blackberry

The 404 1,223: Where we wear Beats By Hey Keep That Racket Down (podcast)

- Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Cook reportedly discussed music-streaming service with Beats.

- Snoop Lion reverts to canine type in video game "Way of the Dogg."

- W controller for "Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style" ain't nothing to futz with.

- Guy with Netflix tattoo gets a free year of Netflix.

- Andrew WK is now the spokesperson for Playtex Fresh + Sexy wipes.

- Bathroom break video: "Iron Man 3" trailer, remade shot for shot.… Read more

BlackBerry Z10 makes passage to India, with $800 price tag

India is now the latest country to get BlackBerry's Z10 handset.

The company today announced that it has launched the smartphone in India for 43,490 rupees ($800). The device is already available in the U.K. and Canada.

According to BlackBerry, the handset will be offered in over 2,000 retail locations across 50 cities around India. The handset will support carriers running 3G or HSPA+ networks, and the handsets will fully support global roaming.

BlackBerry is taking its time offering its new line of handsets around the world: The U.S. is expected to get the Z10 … Read more

Prizefight: BlackBerry Z10 vs. Apple iPhone 5

BlackBerry still has its following of loyalists but their numbers have dwindled. Even enterprise customers have transitioned to the iPhone and Android phones, a place that used to be dominated by BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Z10 is the company's first all-touch-screen phone with a sleek design and a bigger, higher-resolution screen. Its new operating system is based purely on gestures without a physical button.

The iPhone 5 has continued to be a beast in the Prizefight ring. Even though the Samsung Galaxy S3 has surpassed the iPhone 5 in CNET editors' minds, we're facing the Z10 off against the … Read more

The 404 1,211: Where we're down with GDC (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- A what, where, and why primer on the Game Developer's Conference from guests Meggan Scavio and Simon Carless.

- The 15th annual Independent Games Festival opens its Audience Award voting window, now through March 1.

- Nominations open for 2013 Game Developers Choice Awards.

- Unity Engine coming to BlackBerry 10 smartphones, BlackBerry PlayBook.… Read more

BlackBerry Z10 camera versus iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3

BlackBerrys haven't always had the top cameras in the industry, but with the BlackBerry Z10's 8-megapixel camera, things are turning around.

In my tests so far, the Z10's shooter largely succeeds. Over the course of my testing period, I got some really nice outdoor shots, plus some crisp indoor photos of everything from food labels to receipts. Of course, not every indoor picture or portrait turned out great, but I found the images usable overall (check out my Z10 review for even more photos).

So let's see how it compares with two other high-quality smartphone cameras, … Read more

Microsoft's Surface Pro has room to grow

Wednesday's CNET Update wants the best of both worlds:

We're all hunting for the one device to rule them all: the perfect tablet-laptop hybrid. Microsoft's Surface Pro aims to do just that, but it's not quite a laptop-killer yet. Read CNET's full review here, and be sure to compare how the Pro measures up to the competition.

Also in today's tech news roundup:

- Rumor site SamMobile says the Galaxy S4 could be announced in March for an April release.

- BlackBerry's CEO says the Q10 may not hit the U.S. until May or June. … Read more

Early BlackBerry Z10 sales may not have been so hot after all

BlackBerry may not want to wave that victory flag just yet.

The early word is that sales of the new BlackBerry Z10 in the U.K. have been impressive, with some stores reporting sellouts. But Michael Walkley, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, said that initial sales may be more mixed than they first appeared.

"Limited initial supply was cited as the reason for early post-launch stock-outs at some carrier stores versus overwhelming demand," Walkley said in a research note issued today.

With the success or failure of the BlackBerry Z10 weighing heavily on the fate of the company, … Read more

Analysts cautiously optimistic about BlackBerry Z10 sales

BlackBerry (the company formerly known as Research In Motion) is reportedly seeing solid demand for its Z10 smartphone and analysts appear to be cautiously optimistic about sales.

Whether cautiously optimistic saves the company remains to be seen. Generally speaking, Wall Street analysts seem to be betting that sales of the Z10 will be strong enough to support an upgrade cycle for the installed base.

The themes so far boil down like this:

Z10 (review) is in the discussion with Samsung's Galaxy S III and Apple's iPhone 5 for now. There are sell-outs in the U.K.  Reps … Read more

That can't have been Blackberry's Super Bowl ad, can it?

Here's a few things I need to tell you about BlackBerry's Z10.

You cannot launch a Soyuz rocket from it. You cannot use it to make scrambled eggs with truffle oil. You cannot cut your hair with it.

You cannot milk a cow with it. Nor can you milk a rhinoceros with it.

You cannot use it to floss your teeth, steer your alpaca or clean your windows with it.

You cannot marry 12 wives, using it as your minister.

You cannot get it to construct a new mansion for you in the Turks and Caicos Islands. You … Read more