Telepathy Between Couples: Is It Real?

When Julie Beischel met Mark Boccuzzi at a conference and agreed to participate in an experiment on telepathy, she didn’t immediately tell him about the powerful connections she’d felt to him; after all, they were strangers.

Now married, however, Beischel and Boccuzzi credit telepathy for helping them meet and fall in love.

“It was like nothing I had ever encountered,” Beischel said.

VIDEO: Smooching Across Cultures

The data from the experiment backed up her perception, however, and the couple eventually asked Dean Radin, senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) that conducted the summer study program, to marry them. Now, they are co-writing a book, Psychic Intimacy: A Handbook for Couples, that will highlight practical applications of telepathy for couples. In fact, they’ve suggested that Radin turn the experiment into a dating service.

The field of parapsychology can be tricky for scientists to navigate. At best, they’re known as a fringe group; at worst, they’re lumped together with astrologers and fortune tellers. NIH funding is hard to come by. People were often surprised that Beischel, a “hard-core” scientist with a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology, wrote a book about mediums.

But Beischel, Radin and many others are confident in their ability to answer most skeptics’ question affirmatively: Is telepathy real?

Radin tells the story of Hans Berger, the German who recorded the first human electroencephalogram (EEG) in 1924, who fell while riding a horse and was almost run over by a team of horses racing down the road inches from his head. His sister, many miles away, sensed the danger and insisted that her father send a telegram to find out what was wrong. She had never sent a telegram before, and the experience left Burger so curious that he switched from studying math and astronomy to medicine hoping to discover the source of that psychic energy.

About 100 years later, the explanation is still largely a mystery, but about 200 published experiments reveal mental connections that are “way beyond chance,” Radin said. Not knowing how it works, though, is uncomfortable for many scientists.

“Looking at the experiments and the data, it’s very clear something is going on,” Radin said. “There is doubt because we don’t have a good explanation for it yet.”

Still, even his most skeptical friends have shifted their thinking; while they may not believe it’s real, they no longer feel as strongly that it’s not, Radin said.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review

Why isn’t this the Galaxy S4? Usually, in an intro, we’ll explain the history of a product and tease whether it’s good or not. Not today. The Galaxy S4 Active is a fantastic phone, but we’re a little upset that it’s only available on AT&T and a lot of people are going to be stuck buying a regular Galaxy S4. Unless you buy your phones strictly for vanity, The Galaxy S4 Active is possibly the best-designed high-end phone we’ve ever used. It has all the amenities you’re used to on an Android phone, but it’s more durable and waterproof. And it doesn’t cost any more, either. Our biggest problem is that only a third of you will be able to buy it, and most of you will be confused as hell about its name, or what it is. What the hell, Samsung?

Looks great, feels like any other S4

The Galaxy S4 Active doesn’t look a whole lot different from the Galaxy S4 – at first. It’s slightly thicker and taller (a millimeter or two), but it’s still comfortable to hold by anyone who can get their mitts around a Galaxy S3 or S4. It has the same 5-inch screen on it, same button layout, same everything. The difference is that the S4 Active looks like a Galaxy S4 with a thin plate of armor on it. We like armor.

The Active has a thicker polycarbonate (durable plastic) shell than the standard S4, but not by much. To help use it underwater, because, you know, it’s somewhat waterproof; Samsung has swapped out touch navigation buttons for the real thing. We found it refreshing to press an actual Home, Back, and Menu button for once. The buttons are easy to press and have a good click to them. (We’re sure you were dying to find out how easy it is to press the Home button. That’s why you clicked on this review, right? If so, you’re going to love that the Power and Volume buttons are easy to press, too.)
The Active is as comfortable as any phone. Samsung isn’t reinventing or rocking the boat with this one, and that’s fine with us. We do really like the aqua-tinged blue coloring. We recommend it over the gray.

Waterproof and dustproof, but not shockproof

The best feature of the Galaxy S4 Active is its IP67 rating. Like a few rugged phones on the market and the Sony Xperia Z, the Active is dust and water resistant. Nothing is completely waterproof, but the Active can be completely submerged in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without any problem. Though it’s always nerve wracking to test out, we submerged the Active, took it in the shower, and covered it in crazy things like soap and dirt. None of it phased the phone. It still works fine. The water stayed out of the phone’s innards and the dust, well, washed right off.

