Google seems to have called it quits on making its own Android tablets—again

Google seems to have called it quits on making its own Android tablets—again

Depending on which Android-focused site you believe, either a third Pixel Tablet was apparently in the works at Google and canceled, as Android Headlines reported, or the second one, as Android Authority has it. Either way, there was reportedly a team at Google working on the next flagship Pixel-branded tablet, and now, seemingly due to…

An ad giant wants to run your next TV’s operating system

An ad giant wants to run your next TV’s operating system

An ad company’s foray into TV operating systems (OSes) illustrates a significant shift for TV hardware toward products that are increasingly focused on ad sales and tracking. With more people using web-based streaming for TV, smart TV OSes have become the most lucrative part of the TV business. OS owners accumulate valuable data on how people…

Microsoft’s Paint 3D was once the future of MS Paint, but now it’s going away

Microsoft’s Paint 3D was once the future of MS Paint, but now it’s going away

  Enlarge / Paint 3D, once the future of the Paint app, is getting the axe in November. Andrew Cunningham In October of 2017, Microsoft released a version of Windows 10 called the “Fall Creators Update,” back when the company tried to give brand names to these things rather than just sticking to version numbering….

Intel details fixes for crashing 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs as BIOS updates roll out

Intel details fixes for crashing 13th- and 14th-gen CPUs as BIOS updates roll out

Intel Intel has shared more about the voltage-related issues that affected some 13th- and 14th-generation Core processors, as the company tries to put the episode behind it. As reported by Tom’s Hardware, Intel says that the problem originated with “elevated operating voltage” stemming from “incorrect voltage requests,” specifically an increase to the minimum operating voltage…

Nova Launcher, savior of cruft-filled Android phones, is on life support

Nova Launcher, savior of cruft-filled Android phones, is on life support

Nova Launcher Back in July 2022, when mobile app metrics firm Branch acquired the popular and well-regarded Nova Launcher for Android, the app’s site put up one of those self-directed FAQ posts about it. Under the question heading “What does Branch want with Nova?,” Nova founder and creator Kevin Barry started his response with, “Not…

Sonos’ $30M app fail is cautionary tale against rushing unnecessary updates

Sonos’ $30M app fail is cautionary tale against rushing unnecessary updates

Sonos Addressing blowback from Sonos’ wildly unpopular app redesign will cost the company $20 to $30 million “in the short term,” according to CEO Patrick Spence. In May, Sonos launched an updated app that aggravated many users due to its removal of common functions, like accessibility features and the ability to edit playlists and song…

Apple reportedly plans updated M4 Mac mini that’s actually mini

Apple reportedly plans updated M4 Mac mini that’s actually mini

Enlarge / Apple’s M2 Pro Mac mini. Andrew Cunningham Apple hasn’t updated its Mac mini desktop lineup since the beginning of 2023, when it added M2 and M2 Pro chips and discontinued the last of the Intel models. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the update drought will end later this year, when the mini will…

People are returning Humane AI Pins faster than Humane can sell them, report says

People are returning Humane AI Pins faster than Humane can sell them, report says

Enlarge / The Humane AI Pin. Humane Humane AI Pins were returned at faster rate than they were sold between May and August, according to a report from The Verge on Wednesday. The AI gadget released in April to abysmal reviews, and Humane is now reportedly dealing with over $1,000,000 worth of returned product. The…

It’s not worth paying to be removed from people-finder sites, study says

It’s not worth paying to be removed from people-finder sites, study says

Enlarge / For a true representation of the people-search industry, a couple of these folks should have lanyards that connect them by the pockets. Getty Images If you’ve searched your name online in the last few years, you know what’s out there, and it’s bad. Alternately, you’ve seen the lowest-common-denominator ads begging you to search…