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Steve Jobs: 7-inch tablets 'DOA' -- yeah, right

Steve Jobs' slander of the 7-inch tablet was, in effect, a nice bait-and-switch. One problem: rivals didn't take the bait.

Too much ink (yeah, me too) has been wasted on Job's proclamation against the viability of a 7-inch tablet (See Jobs' October 2010 comments below).

But that was hardly an absolute repudiation of a smaller tablet. Jobs' extemporaneous analysis of 7-inch tablets was merely a snapshot of what he was thinking on that day. Or maybe that month, at best -- as internal Apple e-mails now show.

Amazon, Samsung, and now Google have successfully ignored his sandpaper analogy (&… Read more

Best iPad 3 cases and covers

The new iPad -- or the iPad 3, as I incorrectly like to call it -- has been out for a while, but the new cases keep on coming.

If you've already seen an older version of this list, I apologize, but the good news is that it's been updated.

As most people know, Apple barely changed the design of the third-generation iPad and a lot of existing iPad 2 cases fit the iPad 3. While a few of those iPad 2 models are represented in this round of top cases and covers, I did my best to include plenty of new models, as many accessory makers have refreshed their lines in the last few months. … Read more

Rumor Has It: iPhone 5 isn't the only trick up Apple's sleeve

On this week's show, we discuss the latest iPhone 5 release date rumors, Samsung's possible Retina Display, and an alleged new tablet from Sony, and we wonder if Apple is really interested in buying a stake in Twitter.

The New York Times came out with a report over the weekend describing talks between Apple and the 140-character proselytizer. The report alleged that Apple has considered buying a minority stake in Twitter, a company that hasn't yet filed an IPO. The Wall Street Journal chimed in to say the talks were more than a year ago, and its … Read more

Samsung 11.8-inch tablet revealed in court documents

Dozens of Apple and Samsung products are being leaked to the public in the blockbuster patent trial that got started in San Jose, Calif., today. The latest of these leaks comes from court documents that show Samsung might be working on an 11.8-inch tablet with "Retina Display," according to The Verge.

Codenamed "P10," this tablet would reportedly have LTE connectivity, 2,560x1,600-pixel resolution, and a pixel density of 256 ppi, according to The Verge. This is much bigger than the iPad tablet, which currently features a 9.5-inch screen, 2,048x1,536-pixel resolution, and … Read more

NBC's tape delays and Twitter don't mix

No tape delay for Monday's top tech headlines:

This year's NBC broadcast of the Olympics may offer the best streaming technology yet for watching the games online, but NBC has come under fire from critics for not being good enough in today's instant-news world.

For for the first time, every event is streamed live online (but without full commentary). You'll need to prove you pay for a cable television package to watch the games as they happen, and some have said loading the streams on mobile devices can be problematic at times.

The gold for networks … Read more

Apple reportedly to unveil iPhone 5, iPad Mini on Sept. 12

Apple consumers could perhaps see the debut of both the new iPhone and an iPad Mini come September.

Citing "sources who have proven accurate in the past," blog site iMore says that Apple will announce the two devices at a special event on Wednesday, September 12. The iPhone 5 itself would then go on sale 9 days later on Friday, September 21.

This latest report follows a tidbit last week from French site App4Phone.fr (English translation), which pointed to a September 21 release date based on intel from Chinese manufacturing sources. The spacing itself jibes with last … Read more

Early iPhone, iPad designs revealed in court filing

Ever wondered what the thought process must have been like for Apple's designers in coming up with the early iterations of the iPhone and iPad? Or if there were any crazy versions that never made it to the shelf?

Now, thanks to the Apple vs. Samsung patent court case, you can take a look at some of the early sketches and prototypes of these devices by way of public court documents.

According to Ina Fried at All Things D, Apple filed several documents Saturday that include dozens of hand-drawn and computer-generated sketches of early iPhone and iPad designs, along … Read more

Foxconn slated to open up shop in Indonesia

Indonesia is the next country on Foxconn's list to get a tech-manufacturing factory. According to The Next Web, the company has confirmed it will invest at least $1 billion in opening a factory on the island nation and it could invest up to $9 billion more.

Foxconn is one of Apple's primary manufacturers and has plants in China and Brazil where it makes iPhone smartphones and iPad tablets. According to The Next Web, Indonesia's government is hoping that Foxconn's proposed factory will spur more tech companies to build factories there creating a Southeast Asian tech hub.… Read more

Back to school tech gifts (2012)

Subscribe: RSS (SD) RSS (HD) iTunes (SD) iTunes (HD) When I think about college, all the fun memories come to mind -- the kind of fun that makes me grateful Facebook didn't exist back then.

But time has a way of helping you forget what a traumatic, mind-bending hell college really is. And if your kid or someone you know is heading back to school soon, there's a good chance that he or she is justifiably freaking out right now.

That kid needs your help, and we're here to help you. CNET has published its annual back to school tech guide, … Read more

CNET tablet battery life results

Editor's note:This list was originally posted on July 25 and is updated regularly.

Battery life testing is one of the last evaluations we subject tablets to at CNET Labs, but by no means is it the least valued. How long you can use your tablet is nearly as important as what it is you do while using it.

Our CNET labs testing standards ensure that all tablets, regardless of size, color, or operating system, are tested as close to equally as possible. Details on how we test tablets are included below the testing results chart. We've also … Read more