The Galaxy S4 Active isn’t a “rugged” phone, though the rubbery edges and rivets Samsung pasted on the back may make you think it is. If you drop it, it may still break. But we can tell you that it appears to be at least a little more durable than a standard Galaxy S4.

The S4 Active looks like a Galaxy S4 with a thin plate of armor on it. We like armor.

Durability and ruggedness elude the S4 Active, but we can’t express how freeing it is to have a phone that’s mostly waterproof. Smartphones are so delicate, but now you have one less thing to worry about. Go ahead; take out your phone when you’re stuck in the rain. Take it in the shower if you need to check your mail. Accidentally drop it in the toilet. It isn’t going to die; you aren’t going to have to buy a new phone. The feeling is liberating. We can’t wait for this type of technology to reach more devices.

It works just as well as a Galaxy S4

We will direct you to the Galaxy S4 Review to learn more about the software on the Active. It’s identical. This phone is almost identical to the S4 in every way, and that’s mostly a good thing. Samsung does tend to go overboard, and shove in as many features and apps as it can (it really wants you to like it more than its competitors, so much so that the S4 Active was actually created seemingly because of Sony’s waterproof Xperia Z), but you need only ignore what you don’t want. We recommend you skip Samsung’s Hub and instead use the Google Play Store to download your apps.

The Active runs the newest version of Android, version 4.2 Jelly Bean, modified to look a little different from other phones. This helps make it one of the most responsive and fast Android phones on the market. We have few major qualms with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, and it adds some cool features like eye tracking and motion control, should you choose to enable them. There were moments during testing when we wished there was a Galaxy S4 Active Google Edition – maybe someday.

It’s just as powerful as a regular S4

The interface is the same, and so is the underlying power. The S4 Active runs on the same 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor (Geek specs: Qualcomm MDM9215 + APQ8064pro) found in the Galaxy S4, has 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal file storage (with MicroSD slot for expansion), and a 5-inch 1080×1920 pixel Super AMOLED screen. The screen continually stands out as one of the most responsive, pixel dense, and vivid in the industry; it looks good. The only weakpoint of the Galaxy S4 Active appears to be its rear camera, which clocks in at 8-megapixel instead of 13, like the S4. Honestly, this didn’t bother us.

This is about as powerful a phone as you’ll find in mid 2013.

In the Quadrant benchmark test, the Active performed slightly better than its predecessor with a score of 12,500. The S4 got a 12,200. What does that mean? Nothing much. The difference is negligible. Both phones perform much higher than most rival phones, save for the HTC One, which also cracked the 12,000 mark. This is about as powerful a phone as you’ll find in mid 2013. Expect it to remain a good phone for at least a year, like the Galaxy S3.

Camera

There is nothing standout about the Galaxy S4 camera, except that you can use it underwater. Don’t expect shots to come out particularly lovely when you’re submerged, but it’s possible. As mentioned, you’ll be stuck with 8 megapixels on the S4 Active versus 13 megapixels on the regular S4 and many of the its competitors. Still, he camera performance was on par with top phones of late 2012. It doesn’t reach the quality of the iPhone 5, but it should perform well in most circumstances.

We had some trouble with low-light shots, but no matter the phone camera, we always have trouble with low-light shots. Samsung’s filters are good, and its camera app is robust. Don’t buy this phone if camera quality is your number one concern, but if a “good camera” is a check on your list, go ahead and tick the box. 1080p video recording is also present and works as advertised.

Call quality is good

Though we read a few negative reports about call quality, we’ve had no issues with the Galaxy S4 Active’s call quality. We made a number of calls and had no trouble hearing or being heard. The Active’s volume gets a little louder than some handsets making it easier to hear if you’re a little hard of hearing (as I can be). A conference call using the S4 Active went well.

Battery life is meh

Though it has a large 2,600mAh battery in it, like most phones these days, there is nothing impressive about the battery life of the Galaxy S4 Active. If you use the phone more than moderately, you’re going to have trouble holding a charge for a full day and evening. When we started downloading podcasts and hitting the LTE network hard, the Active’s battery drained itself with the haste of a frightened horse. Luckily, the battery is removable, so you can buy extras if you are going on a long trip. We recommend you buy them from Samsung.

