of chiefs to take turns at the company's helm. Yahoo has had three CEOs and two interim CEOs in just a little more than a year, following the firing of Carol Bart...

Facebook came under fire again on Monday as a privacy advocate called for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the social network's relationship with data marketer Datalogix. This wasn't just another instance of what have become typical privacy concerns with Facebook The latest call came from the Electronic Privacy Information Center and cou...