consumer

Windows 8 set for 4th quarter? Fujitsu thinks so

Windows 8 will hit the market in the fourth quarter, according to a Fujitsu product road map.

Touting its upcoming notebooks and tablets in a press conference yesterday, the company displayed one slide that showed a Win8 launch destined for "Q4 2012." Revealed by Italian blogging site NetbookItalia (English translation), the slide also showed a tablet with a Metro user interface, suggesting that Fujitsu is prepping a Windows 8 tablet for the same time frame.

In fact, as some reports have pointed out, the slide may actually be referring specifically to the debut of the Fujitsu tablet, meaning … Read more

Windows 8 bundled Metro apps revealed

The next beta of Windows 8 will apparently give us a healthy dose of Metro apps, whether we want them or not.

Microsoft plans to release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview--basically, a pre-release version of the new OS available to anyone who wants to download it--on February 29. Microsoft is reportedly finalizing the Metro apps that will be bundled with the new OS. Citing "sources familiar with Microsoft's plans," the Verge revealed the current list as:

Calendar Camera Mail Messaging Music People Photos SkyDrive Video

These are just the apps known so far, so there could … Read more

Angry Birds part of flock of first Windows Store games

Windows users can grab some Angry Birds and a host of other games when Microsoft's Windows Store opens for business later this month.

The new store is slated to launch in preview mode by the end of February at the same time the Windows 8 Consumer Preview debuts.

Citing a "source familiar with Microsoft's plans," The Verge has spilled the beans on which games will be among the first titles to pop up in the store. Though Pinball and Solitaire will automatically come with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, several other games will be available for … Read more

Deleted Facebook photos still viewable

Windows 8 may kill the Start menu button, the Super Bowl spawned tons o' tweets, and Facebook admits that deleted photos can still be accessed.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Microsoft Bing page tips off new Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Microsoft has already cooked up a special Bing page tempting users to check out its upcoming Windows 8 "Consumer Preview."

The first clue is the video of a betta fish swimming from one edge of the screen to the other. Thought of as Microsoft's mascot for beta versions of new operating systems, that particular fish swam its way onto the desktop of the beta for Windows 7 in 2009.

But other more obvious clues are the hot spots and links scattered across the screen that refer specifically to Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Since the page is still … Read more

Microsoft removes start button in Windows 8

Say goodbye to the Windows start button. Microsoft has gotten rid of it from the latest build of Windows 8.

Hitting the Web over the weekend, screenshots of the new Windows 8 build display the "super bar," but without the start button orb on the left, according to The Verge. Build 8220 will be the final version released before the beta, now known as the Consumer Preview, debuts before the end of the month.

Until its untimely (or timely) death, the Windows 8 start button located in the Metro UI offered access to the search, share, devices, and … Read more

Google TV adds gaming with OnLive

Verizon goes all in for 4G, the first Android watch is pleasing on the eyes, and Google TV adds cloud gaming from OnLive.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded, from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas:

OnLive gaming comes to Google TV It's all 4G for Verizon Sony prototype tablets Sony Music Unlimited coming to iOS New Amazon e-book programing tools. Bing surpasses Yahoo!. The first Android watch. Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

The best of CES 2012

LAS VEGAS--If it's January, it must be CES.

The Consumer Electronics Show (or CES, as it's affectionately known) is the technology industry's annual megaconvention, bringing together more than 140,000 attendees to see the latest and greatest products, services, and apps--the building blocks of our increasingly tech-centric, hyper-connected 21st century culture.

For 2012, the tech experts at CNET have once again had the privilege of managing the official Best of CES awards. This year, our team of editors has identified the most promising products in 10 categories--and named one of them as the best overall product of … Read more

Asus rocks the tablet boat

Intel is making a big push into smartphones and tablets, Polaroid has the first Android phone, and Asus hands out four cores for the price of two with the game-changing Asus Memo 370T.

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded, from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas:

Four cores for the price of two? Intel goes inside smartphones Polaroid's Android camera Box-less DVR with DirecTV and Samsung Buzzing about the Dell XPS 13 and the Inhon. Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

Dell plans to re-enter tablet market in late 2012

Dell is planning to re-enter the tablet market later this year with a consumer-oriented device, according to Reuters.

The company previously tested the tablet waters with its enterprise-focused Dell Streak, an Android-powered device that was met with mixed reviews and that met its demise last month.

But the once-dominant PC maker has learned from the mistakes of other tablet makers and has a better understanding of what consumers want in a tablet, Steve Felice, Dell's chief financial officer, said in an interview at CES.

"We have been taking our time. The general failure of everyone that's tried … Read more