Conclusion

Like we said in our introduction, the Galaxy S4 Active is one helluva phone. With almost no sacrifices and no price increase, you’re getting a Galaxy S4 that is water and dust resistant. These are two features that don’t sound like a big deal, until you have them. It’s reassuring to know that a few rain droplets can’t ruin your $650 phone. The S4 Active is mess proof, and that’s great. Why Samsung decided spin this feature off as a separate phone, only available to AT&T users, we do not know and aren’t happy about. But if you are on AT&T, it’s hard not to recommend the Galaxy S4 Active. It has everything other phones have, and it’s waterproof. This is the AT&T phone to buy.

Highs

• Waterproof and dustproof
• Beautiful 1080p screen
• Fast, smooth performance
• Comfortable, attractive design
• Tons of features

Lows

• Mediocre battery life
• Rear camera is weaker than S4 (8MP)
• TouchWiz interface has cartoony design

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Researchers use Wi-Fi signals to see through walls

If you could have any super power in the world, which one would it be? Would you want to shoot lasers out of your eyes? Perhaps you’d prefer the ability to read a person’s thoughts? Or maybe seeing through walls would be more your thing.
If you answered the latter of the three, you may be able to get your wish sooner than you think. Dina Katabi, a professor for MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, along with graduate student Fadel Adib, are working on a means to do just that, using low-cost Wi-Fi technology.
The technology, which Katabi has dubbed Wi-Vi, works sort of like sonar; using the device the two created, they can send out two nearly identical, modified wireless signals which are then reflected by the presence of any human body and bounced back. When the signals hit a static object, like a wall, they’re canceled out. “If the person moves behind the wall,” explained Adib, “all reflections from static objects are canceled out, and the only thing registered by the device is the moving human.” Once the device has canceled out all static objects, it can then focus on tracking the moving object.
So it may not be exactly like having X-Ray vision, but it’s pretty darn cool. And there’s practical use for it. This sort of technology could help speed up rescue efforts for anyone trapped in the rubble of a building after a damaging earthquake, for example. It could be used as a safety precaution for anyone nervous about walking alone at night. And Katabi says that it could even could be used for gesture-based controlling, whether it’s shutting off the lights or playing a video game.
Katabi plans to formally introduce the technology this August at the Sigcomm conference in Hong Kong. How long it will take before this technology starts being used has yet to be determined, but it’s already gotten the attention of Microsoft, as a possible means of stepping up its gaming abilities.

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The top 5 reasons to upgrade to Windows 8.1

The Windows 8.1 preview is here, giving us a first-hand glimpse at the fruits of Microsoft’s newfound rapid-release religion. Remolding an operating system in eight scant months is a tall task indeed, and while Windows 8.1 is still far from perfect, Microsoft managed to craft a fairly capable reimagining of its new-look OS in the short time since Windows 8 debuted last October.
Steve Ballmer said it well: Windows 8.1 refines the blend, making the core modern UI experience far less jarring than before. Don’t dig all the Live Tiles? Windows 8.1 even tosses several sizable bones to desktop aficionados.
Here, folks, are the five most enticing reasons to upgrade to Windows 8.1 when the final version becomes available. Microsoft has said the official release is slated for 2013, but hasn't announced a firm release date. If you’re feeling adventurous enough to run beta software—preferably on a secondary computer, for precaution's sake—you can install the Windows 8.1 preview today, but be sure to back up your data first.

1. A better desktop experience

 

Hey, this is PCWorld, not TabletWorld, and while the times they are a-changing, the vast majority of computers found in the wild don’t rock the touchscreens that really take advantage of the modern UI. Microsoft seemed to forget that point with the original Windows 8 release, but fortunately the Windows 8.1 preview packs a bevy of improvements that make using it much more palatable to keyboard jockeys.
After some mild tweaking, you won’t have to jump through hoops to largely eliminate the modern UI from your computing life. Windows 8.1 reintroduces boot-to-desktop, and if you pair that with the ability to configure the returned Start button to jump to the Start menu-esque All Apps screen, you may rarely, if ever, see a Live Tile.
Assuming nothing incredibly major changes between now and the time the final release appears, Windows 8.1 still isn’t compelling enough to coax staunch Windows 7 lovers to upgrade, but it does make the transition much easier if you do decide to switch to Microsoft’s modern vision.

2. More seamless overall

Speaking of transitions, one of the major complaints about Windows 8 was the disjointed way that the desktop and the modern UI interacted. All too often, they felt like warring, totally separate universes, and the OS was all too eager to rip you out of one to dump you unceremoniously in the other—a disorienting (and frustrating) experience.
Windows 8.1 smooths that feeling over quite a bit. The walls are definitely still there, and you’ll occasionally find yourself whisked from one UI to the other, but overall, the experience is far less intrusive. With the addition of the revamped Start button, the ability to carry your desktop background over to the Start screen, and the fuller-fledged modern PC Settings, the Windows 8.1 preview gives you a greater feeling of control over the UI. Now, if Microsoft would only introduce a modern-style file explorer app…

3. Versatile app snapping

Another big plus in the Windows 8.1 preview is its more-flexible Snap function, which allows you to have multiple modern-style apps open at once. In Windows 8 vanilla, you’re limited to having two apps open simultaneously: One fills 75 percent of the screen, while the other is relegated to the last quarter. That seriously cramps Snap’s usefulness.
Windows 8.1 shatters its predecessor’s artificial barriers. Depending on your display’s resolution, you can have as many as four apps snapped on a single screen, and you can now dynamically alter the size of snapped windows. Being able to dedicate half the screen each to two apps seriously boosts Windows 8.1’s productivity chops.
The Snap changes may sound minor, but they add up to a huge usability improvement—especially when paired with the newfound ability to open the modern version of Internet Explorer 11 in multiple windows at once.

4. Cohesive search results

Windows 8’s Search charm was pretty helpful, but Windows 8.1’s Smart Search blows it out of the water. Rather than separating search results into distinct Apps, Settings, and Files categories, Windows 8.1 pools everything into a single cohesive search results page, complete with results from other apps, including SkyDrive, Bing Web search, and the Video and Music apps.

Windows 8.1’s Smart Search pools local and Web-sourced data into one collection of search results, like this aggregate on Queens of the Stone Age

That makes Windows 8.1’s search incredibly versatile and incredibly helpful. Searching for the band Queens of the Stone Age, for example, popped up an eye-catching picture of the group, a couple of documents where I’d mentioned them, biographical info, the ability to stream their songs using the Music app, Bing search results, and recommendations for a couple of apps that could provide more info about the group.

Windows Smart Search also scooped up a barrel o’ data on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer with impressive ease.

Searching for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, on the other hand, also revealed some local documents, but his results included numerous videos, related search topics, and a lot more.
If Microsoft had added only Smart Search to Windows 8.1, it would’ve been enough to convince me to install the update. Yes, it’s that good.

5. New features in every corner

Windows 8.1 includes support for 3D printers. How cool is that?

The Windows 8.1 preview is also jam-packed with all kinds of hidden features. From Miracast streaming to 3D printer support to Photosynth-style panoramas in the Camera app to the veritable cornucopia of new features buried in the revamped PC Settings menu, there’s something new and interesting in every nook and cranny. (And that’s not even counting the deep bench of new and updated native apps, like the vastly improved Windows Store.)
You could spend several days discovering all the tweaks Microsoft stuffed into the Windows 8.1 preview. Few of them can be classified as all-star additions, but all are welcome extras nonetheless—and it’s kind of exciting never knowing what you’ll find when you dive into an unexplored corner of the OS.

A must-have for Windows 8 adoptees

Now, don’t get me wrong. Windows 8.1 won’t do anything to soothe your concerns if you hate the very premise of the core Windows 8 experience. The Live Tiles and modern UI aren’t going anywhere. (You can read our in-depth impressions of Windows 8.1 here.)
But with the Windows 8.1 preview, Microsoft has shown that it’s willing to compromise a bit on its post-PC push to nudge along the desktop diehards. The raft of changes—refinements—in Windows 8.1 soften some of the bumps in the migration path for newcomers. And if you’re already aboard the Windows 8 bandwagon, there’s no reason not to upgrade to Windows 8.1 whenever it becomes officially available.

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Nerds dressed head to toe in wearable tech are going to ruin it for everybody

Wearable tech is, at the risk of going all Derek Zoolander. It’s so hot right now, it seems nothing can take away its coolness. Nope, not even that shower picture. However, there’s a reason for this: it’s because there are only a few examples we can all buy. Once all the tech giants get their acts together and start releasing wearable tech products – and there will be a lot – the cool factor is in danger of disappearing very quickly.

The trouble is, tech fans are a vulnerable lot, and when we see shiny new gadgets, it’s tough not to want (no, need) them.

Why? Because we don’t know when to stop. Think about it, you can look cool with a Nike Fuelband or a Fitbit Flex on your wrist. You look sporty and concerned with your health, plus you’re showing your geeky side. But what about your Pebble? Hmm, you’ve got another wrist, so that’s fine. Fast forward to early 2014, and Google Glass is about to go up for pre-order. You struggle through Google Play’s inevitably painful ordering process, and a few weeks later, a computer is resting on the bridge of your nose.
But the Fuelband and the Pebble are still on your wrist, aren’t they? That’s three devices, and they all connect to your smartphone, adorning your body. Apart from the effect it’ll have on your phone’s battery life, all of a sudden you’ve gone from being sporty, health conscious, and a bit geeky, to a tragic nerd. Nobody will want to speak to you because they know you won’t be paying the slightest bit of attention. This scenario is based only on the hardware we know about today, not what wearable horrors tomorrow holds.

Marketing teams want your body…

While we want to believe no-one will do this, manufacturers are fully aware the space on our bodies is limited, so expect all sorts of cunning tricks to make you put on fifteen different pieces of connected rubbish every morning. Right now, in a conference room somewhere there are teams of marketers figuring out all the places where else a gadget can be strapped to, worn, or even hung from (steady). Let’s face it, the battle for your wrist and your face is already seen as half over.

We’ve been given a couple of hints this activity is already going on. A Samsung trademark reveals it’s planning a range of wearable technology products under the name “Samsung Gear.” Gear is a worrying word, as it instantly brings to mind the things motorcyclists who’re keen to stay in one piece have to wear. Helmets, gloves, massive great big jackets, waterproof romper suits, and more; and all could be on Samsung’s list of things to make into ‘smart’ gadgets.
For proof that things are about to get weird, even Dell is exploring wearable tech. Yep. Dude, some people could be wearing a Dell.
The news Apple has hired former Saint Laurent Paris boss Paul Deneve is also a concern, especially for those with a weakness for Apple products. He’s apparently going to work on, “special projects,” and given his background – he’s also worked for Courreges, and Nina Ricci – it could be the iWatch or other luxury wearable products. What’s to worry about, you may ask? At one time or another, this man presumably thought these glasses (Courreges Vintage Eskimo sunglasses, in case you were wondering) were a good idea, and made a living out of convincing people of the fact. If you’re an Apple fan, you don’t stand a chance.

A tech fan’s guide to wearing wearable tech

So what’s to be done? We’ve all got to sit down and work out a plan. Wearable tech isn’t like buying, and being satisfied with, a single laptop or smartphone – it’s too closely aligned with the fashion and jewelry industry for that – the temptation to wear too much will be palpable. It could sneak up on you, too. One day you’re checking your watch for notifications, and the next your sneakers are telling you to speed up, your helmet’s warning you you’re about to miss your turn, your boss is trying to Hangout on Glass, and your mom’s sending your jacket a hug.

To avoid this nightmare situation, and the fashion faux pas which would go along with it, we propose some kind of unofficial guide to keep us safe from accidentally becoming instantly unattractive to the opposite sex, and lessen the chance of being cruelly beaten and robbed on a regular basis. For example, a smart watch on its own is fine, but shouldn’t be complimented by smart glasses, but glasses and a fitness tracker would be acceptable. Smart body wear could go with one gadget, but not two or more.
The trouble is, tech fans are a vulnerable lot, and when we see shiny new gadgets, it’s tough not to want (no, need) them. This way, we can still buy all the wearable tech we want, but the rules on which ones to wear at one time will be clear. Tech land is already crossing over into the fashion world, so we need to learn one of their own rules to survive – that accessorizing well is an exercise in subtlety.

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Haswell is here, but is it the right time to buy a new laptop or tablet?

The launch of a new processor line is unlike the launch of any other product. Production is complicated, and quality control must meet exacting standards. This is why Intel’s 4th-gen processors (code-named Haswell), though officially launched, are available in just a handful of systems.
This scarcity places consumers in an uncomfortable place ahead of the important back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. Laptops are popular items, yet many don’t have the new processors. Are systems with 3rd-gen Intel Core parts still worth your money? Let’s take a look.

What Haswell brings to the table

We’ve already covered Haswell’s new features, but we’ve had the opportunity since then to test some systems with 4th-gen hardware and put them through both our performance and battery benchmarks. What are the results?
Compute performance is, relative to the 3rd-gen processors – almost at a standstill. Though there’s been some improvement, it’s quite minor, and we’ve noticed 4th-gen processors coming in just behind their predecessors. The Core i7-4702HQ in the Razer Blade, for example, does not out-perform the Core i7-3635QM in the Samsung ATIV Book 8 or the Core i7-3630QM in the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500.

Graphics performance is another matter, however. While we still haven’t been able to test Intel’s high-end Iris and Iris Pro graphics, we have thoroughly reviewed Intel HD 4600 and, since that review, played with HD 4600 on two additional laptops. Benchmarks consistently show the new integrated graphics processor to be far ahead of its predecessor. Apple’s latest MacBook Air, for example, produced a 3DMark Fire Strike score of 774, while 3rd-gen Ultrabooks struggle to crack 500 in the same test.
And then there’s Haswell’s most hyped feature: battery life. The new MacBook Air offers almost seven hours of heavy Web browsing, and the new Razer Blade almost cracks five hours in spite of its quad-core processor. An average 3rd-gen Ultrabook scores four hours and thirty minutes in this same test, so the 4th-gen processors are truly a boon to portability.

Worth the wait?

Obviously, there are advantages to the new 4th-gen processors. Though they aren’t much quicker in compute tests, they blow the doors off the previous generation in 3D graphics and battery life. Yet these benefits probably won’t find their way to all laptops until at least the end of this year, and some new models still have last-generation technology. Lenovo’s newly released Yoga 11S, for example, debuted with a 3rd-gen rather than 4th-gen processor.
The decision to buy or wait ultimately comes down to what type of system you intend to buy.

Desktops: Buy

The old-fashioned desktop PC obviously isn’t the focus of Haswell and is the option which benefits the least. With no major performance increase, and battery life not a factor, the new processors have little to lure desktop buyers. Even the graphics improvement is somewhat trivial, as most modern desktops paired with a 1080p monitor and HD 4600 graphics, despite its improvement, can’t handle many games at that resolution. The story may be different with Iris and Iris Pro, but those IGPs aren’t found on most 4th-gen desktop processors.

Quad-core laptops: Wait
Minimal gains in compute performance may lead you to think the new processors are unimportant for large laptops … but not so fast! While it’s true that a 3rd-gen processor will be about as fast, it will also offer less battery life and inferior graphics performance. Laptop with 4th-gen quad-core processors are coming to market more quickly than their dual-core counterparts, as well, so the wait is unlikely to extend beyond a few months.
Standard dual-core laptops: Buy

Intel has historically given parts with the largest profit margin priority, so basic dual-core laptops will be the last to see widespread distribution of the new architecture. Budget and mid-range systems may not even see widespread adoption of Haswell before the holiday shopping season is over. If you have a laptop already in your sites, go ahead and buy it. The wait may not be worth the benefits.

Ultrabooks: Wait
Intel’s new processor keeps performance on par while drastically reducing power consumption and bumping up graphics performance, all of which makes for a better Ultrabook experience. Currently just a handful of systems, such as the MacBook Air and Sony Vaio Pro, have a 4th-gen processor, but more systems should see a refresh over the coming months, and the improvements will be well worth the wait.
Tablets and 2-in-1s: Wait

Along with Intel’s announcement of new processors also came the creation of new terminology: the “2-in-1,” formerly known as a convertible laptop or dockable PC. Intel’s Haswell press release promised that about fifty new devices in this category will arrive in the latter half of 2013, so consumers should wait to see what these products can offer. There may be new designs that out-class anything on the market today.

Bargain shopping: Older doesn’t always mean better value

Those looking for a good deal are no doubt starting to circle the Internet, waiting for price drops on 3rd-gen laptops. This is not a bad tactic, but consumers should have reasonable expectations.
Intel laptops don’t have a history of massive price-cuts when a new generation is announced. What you’ll usually see is a modest reduction, perhaps 10 to 20 percent, and the older model might sell alongside its newer brethren for months. In some extreme examples, laptops with old technology can sell for years; you can still buy a Zenbook with a 2nd-gen Core processor for $580.
Don’t’ forget to compare the prices of old laptops against new systems, however. That 2nd-gen Zenbook looks nice at first glance (it’s almost half the price of a 3rd-gen version!), yet it doesn’t compare well to the IdeaPad U310, which has a 3rd-gen processor for $530.
What do you plan to do? Buy now, or wait for Haswell to make its way into more PCs? Let us know in the comments below.

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Why Nokia needs to end its marriage to Microsoft with a Google Edition Lumia

Last week, Pierre Ferragu, an analyst working for Bernstein Research, had some cutting things to say about the state of Nokia’s business, most of which concerned the firm’s finances. However, Ferragu also had something to say about Nokia’s dependance on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, and the rapidly diminishing feature phone market. He claimed that “Both could cost Nokia a lot of cash in the near term” and that it “could be too late” to turn back and fix this in a few years. His solution: Nokia should “take the pill” and make a few Android phones before it’s too late; low-end Android phones could come by the end of the year.

Swap out Windows Phone for Android Jelly Bean, and there you have it: the Lumia 925 Google Edition

Ferragu saying Nokia should adopt Android or die isn’t news either. It has been discussed by analysts, shouted across rooms in fanboy arguments, and endlessly rolled out in forums and comment threads all over the Internet ever since Nokia chose Windows Phone in 2011. Many seem to believe that the moment a Nokia phone with Android installed goes on sale, the company’s woes would be over, and it would be back at the top of the charts in the blink of an eye. That’s not the case, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t drooling at the thought of a slick Nokia smartphone with Android installed. Until recently, the chances of it happening seemed as remote as Apple doing the same thing, but one particular development may have given Nokia the chance it needs to experiment with Android, without the need to spend millions in development. We’re talking about a Lumia Google Edition.

Beautiful Nokia hardware, smooth stock Android

A Google Edition phone, in case you’re not familiar with the term, is one which has stock Android installed, without any manufacturer user interface over the top. They’re a bit like Nexus phones, but based on existing devices. Samsung was the first on the scene with a Google Edition of the Galaxy S4, which was quickly joined by the HTC One. Sony and Huawei may also launch Google Editions of the Xperia Z and Ascend P6, respectively.
Nokia’s hardware is good. The Lumia 920 may be a bit of a beast, but it’s one solid, beautiful smartphone. The Lumia 925 is the perfect evolution – lighter and more attractive. It’s the ideal base for Nokia’s Google Edition experiment. Swap out Windows Phone for Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, give the shell an exclusive color scheme, and there you have it, the Lumia 925 Google Edition. Nokia can even leave the spec alone, as the screen is wonderfully bright, and the processor perfectly capable of dealing with Android and its apps. Who wouldn’t want to play with the 8.7-megapixel, Carl Zeiss-lensed PureView camera?
A custom user interface is the elephant in the room when discussing Nokia’s adoption of Android. Companies like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and LG modify the icons, themes, and features of Android to make their phones stand out. If Nokia adopted Android outright, it would want to have it’s own custom user interface. Unfortunately, they cost money to develop, and time to produce, both of which are scarce at Nokia, according to the doom-mongers. But by introducing the Google Edition brand, Google has opened the door for Nokia to make an Android phone without investing in the platform. The resulting device would instantly join a showcase of established, desirable Android phones already on the market.

So, let’s say it does this, it probably won’t want to produce a boatload of Android Lumia phones in advance, so how about (rather ironically, really) taking a leaf out of Jolla’s book and put up a Kickstarter-style pre-order campaign, where the phones are essentially built-to-order. Throw in a t-shirt and we’ll call it Christmas. We know we’re dreaming here, but we want to see Nokia survive and succeed, and this could be a way of it giving Android a shot with the minimum of financial exposure.

Nokia should still stick with Windows Phone

A Google Edition Lumia phone probably wouldn’t make Nokia rich, but it would let it see how the public would react to a Nokia Android phone, potentially opening up an important additional revenue stream; something no one should argue against if they’ve seen Nokia’s balance sheet.
We say additional, because Nokia should keep Windows Phone as its primary smartphone OS. It’s by far the most successful Windows Phone manufacturer, and figures have shown the operating system is slowly growing in popularity. No, its not an Android killer yet, but who knows.
Nokia would be foolish to dump Windows Phone and marry Android. The idea is almost unthinkable. Aside from the money, time, and effort needed to make another major transition, Nokia would burn bridges and risk collapse in the process. And to get where? To be in the same position as Acer, selling a million phones a year? Or HTC, an established Android manufacturer with plenty of support and a great phone, but still struggling to get by? No, Windows Phone is what makes Nokia different at the moment, but releasing a Google Edition of its coolest Windows Phone device would make it more different still, potentially awarding it an army of new fans, and giving the company’s management a glimpse of a rosy, multi operating system future. The marriage with Windows Phone needs to end, but they can still remain close.
Go on, Nokia. Make a Lumia 925 Google Edition. It would be a hit phone; we have foreseen this. It is your destiny.

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